Mitchell John Olejko

• Corporate

California

State Bar of California

ID Number: 197762

Since 1998

California, 1998

Oregon

Oregon State Bar

ID Number: 925424

Since 1992

Oregon, 1992

Washington

Washington State Bar Association

ID Number: 7719

Since 1977

Washington, 1977

Partner

Ropes & Gray

Current

Current

Mitch has represented health systems, hospitals, physician groups (multi-specialty and single-specialty groups), dialysis centers, Internet-based health care companies, skilled nursing facilities, carve-out companies, assisted living facilities, retirement communities, step-down and transitional units, laboratories, home health agencies, medical equipment manufacturers, distributors and providers, preferred provider organizations, super-messenger HMOs, management service organizations, insurers and HMOs and physician–hospital organizations. Mitch’s practice includes representation related to ongoing operations, such as obtaining appropriate licensure or permissions for new activities, billing, compliance planning, and other needed legal services, and individual transactions such as contracting for the purchase of physician services and medical equipment. He regularly counsels buyers or sellers in connection with the purchase or sale of medical practices or institutions. His practice includes transactions that change the essence of a health care institution, for example, by creating strategic alliances or joint ventures, or transforming a nonprofit corporation to a for-profit corporation. Prior to joining Ropes Gray, Mitch was a partner at a large San Francisco law firm. He also has served as a Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Legacy Health System in Portland, Oregon. Before joining Legacy, he was a partner at a Seattle-based law firm and head of its health care practice. Representative transactions include: Assisted a staff-model health maintenance organization in choosing between competing proposals to provide hospital services in a major submarket, leading to an agreement under which the HMO would develop a specialty center adjacent to a free-standing hospital, the hospital would expand its facility and the parties would enter into a long-term hospital services agreement. Assisted numerous health care providers in analyzing, modifying and implementing changes to their organization and operational structures. Reorganization of a major physician practice into a tax-exempt entity and creation of a new medical center including a foundation, a tax-exempt hospital and research center. Elements of this transaction included: amending the Washington corporate practice of medicine doctrine to permit nonprofit corporations to practice medicine; creation of the first tax-exempt physician practice group in the State of Washington; transferring in a part-gift/part-sale all the assets of two physician partnerships (over $100,000,000 in assets) to the new entity; obtaining a $20,000,000 bridge loan; and refinancing the bridge loan and the debt of the hospital and the new tax-exempt physician group through the issuance of over $100,000,000 of tax-exempt debt. Following closing, Mr. Olejko assisted in guiding the organization through a successful IRS audit where the IRS found that the purchase price was appropriate. Assisted a major children’s hospital: in its participation in a public development authority to establish short-term parent housing, in a venture to provide emergency air ambulance services, in the acquisition of a major expansion site, in the renewal and reaffirmation of a long-term relationship with a medical school, in its employment of physicians and in the establishment of a heart transplant program. Represented physician groups that purchased the first lithotripter and the first magnetic resonance imaging device in the Pacific Northwest. Helped a major research center establish its first technology transfer process.

Washington University School of Law

J.D.

1977

Boston College

A.B.

1973

History

California State Bar  # 197762

Member

1998 - Current

Oregon State Bar  # 925424

1992 - Current

Washington State Bar  # 7719

1977 - Current