Christopher E. Ezold acts as outside general counsel for his business clients, and advises on corporate matters, finance (startup through private equity), equity and asset purchases, mergers and acquisitions, taxation of transactions, corporate and investor rights, technology issues, contracts, operational matters, employment issues, intellectual property rights, and licensing and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Ezold works with his professional and executive clients throughout their careers, advising on career strategies, employment contracts, equity rights, taxation of deferred compensation and equity, noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, business and career exits, and disputes. He focuses on advising physicians and health care providers on employment, licensure, credentialing, regulatory compliance, responses to internal and government investigations, and practice purchases and sales. 

Mr. Ezold provides wrap-around legal services to biotech, life sciences, and health care practices, advising not only on business and employment matters, but how to navigate the increasingly complex regulatory obligations they face, including HIPAA/HITECH, Stark and Anti-Kickback, FDA matters, OCR investigations, and more. He also represents business and individual clients in litigating commercial, business, and employment matters in trial, appellate court, and before federal and state agencies.

Mr. Ezold has been general counsel for a software and analytics company providing a blockchain SAAS solution to dispensers to comply with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, handling corporate, licensing, finance, employment, and other matters.

Representative Matters

• Lead attorney advising medical device manufacturer with investigating and resolving a serious manufacturing error, including guidance through FDA recall and investigation.
• Supervising attorney resolving legal and regulatory data privacy obstacles for health care IT client to develop a first-of-its-kind health information exchange (HIE) product for cross-border data exchange.
• Guided physiotherapy and home health client in the complex acquisition of the assets of another agency and forming a new entity in compliance with state and federal department of health change of ownership (“CHOW”) regulations.
• Guided a large primary care practice in dealing with accusations of inappropriate behavior against a physician owner, terminating the physician owner, and represented the practice before the state board of medicine.
• Supervisory attorney regarding nonprofit health care research and advocacy client with inception and execution of accreditation program.
• Advised medical device company on product that supports diabetics with 510k transfers; protection of IP in pipeline and acquired devices/get FDA approval/litigation, strategy, etc.
• Advised medical device manufacturer regarding trade dress and trade secret infringement, illegal importation of competing product, complex issues relating to ownership of 510k, and related issues.
• Successfully lead multiple due diligence investigations in emerging growth companies for world’s largest angel investment group.
• Represent international corporate health and security client with operations in multiple countries for US corporate maintenance and litigation.
• Drafted deferred compensation plan and grant documents for large IT client compliant with IRC 409A.
• Drafted tax-advantaged incentive stock plan and grant documents for Delaware C corporation client.
• Represented IT firm owners in sale of entity from due diligence through closing; subsequently retained by new owners as general counsel.
• Successfully litigated in trial and appellate courts a complex business divorce on behalf of a home health agency against a former owner.
• Successfully tried a preliminary injunction matter in state court on behalf of commercial client pursuing former employee and new employer who violated restrictive covenant; obtained complete capitulation of opposing parties.
• Successfully pursued former employees who had violated noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements with home health care and biotech companies.
• Draft and review all contracts for health care IT data software client with hospital groups and group purchasing organizations (GPOs), including complex SOW/MSA structured contracts, business associate agreements, etc.
• Draft all MSAs for IT vendor in pharma development space including products for global clinical trial project management, analytics, HIPAA, and data privacy regulation.
• Represented health care software and analytics company in corporate restructuring, finance, and contract matters with large group purchasing organizations, allowing the company to provide services to GPO’s representing over 90% of all US hospitals.

Speeches and Publications

• Life Sciences/Biotech Columnist for The Legal Intelligencer
• Immigrants and Entrepreneurship CLE
• Noncompetition Agreements in Pennsylvania CLE
• Employment Issues Facing Small Businesses