Leigh A. Wilkinson
Retired Health Care Attorney
O New Bern, NC
Leigh A. Wilkinson
Retired Health Care Attorney
Leigh Wilkinson retired from her legal practice at the end of March 2025, concluding a distinguished career dedicated to serving businesses and individuals throughout the region.
Leigh asks that past clients or new clients referred to her contact Michael Fields, leader of Ward and Smith’s Health Care, for assistance.
Leigh’s practice experience encompassed a broad range of health care law matters, including structuring medical practice formations, mergers, purchases, sales, and alliances; advising health care providers on health care regulatory (fraud and abuse, HIPAA, Stark, anti-kickback, EMTALA, and antitrust) and reimbursement issues; structuring health care joint ventures; negotiating and drafting contracts; and drafting key compliance policies and procedures. Her experience also encompassed a broad range of business law matters, from start-up businesses to transactional matters.
Honors and Distinctions
- The Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers®, 2010-2025
- North Carolina Bar Association Citizen Lawyer Award, 2013
- North Carolina District East Civitan, Carlie B. Sessoms Memorial Award, Civitan of the Decade, 2014
Please see the following websites for an explanation of the membership standards for the following recognitions: www.bestlawyers.com; businessnc.com/special-sections/legal-elite/; and www.superlawyers.com/north-carolina.
- J.D., The University of North Carolina School of Law, 1985
- B.S., magna cum laude, North Carolina State University, 1982
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Civitan International (Region Three Director 2015-2017)
- Coastal Women’s Forum (charter member; past president and director)
- Medical Group Management Association
- New Bern Area Chamber of Commerce (past board chairperson)
- North Carolina Bar Association — Sections: Business Law; Health Law
- North Carolina District East of Civitan International (governor 2010-2011)
- North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys
- North Carolina State University College of Sciences Foundation (past board chairperson)
- North Carolina, 1985
- All state courts in North Carolina
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
A quote that inspires me is “We have been given it all to give it all away!”
The best thing about Ward and Smith is the people – our attorneys and staff and our clients.
Representative Experience
- Representation of client in audit, calculation and refund of Medicare and other payor overpayments exceeding $500,000
- Representation of medical practice in developing diagnostic imaging joint venture with hospital
- Representation of retiring physician in negotiating the buy-out of his ownership interest in the practice and the entity that owned the practice’s office locations
- Representation of medical practice in sale of assets to and simultaneous employment of physicians by hospital
- Representation of medical practice in Medicare appeal of overpayment determination through Administrative Law Judge Hearing level
- Representation of hospital medical staff in credentialing, grievance and disciplinary actions involving physicians
