Carol K. Lucas focuses her practice on healthcare law and general business law. She has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, securities, private placements, state and federal regulations, entity formation and corporate representation of both public and private companies in the healthcare industry. Over the last several years, Ms. Lucas has represented numerous clients in connection with issues and disputes related to payment for healthcare services. She is also an expert on the establishment and representation of Federally Qualified Health Centers and related issues such as governance requirements, issues raised by hospital sponsorship of FQHCs, application issues, and the impact of health care reform on these entities. She also specializes in the representation of ambulatory surgery centers, med spas, imaging centers, and other ancillary providers in a variety of medical specialties, and in the legal and business issues that confront independent practice associations and other physician organizations.

Ms. Lucas is Chair of the Firm’s Health Care Practice Group and former Co-Chair of the Corporate Practice Group. Ms. Lucas, is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell and is recognized by Chambers USA as a leader in the Health Care field and one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. She was selected by Corporate Counsel as a 2012 Top Rated Lawyer in Health Care Law. Ms. Lucas was also recognized by Super Lawyer Magazine as one of the “Top 50 Women in Law” and a Southern California Super Lawyer from 2011 – 2021. In 2019, she was recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a Nominee for the 2019 “Women’s Council” awards. Most recently, she was named one of Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Women of Influence: Health Care” in 2023. Ms. Lucas was also nominated to the Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, for 2023 & 2024.

Ms. Lucas has given lectures at numerous seminars and conferences, including meetings sponsored by the State Bar of California, American Health Lawyers Association, and The Future of Health Care Delivery Conference.

Bar Admissions

• California
• New York

Education

• University of Rochester
• NYU School of Law

• Sale of a hospitalist and intensivist practice to a public hospital-based medicine provider
• Sale of an emergency medicine group to a public hospital-based medicine provider
• Acquisition of a multi-site anesthesia practice based in Southern California
• Sale of a majority interest in a multi-specialty ambulatory surgery center to a national surgery center operator
• A closely held teleradiology company in its merger with a public teleradiology company.
• An IPA acquired by a large regional IPA.
• A number of non-profit community clinic operators applying for the Federal FQHC program.
• A laser surgery practice in its expansion through acquisition of additional practices.
• The California Association of Physician Groups in the formation of trade association, governance issues, and general health care matters.
• Numerous medical groups in corporate and compliance matters.
• An orthopedic group in the buyout of a hospital partner in a joint ambulatory surgery center.
• A major regional insurance brokerage in its sale to a significant financial institution.
• A national pharmacy benefits manager with respect to requirements of California Knox-Keene Act.
• A national medical laboratory company with California corporate practice of medicine issues.
• A national surgery center and surgical hospital developer in acquisition and syndication of facilities in California, Kansas, and Texas.

• California Healthcare Transactions Will Soon Hit a Speed Bump
• Traps For The Unwary Telehealth Provider
• Corporate Practice of Medicine on Steroids
• Buchalter Client Alert COVID-19: Hastening Telehealth Provision of Medical Services Across State Lines
• DYNAMEX UPDATE: Are There Still Independent Contractors in California?
• Healthcare Client Alert: California Supreme Court’s Dynamex Decision Alters Independent Contractor Landscape
• Are You Ready for AB 72?
• Children’s Hospital v. Blue Cross: The End of Contracting or Just the End of Gouging?
• California Clamps Down On Surprise Out-Of-Network Bills
• Aetna vs. BASM: Pigs Get Fat and Hogs Get Slaughtered
• New ASC Requirements Coming in 2016
• Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! The Unexpected Laws that May Affect Your Telehealth Business
• AB 1000 and Corporate Practice in California: More than Meets the Eye—or Less?
• To Penalize or Not To Penalize: When Are Covenants Not To Compete Enforceable in California?
• California Authorizes Pharmacy Licenses for Ambulatory Surgery Centers
• California Tightens Restrictions on Referrals of Workers’ Compensation Patients
• How the Affordable Care Act Impacts Employers