Susan Kratz

Susan Kratz, a shareholder with NJL’s Health Care group, brings decades of experience, empowering healthcare providers and entities to strategically navigate the industry’s complexities and business challenges. She transforms legal challenges into sustainable growth and operational excellence while guiding hospitals, health systems, physician clinics, academic medical centers, and health plans through critical decisions. Susan ensures that clients understand the implications of their choices on patient care, financial stability, and market position. Her client-focused approach helps clients anticipate and capitalize on evolving regulatory and market landscapes, optimize business transactions, and strengthen corporate governance to achieve their strategic vision. 

Susan’s extensive practice encompasses a broad range of healthcare-related legal services, including:

• Business Transactions and Strategic Partnerships:
  • Negotiation and execution of complex transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.
  • Representation in creating and managing intricate healthcare arrangements and strategic affiliations, including academic medical center affiliations and joint clinical enterprises.
  • Guidance on tax-exempt bond financing and debt restructuring.
• Regulatory Compliance:
  • Guidance on Stark Law, anti-kickback statutes, False Claims Act, Medicare and Medicaid regulations, antitrust laws, and patient privacy (HIPAA).
  • Experience conducting internal investigations, developing corrective action plans, and navigating government reporting.
  • Development and implementation of comprehensive corporate compliance programs and policies.
• Corporate Governance and Risk Management:
  • Counseling on corporate governance best practices, including board oversight and fiduciary responsibilities.
  • Development of risk management strategies and policies to mitigate potential liabilities.
  • Representation of clients in interactions with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office regarding nonprofit governance and healthcare transactions.
• Academic Medical Center and Higher Education Expertise:
  • Served as Academic Health Center counsel for the University of Minnesota, advising its medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and veterinary medicine schools and their clinical operations.
  • Involved in creating a joint clinical enterprise arrangement among a public university, its faculty practice group, and primary health system affiliate.
  • Designed affiliation agreement between public medical school and rural health system to establish a new regional medical school campus. 
  • Developed the relationship between higher education institutions to support the establishment of a new accredited nurse practitioner program.