Jessica Andrews

Jessica Andrews brings a rare, dual perspective to health care law—with over a decade as a practicing Board Certified Behavior Analyst ® and now as a trusted legal advisor to providers and organizations navigating today’s complex regulatory landscape. As an associate in Johnson Pope’s Health Care Group, she focuses on regulatory compliance, licensure defense, and transactional matters—always with an eye toward how legal decisions affect both patient care and business success. Jessica’s experience informs her practical approach to counseling clients and her commitment to solving problems with clarity and empathy.

Jessica represents physicians, nurses, behavioral health providers and psychologists, medical spas, therapy providers and practices, healthcare practices, and ambulatory surgery center owners in a wide range of matters. She regularly advises on HIPAA and the No Surprises Act compliance, scope of practice issues, Medicare and Medicaid audits, employment agreements, contracts, and the day-to-day operational challenges health care professionals face. She also counsels clients through private equity transactions, licensure and regulatory inquiries, and the development of policies and procedures that align with best practices and applicable laws. Whether she’s advising a solo provider on operational risk, counseling a group on how to build a legally compliant business from the ground up, or helping a physician group prepare for an acquisition, Jessica’s counsel is informed by firsthand clinical insight and a clear understanding of how regulations and policy translate into practice.

Before joining Johnson Pope, Jessica externed with the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings where she gained invaluable insight on how administrative law judges analyze legal issues affecting providers. She also interned with the University of Florida’s Self-Insurance Program, gaining experience in risk management and health care liability issues. 

Jessica is especially passionate about helping clients understand the nuances of health care law. She enjoys teaching providers how the rules intersect with their day-to-day work and developing proactive strategies to prevent problems before they escalate. Whether she is advising a start-up therapy practice on compliance obligations or guiding an established physician group through the sale of a practice, Jessica approaches every matter with focus, transparency, and a genuine interest in her clients’ success.

In addition to her law degree, Jessica holds a Master of Public Health from the University of South Florida and a Master’s in Psychology with a specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis from Florida State University. She remains nationally certified as a behavior analyst and holds a national certification in public health, giving her a unique, multidisciplinary perspective that clients value when navigating complex regulatory issues.

Representative Matters

• Insurance Coverage Advocacy. Collaborated with a colleague to secure insurance coverage for a patient’s transplant procedure, successfully resolving complex reimbursement issues and ensuring access to critical care.
• HIPPA Data Breach & Regulatory Defense. Guided a health care client through a HIPPA compliance investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, following a significant ransomware attack. Provided counsel on data breach response, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity risk mitigation, resulting in early closure of the investigation and no regulatory penalties.
• Private Equity Health Care Transactions. Assisted in structuring and closing acquisitions of cardiology and orthopedic practices by private equity firms, advising on regulatory compliance, due diligence, and integration planning.
• Licensure Defense and Regulatory Resolution. Helped health care professionals respond to Department of Health inquiries and successfully negotiated reductions in proposed licensure penalties without requiring formal hearings. In addition, she has helped Medwaiver clients obtain increased funding or to maintain funding after agency reductions and assisted a pharmacy seeking a variance related to permitting.

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 2021

Education

• Florida State University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2021
• University of South Florida, M.P.H., Public Health Practice, 2017
• Florida State University Panama City, M.S., Psychology, Specialty in Applied Behavior Analysis, 2009
• University of West Florida, B.A., Psychology, Minor in Substance Abuse, Education, Exceptional Student Education, Child Welfare & Social Welfare, summa cum laude, 2007

Awards & Recognition

• Order of the Coif
• Board Certified Behavior Analyst®
• Certified Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE)
• Licensed Behavior Analyst with the Virginia Board of Medicine
• Phi Alpha Delta, Member
• Book Awards: Health Law; Drug Regulation; Global Public Health and Pharmaceuticals; Constitutional Law II; Employment Law; Contract Drafting; Space Law

Community & Professional Organizations

• The Florida Bar, 2021- Present
  • Member
• Florida State University Law Review
  • Executive Editor
• Florida State University Business Review
  • Managing Editor
• National Space Society’s Legal Scholars Program, 2020-2022
  • Member

Outside the Office

Jessica enjoys exploring formal gardens, hiking in Shenandoah, and traveling—she has been to Ireland twice, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, and is always planning her next adventure. When she isn’t working, she loves spending time at amusement parks, baking, and enjoying downtime with her family.