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Physician & Dental Practice Sales and Acquisitions in Virginia and North Carolina

Selling the practice you built, buying in as a new partner, or fielding an offer from a private equity group or DSO? We represent physicians, dentists, and specialty practices on their side of the deal, from the letter of intent through closing. Our transaction attorneys have handled hundreds of business transactions with a combined value in the hundreds of millions of dollars.* From our offices in Norfolk and Raleigh, we represent practices across Virginia and North Carolina.

  • Hundreds of Business Transactions Handled
  • Hundreds of Millions in Combined Deal Value*
  • Licensed in Virginia & North Carolina
  • Business Transactions Nationwide
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  • Talk through your goals with our team
  • Get clear next steps for your situation
  • Hundreds of business transactions handled
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★★★★★

“John did a great job helping me with a business transaction. He was responsive, informative, knowledgeable, and I always felt like I was in capable hands.”

Google Reviewer, 5-Star Client Review

WHERE WE WORK

VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA & NATIONWIDE

TRANSACTIONS HANDLED

HUNDREDS

COMBINED DEAL VALUE

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS*

PHYSICIAN & DENTAL M&A

Whichever Side of the Deal You Are On, We Focus Only on Yours

Sellers, buyers, and buy-in partners face very different risks in the same transaction. We represent one party in each deal and build our work around your goals, your timeline, and your exposure.

Buyers & Associate Buy-Ins

You are committing capital and your career. We make sure you know what you are buying before you are bound to buy it.

  • Letter of intent and purchase agreement review
  • Legal due diligence and risk review
  • Associate buy-ins and partnership track terms

Practice Sellers

You built the practice. We help you sell it on terms that are fair, documented, and final, whether to a private equity platform, a DSO, a hospital, or another physician.

  • Letter of intent review and negotiation
  • Private equity, MSO, and DSO deal structures
  • Rollover equity, earnouts, and post-closing employment terms

Partners & Co-Owners

Bringing in a partner, buying one out, or restructuring ownership of the practice. We help structure an exit or entry that is fair, documented, and final.

  • Partner and member buyouts
  • Operating and shareholder agreement updates
  • Valuation and payment terms

TRANSACTION SERVICES

Legal Support for Every Stage of a Practice Deal

From the first term sheet to the last signature, we handle the legal work so you can keep seeing patients. Our transaction team works alongside our Business & Corporate Law and Contracts practices, and our Real Estate Transactions team handles the building or lease when it is part of the deal.

Private Equity & MSO Transactions

Physician practice sales to private equity platforms, structured through management services organizations. Learn more about how an MSO works and selling to private equity.

Dental Practice & DSO Deals

Dental practice sales and dental service organization transactions, structured to protect the dentist’s economics and clinical control.

Associate Buy-Ins & Buyouts

Buying into ownership of a practice, or buying a departing partner out, on defined terms with the valuation, payment schedule, and governance rights spelled out.

Practice-to-Practice Sales

Selling or buying a practice between physicians or groups, as an asset or equity transaction, with the structure chosen to fit the tax and liability picture.

Due Diligence

Review payer contracts, leases, licensure and credentialing, compliance history, liens, litigation, and corporate records to surface problems before closing, not after.

Letters of Intent & Deal Structure

Your leverage is highest before you sign the letter of intent. We set the key terms early, including price, structure, exclusivity, and the non-compete, so the final agreement starts from solid ground.

SBA-Financed Practice Acquisitions

Buying a practice with SBA financing. We coordinate the purchase documents with lender requirements, closing conditions, and any real estate included in the deal.

Post-Closing Employment Agreements

After most sales you become an employee of the buyer. We review the compensation, call, termination, and non-compete terms you sign at closing, because they govern your income for years afterward.

Not Sure How to Structure Your Deal?

Private equity, DSO, or another physician? Asset or equity? Rollover or all cash? The answers affect your taxes, your control, and your leverage. Schedule a free strategy call before you sign a letter of intent.

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THE PROCESS

A Clear Path from First Call to Closing

Private equity buyers and strategic acquirers do these deals constantly; most physicians and dentists do one in a career. That imbalance is where sellers get hurt. Our firm recently closed a $9 million physician practice sale structured with a tax-efficient F reorganization, rollover equity, and an ongoing management services agreement, the same mechanisms physicians most often misunderstand. Every transaction is different, but most follow the same core stages. Here is how we guide you through each one, and the common mistakes physicians make when selling a practice that we help you avoid.

1. Strategy Call

We learn your goals, timeline, and deal terms, and outline the right structure and next steps.

2. Letter of Intent

We draft or negotiate the LOI so price, structure, and key protections are set before momentum builds.

3. Due Diligence

We review the records that matter and report the risks in plain English, with options to address each one.

4. Definitive Agreements

We draft or negotiate the purchase agreement, ancillary documents, and any lender, landlord, or third-party consents.

5. Closing & Transition

We coordinate the closing and help with post-closing items such as filings, assignments, and transition terms.

WHY COUNSEL MATTERS

The Costly Problems Usually Hide in the Details

Most deal problems are not visible on the term sheet. They show up months after closing, when they are far more expensive to fix. Our job is to protect you and find the most efficient way to reach your goals.

Hidden Liabilities

Unpaid taxes, liens, pending malpractice or billing claims, and payer recoupments that follow the practice after closing.

Asset vs. Equity Structure

Whether the deal is an asset sale or an equity sale affects your tax bill, your liability exposure, and whether an F reorganization makes sense. Coordinate with your CPA before the structure is locked in at the LOI.

Leases, Payer Contracts & Licenses

Office leases, payer contracts, and licenses often require consent or re-credentialing before they can transfer, and a gap can interrupt revenue.

Rollover Equity Treated as Cash

Rollover equity is a bet on the buyer’s future value, not money in hand. Counting it as part of the price overstates what you are actually getting.

Overbroad Non-Competes

A non-compete tied to every location the buyer owns or later acquires can box you out of your own market. Virginia and North Carolina treat these differently, and the state matters.

One-Sided Buyout Terms

Buying in at a premium valuation but selling back at book value or a discounted formula is a common trap. The exit terms often matter more than the entry price.

M&A LEGAL GUIDES

Legal Guides for Physicians and Dentists Buying or Selling a Practice

Start with the Med Contract Law resource library, our dedicated physician and dental practice division, then go deeper on the issues that matter most to your deal.

Weighing an Offer for Your Practice?

The earlier we are involved, the more options you have, and your leverage is highest before the letter of intent. Tell us about the offer and we will help you plan the next step, whether your practice is in Virginia, North Carolina, or anywhere else.

GET STARTED

What Physicians and Business Owners Say About Working With Us

Real reviews from clients we have represented in practice purchases, sales, and business transactions. Read all client reviews.

Ryan H.

5-Star Client Review
Wow! Had Emma and John work with me in regard to an asset purchase and they were nothing short of incredible. They were fast, efficient, kind, and understanding. They will without a doubt be my first stop for any future legal needs, including referrals to areas that may not be in their purview.

Randy T.

5-Star Client Review
When the party we had contacted with to buy our family business decided they didn’t like the terms to which they had agreed stopped paying us the agreed upon amount we went to John. A few emails and phone calls later and the buyer agreed to pay us what was agreed on and to catch up all the past payments. Johns firm, quick, and decisive actions resolved the matter of a few weeks negating the need to go to court for resolution which saved us quite a bit of money. If you ever need an attorney, you will not go wrong hiring John. He is everything you would hope to find in an attorney.

Quint B.

5-Star Client Review
John did an exceptional job and went above and beyond to assist us in handling a commercial transaction and everything that comes with it. We got sidelined by a larger firm and decided to go with John after talking with him; turned out to be one of our best decisions! He did a great job all around, especially good at communicating (phone, email), really helped us throughout the negotiation process, tells it to you straight (even the hard truths), phenomenal work ethic, and is very well respected by his peers. Can’t recommend him highly enough! He’s the only attorney we want to work with in the future. Thanks John!

Google Reviewer

5-Star Client Review
John did a great job helping me with a business transaction. He was responsive, informative, knowledgeable, and I always felt like I was in capable hands.

    Who You’ll Be Working With

    Our transactional attorneys combine legal knowledge with hands-on experience closing physician and dental practice deals. We focus on getting deals closed on terms that protect you, and we explain every step in plain English.
    John McCormick, Founder and Managing Attorney of McCormick Law & Consulting

    John McCormick

    Attorney & Founder

    John McCormick is an attorney, entrepreneur, and community leader who helps physicians, dentists, and practice owners buy, sell, and transition their practices. As the founder of McCormick Law & Consulting and its physician-focused division, Med Contract Law, he works closely with practice sellers, buyers, and partners on private equity and MSO transactions, DSO deals, associate buy-ins, and SBA-financed acquisitions.

    John is licensed in Virginia and North Carolina and leads a team that handles practice transactions for clients across the country, coordinating with local counsel when a deal turns on another state’s law.
    Read More about John

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do you represent both practice sellers and buyers?
    Yes, but only one party in any given deal. We represent your side, whether you are selling your practice, buying one, or buying in as a partner. We never represent both sides of the same transaction.
    What is an MSO, and why does it matter in a practice sale?
    Most private equity practice deals are built around a management services organization. The MSO owns and runs the business side while you keep the clinical entity, and the management services agreement decides how much control and value actually shifts. Our guide explains how MSO structures work and what a physician or dentist actually keeps.
    Do you handle dental practice and DSO deals?
    Yes. We represent dentists in practice sales and dental service organization transactions, alongside our physician practice work. DSO deals raise the same core questions as physician private equity deals: what you are selling, what you keep, and what the management agreement actually controls.
    When should I bring in an attorney?
    Before you sign the letter of intent. That is when your leverage is highest and the key terms are set. Non-compete language and tax structure are often negotiated in the LOI itself, and physicians who bring counsel in afterward are frequently stuck with terms settled before anyone on their side reviewed them.
    How much will legal fees cost?
    Fees depend on the size and complexity of the transaction. We discuss the scope of work and fee structure during your strategy call and confirm them in a written engagement agreement before work begins.
    Do you handle transactions outside Virginia and North Carolina?
    Yes. We represent physicians, dentists, and practice owners in transactions across the country. Our attorneys are licensed in Virginia and North Carolina. When a deal turns on another state’s law, such as the corporate practice of medicine rules, licensing, real estate, or employment issues, we coordinate with local counsel in that state so your transaction stays on track.

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    *The combined transaction value reflects the cumulative experience of the firm’s attorneys. Results depend on a variety of factors unique to each matter. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any future matter. Client reviews reflect individual experiences. Attorneys licensed in Virginia and North Carolina; local counsel is engaged where required for matters governed by the law of other states.