Jennifer Ligon
Jennifer Ligon is a trusted advisor to health systems, hospitals, and physician groups, helping her clients navigate the complex health care regulatory landscape. With extensive experience in both regulatory compliance and transactional matters, she helps clients thrive in one of the most heavily regulated and rapidly evolving industries.
Jennifer counsels clients on a broad range of issues, including Certificate of Public Need (COPN) matters, state licensure compliance, Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute compliance, Medicare reimbursement matters, and contract negotiation. She also regularly advises physician groups and ancillary providers on business operations, employment matters, and day-to-day legal strategy.
Recognized as a rising leader in health care law, Jennifer has earned numerous accolades, including:
- Chambers USA – Healthcare (2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America® – Health Care Law (2025)
- Best Lawyers® – “Ones to Watch” (2021-2024)
- Virginia Business – "Legal Elite" (2016, 2018-present)
- Style Weekly – "Top 40 Under 40" (2023)
- Virginia Super Lawyers – “Rising Star” (2016-2021)
- Virginia Lawyers Weekly – "Up & Coming Lawyer" (2020)
Jennifer is an active member of the Virginia Bar Association (VBA), currently serving on the VBA Health Law Section Council. Previously, Jennifer served on the VBA Board of Governors (2018-2019) and as chair of the VBA's Young Lawyers Division (2019-2020). In 2023, she received the VBA Young Lawyers Division’s prestigious Sandra P. Thompson Award for her outstanding work and long-term service to the division.
Jennifer started her legal career in the Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in New York City. In 2012, she returned to Virginia, where she practiced health care law with another Richmond-based law firm before joining Williams Mullen in 2016. Jennifer earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review and was a Dillard Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Syracuse University.
Jennifer is licensed to practice law in Virginia and New York.
- University of Virginia School of Law (J.D.)
- University of Virginia Law Review, Editorial Board
- Syracuse University (B.A.)
- magna cum laude
Professional Affiliations
- Virginia Bar Association, Board of Governors (2018-2019), Chair – Young Lawyers Division (2019-2020), Chair-elect – Young Lawyers Division (2018-2019), Secretary-Treasurer – Young Lawyers Division (2017-2018), Development Editor – Open
- Richmond Bar Association
- Metro Richmond Women's Bar Association
Community Involvements
- CancerLINC – Board Member (2023-present), President-Elect (2025-present)
- Leadership Metro Richmond - Leadership Quest Class of 2023
Bar Admissions
- New York State Bar
- Virginia State Bar
Virginia Business - "Legal Elite" (2016, 2018-present)
Virginia Super Lawyers - "Rising Star" (2016-2021)
Best Lawyers® – "Ones to Watch" (2021-2024)
Virginia Lawyers Weekly - "Up & Coming Lawyer" (2020)
Virginia Bar Association - Sandra P. Thompson Award (2023)
Style Weekly - "Top 40 Under 40" (2023)
The Best Lawyers in America® – Health Care Law (2025)
Chambers USA – Healthcare (2025)
Experience
THE MATTERS LISTED BELOW ARE ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE MATTERS HANDLED BY THE FIRM. MATTER RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH MATTER. NOT ALL MATTER RESULTS ARE PROVIDED. MATTER RESULTS DO NOT GUARANTEE OR PREDICT A SIMILAR RESULT IN ANY FUTURE MATTER UNDERTAKEN BY THE LAWYER.
- Counseled a large emergency physician group in a comprehensive corporate reorganization, including organizational, employment, and service agreement advice.
- Represented an academic medical center in securing multiple Certificates of Public Need (COPN) to enhance access to care, including for critical pediatric service lines.
- Assisted a health care system in a comprehensive review and revision of its record retention policies to conform to Virginia regulations.
- Advised a mobile optometry provider on the corporate practice of medicine (CPOM) and licensure rules.
- Strategized and negotiated multiple complex vendor and service contracts for a health system, including for telehealth, neurosurgical, and radiation therapy services.
