To their health

Health care lawyers are no longer playing adviser as their clients make deals. They’re jumping into the business themselves.

After 13 years in law, well-known health care attorney Jay A. Ziskind is leaving Adorno & Zeder to start a physician practice management company. Associate Ken Arvin is leaving with him. As a lawyer, Ziskind advised individual physicians looking to sell their practices. Now he is going to buy physician practices and manage them himself, such as Sheridan Healthcare in Hollywood. He’s currently negotiating with money backers.

Last year, health care lawyer Gary Matzner also left Adorno & Zeder to start a health care business. That leaves Adorno & Zeder with only two lawyers in its health care practice.

In his new job, Ziskind will have the opportunity to make more money. “I’m enthusiastic about the business side of health care,” he said. “All of us need incentives from time to time.”

“What you’re seeing is a natural phenomenon throughout the legal industry,” said Stephen Siegel of Adorno & Zeder. “Health care has reached a point where the challenges are outside law. I’m envious of those lawyers who have managed to make the transition.”

Siegal said his firm plans to rebuild its health practice.