Vincent N. Buttaci
Member of the Firm
Vincent Buttaci founded Buttaci & Associates, LLC in October 2004 as a health law boutique catering specifically to licensed healthcare providers and healthcare businesses.
Vincent represents licensed healthcare providers, group practices, and behavioral health facilities in a diverse range of matters related to healthcare delivery, access, and reimbursement.
His transactional practice centers on the representation of clients in corporate and regulatory matters, including:
- the formation and purchase/sale of healthcare practices and other provider-related entities
- the organization, licensure, acquisition, and/or sale of licensed and/or accredited healthcare facilities, including ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, and infusion therapy centers
- the preparation and negotiation of employment and professional services agreements
- the defense of state healthcare licensing board actions
In addition, Vincent represents behavioral health facilities in matters of licensure, contracting, and accreditation, with a focus on outpatient and residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment facilities, outpatient mental health facilities, and integrated healthcare facilities.
Over the last several years, he has advised both startup facility operators and established behavioral health systems on issues related to program development, facility operations, staffing, client rights/grievances, regulatory compliance, reportable events, the prevention of fraud and abuse, and mergers and acquisitions.
In the past three years alone, Vincent has been lead transactional counsel in a series of behavioral health related mergers and acquisitions with an aggregate value of nearly three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000.00). These transactions have included, but not been limited to, the bond financed sale of a licensed behavioral health facility, the sale of a multi-state behavioral health system, the representation of a private equity backed company in a series of platform acquisitions in behavioral health, the sale of long-term care psychiatry practice, and multiple joint ventures with hospital affiliated medical groups.
His litigation practice is dedicated to the needs of licensed healthcare providers, group practices, and facilities in post-payment actions and fraud investigations instituted by both governmental agencies and private insurance carriers. He has defended clients in overpayment/recoupment actions and fraud prosecutions involving allegations of improper coding and claim submissions, kickbacks, physician self-referrals, improper practice structures, and medically unnecessary services.
Vincent also serves as co-lead counsel in a series of class action litigations challenging the post-payment audit and recoupment practices of certain state and national private health insurance carriers.
Additionally, Vincent and the firm represent professional associations and nonprofit healthcare advocacy groups. The firm currently serves as General Counsel to the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (NJAOPS), the New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society (NJPMS) and the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey (APTANJ) and as Special Counsel to the Garden State Pharmacy Owners (GSPO).
Vincent is a frequent speaker and author, with presentations to the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management, New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society, New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, Garden State Pharmacy Owners, New Jersey State Bar Association, Ohio Foot and Ankle Medical Association, and the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, and articles published in outlets including New Jersey Chiropractor and Cosmetic Dermatology.
An advocate for neurodiversity, Vincent was appointed in 2023 to the national Board of Directors and Public Policy Committee for CHADD (Children and Adults with ADHD). In 2024, Vincent was elected Secretary to CHADD and appointed to the Executive and Finance Committees.
When he isn’t practicing law, Vincent enjoys nothing more than family vacations with his wife and daughter most frequently to Disney World, playing with his beagle, Bond, and his French bulldogs, Vader and Belle. Vincent lives and dies with The Ohio State University Buckeyes and the Philadelphia Eagles. He is an avid guitarist, scotch enthusiast, and Star Wars original art collector.
Representative Matters
- Advised PAX Health on the formation and expansion of a multistate behavioral health platform through a series of strategic acquisitions.
- Advised Pelorus Elder & Behavioral Health, a multistate long-term care psychiatry practice, in its sale to Senior Care Therapy, a portfolio company of Madison River Capital, including transaction negotiations, executive onboarding, rollover equity, earn-out arrangements, and employee transition matters.
- Advised a New Jersey–based behavioral health provider as lead M&A counsel in its $141 million sale to a nonprofit buyer through a municipal bond issuance, one of only a small number of municipal bond–financed transactions in the behavioral health sector nationwide.
- Advised Woods System of Care on the licensing of an integrated primary and behavioral health center arising from a joint venture with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and the RWJBarnabas Health network, completing regulatory approvals for the first facility.
- Advised Woods Services on its affiliation with Bridgeway Behavioral Health, structuring a nonprofit integration through a sole corporate membership model and securing multi-layered New Jersey regulatory approvals, including Certificate of Need, transfer-of-ownership, and Policy 109 approvals.
Honors & Awards
The Best Lawyers in America®
- Health Care Law, 2025-2027
- 2027 Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” (Princeton)
Super Lawyers®, part of Thomson Reuters
- Included in New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2018-2026
- Included in New Jersey Rising Stars, 2012-2015
PT Partner Award, American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, 2017
Dr. Chester A. Wilk Award for Courageous Legal Action on Behalf of the Chiropractic Profession, International Chiropractic Association, 2014
Professional Memberships & Affiliations
Steering Committee, Mindful Choices for ADHD
Member, CHADD Board of Directors and Public Policy Committee
Member, National Council, The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
Member, Board of Directors of Recovery Reform NOW
Member, New Jersey State Bar Association, Health Law section
Member, American Health Lawyers Association
Member, Southern New Jersey Development Council
Member, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce
Publications
“Protect Yourself Against Payer Audit Liability: Begin with a Compliance Program,” BLW Health Law Blog (January 2025)
“Medical Practices Take Note of Injunction Again Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act (CTA),” BLW Health Law Blog (December 2024)
“The FTC’s Noncompete Ban: How Does It Impact Physicians and Medical Groups?” BLW Health Law Blog (April 2024)
“The Unexpected Consequences Of Hiring Healthcare Independent Contractors In New Jersey,” BLW Health Law Blog (July 2023)
“What NJ Healthcare Employers Need To Know About Non-Compete Provisions,” BLW Health Law Blog (June 2023)
“National Labor Relations Board Restricts Non-Disparagement Clauses in Labor Contracts — What That Means For Physician Employment Agreements,” BLW Health Law Blog (April 2023)
“New Jersey’s Variety of Non-Compete Clause: Limitations In Healthcare Employment Contracts,” BLW Health Law Blog (March 2023)
Speaking Engagements
“The FTC’s Noncompete Ban: How Does It Impact New Jersey Physicians?,” New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons (NJAOPS) (May 2024)
“Contracts and Financial Planning for Young Physicians,” New Jersey Podiatric Medical Society (NJPMS) & New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons (NJAOPS) (May 2024)
“Human Trafficking in New Jersey: A Physician’s Guide to the Law,” Atlantic Regional Osteopathic Conference (April 2024)
“HIPPA Demystified: A Simple Approach to Building a HIPAA Compliance Program,” Atlantic Regional Osteopathic Conference (April 2024)
“DPM Employment Agreements 101: Key Legal Issues in Employment Agreements for Podiatric Physicians and Surgeons,” Atlantic Regional Osteopathic Conference (April 2024)
“NJ PBM Reform Package Analysis,” NJ Independent Pharmacy Town Hall (August 2023)
“Am I Committing Healthcare Fraud?,” American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, Combined District Meeting (March 2021)
“Fraud & Abuse Issues Impacting SUD Facilities,” Health Law Section, New Jersey State Bar Association (December 2018)
“Accountability in Documentation,” School of Physical Therapy, Nathan Weiss Graduate College Kean University (July 2018)
“The Anatomy of a Third-Party Payor Audit,” American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management, Health Law Symposium (June 2018)
“Employment Contracts 101,” American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management, Health Law Symposium (June 2018)
“Mergers, Acquisitions and Group Practice Models,” American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management, Health Law Symposium (June 2018)
“Understanding PT Employment Agreements,” American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, Student Conclave (January 2018)
“Avoiding the Pro Bono Podiatry Practice: Common Billing Errors and Audit Related Risks,” Ohio Foot and Ankle Medical Association, 2017 Coding and Financial Institute (April 2017)
“Anatomy of an Effective Compliance Program: Viewing Fraud and Abuse Risk Management as a Process Not Just a Manual,” Ohio Foot and Ankle Medical Association, 2017 Coding and Financial Institute (April 2017)
“The Five State Board Violations Every NJ PT Should Be Aware of and How to Prevent Them,” American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey, Fall District Meetings (September 2016)
Community Involvement
Established the Vincent N. Buttaci Fund for Professional Development at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, which provides wellness programming to law students.
Established the Vincent and Elizabeth Buttaci Oxford Scholarship at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, which provides one or more scholarships to students who are participating in the Oxford Summer Law Program through the College of Law.
In the News
2027 Best Lawyers® Lists Recognizes Four Buttaci Leardi & Werner LLC Attorneys
Hospice News Quotes Paul Werner on Uptick in Regulatory Oversight, Need for Better Compliance
Vincent N. Buttaci, Esq. Named to Mindful Choices for ADHD Steering Committee
Part B News Quotes John Leardi on Safeguards for Incorporating AI Into Practice
MD+DI Features Paul Werner in Q&A on DOJ West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force
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