Starting, buying or selling a medical practice

Practical legal advice to support every stage of your medical practice journey

Whether you are establishing your first practice, acquiring an existing clinic or planning an eventual exit, each stage presents different legal, commercial and operational considerations. Taking a considered approach early may assist in building the right foundations, managing risk and positioning the practice for long-term success.

Starting a medical practice

Starting a practice often begins well before opening the doors. Decisions made early around structure, premises, practitioner arrangements and growth planning can shape how the practice operates for years to come.

When establishing a practice, advice may assist with:

• Choosing and implementing an appropriate ownership structure
• Preparing shareholder, partnership or trust arrangements
• Reviewing leases, subleases and occupancy arrangements
• Privacy compliance;
• Drafting practitioner agreements, employment contracts and workplace documentation
• Aligning business structuring with asset protection and longer-term succession planning

Starting with the right foundations can assist in avoiding issues later, while supporting a practice model that is commercially sound and fit for growth.

Buying into or acquiring a practice

Buying a practice, or buying into one, often involves more than acquiring premises or patient goodwill. Understanding the legal and operational framework of the practice is critical to assessing value and managing risk.

Support in this area may include:

• Conducting legal due diligence across contracts, leases and compliance matters
• Reviewing practitioner arrangements and ownership structures
• Advising on the purchase agreement and transaction terms
• Identifying risks associated with liabilities, regulatory issues or existing obligations
• Supporting the transaction through to settlement and transition

Careful review before acquisition may assist in ensuring the opportunity aligns with both immediate commercial goals and longer-term plans.

Selling or exiting a practice

Planning an exit from a practice is often a process rather than a single event. Whether preparing for sale, bringing in successors or stepping back over time, early planning may assist in protecting value and supporting continuity.

Advice in this area may cover:

• Preparing the practice for sale or ownership transition
• Reviewing structures and agreements ahead of an exit
• Negotiating and documenting sale arrangements
• Succession planning and transitions
• Aligning exit planning with estate planning and broader wealth considerations

A well-planned transition can help preserve the value of the practice while creating a clearer pathway for what comes next.

Practical and sector focused advice

Advice is grounded in the realities of operating and transitioning a medical practice. The focus is on supporting clear decisions at each stage, from establishment through to acquisition and eventual exit, with arrangements that are practical, protective and aligned with long-term objectives.