Karl A. Thallner, Jr.

With nearly 40 years of health care law experience, attorney Karl Thallner* represents some of the country’s largest and most prestigious health care institutions and companies. Clients value Karl’s responsiveness, good judgment, and thoughtful analyses.

His national practice spans regulatory, reimbursement, and compliance counseling; business transactions; and government investigations—often involving cutting-edge issues and high-profile matters. One of Karl’s key strengths is his ability to blend the skills of a seasoned business lawyer and counselor with deep technical knowledge of the complexities of health care regulatory law.

Over the course of his career, Karl has represented a wide range of health care clients, including leading proprietary health care companies with nationwide facilities and operations, numerous academic medical centers and nonprofit health systems that furnish services across the health care continuum, multistate health insurers seeking to develop innovative strategic relationships with major health systems, and strategic and financial investors in health care enterprises, including private equity companies.

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Karl is experienced in structuring, negotiating, and documenting a variety of complex business transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, management agreements, academic affiliations, and contractual relationships both among providers and with third-party payors. Building on his experience in the 1990s, he continues to be involved in the development of integrated provider networks, such as accountable care organizations (ACOs) participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program.

In addition, Karl has developed particular knowledge of the laws governing hospital-physician relationships, such as the Anti-Kickback Statute and “Stark II.” Clients frequently seek his guidance on developing or assessing various arrangements with physicians, including integrated delivery systems, ACOs, joint ventures, physician recruitment, practice acquisitions, employment arrangements, and exclusive provider agreements. He also advises on areas such as physician licensing, the corporate practice of medicine, health information privacy, medical staff credentialing, professional liability insurance, patient care and informed consent, and government investigations and defense.

Karl frequently writes and speaks on health care law topics for the American Health Lawyers Association and at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s annual Health Law Institute, the leading meeting of health care practitioners in the state. Over the years, he has spoken on topics such as the Stark Law, research compliance, joint venture transactions, and management contracts in health care.

Before joining Epstein Becker Green, Karl spent nearly 30 years as a partner at an international law firm, where he led the health care law practice in the firm’s Philadelphia office.

*Admitted in Arizona, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; not admitted in the District of Columbia.

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• Selected to Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Pennsylvania – Healthcare in Band 1 (2016 to 2024). (Chambers USA describes Karl as "praised for his wealth of knowledge on healthcare transactions.") This award is conferred by Chambers and Partners. A description of the selection methodology is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America^© for Health Care Law (2001 to 2025) and Qui Tam Law  (2023 to 2024) and named “Lawyer of the Year” for Health Care Law, Philadelphia (2013). This award is conferred by Best Lawyers. A description of the selection methodology is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
• Awarded annually (since 1997) the AV® Preeminent rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, reflecting the highest possible peer review rating in legal ability and ethical standards. This award is conferred by Martindale-Hubbell. A description of the selection methodology is available here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Education

• Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1986)
  • Editorial Board Member, Dickinson Law Review
• Carnegie Mellon University (M.S., 1982)
• Gettysburg College (B.A., cum laude, 1980)

Professional & Community Involvement

• American Health Lawyers Association, Teaching Hospitals and Academic Medical Centers Practice Group, Former Vice Chair and List-Serv Moderator
• Drexel University School of Law, Advisory Board, Health Law Program, Member
• Harcum College
  • Board of Trustees, Member (2012 to Present)
  • Executive Committee, Member and Vice Chair (2014 to Present)
• State Bar of Arizona