Overview
Kristian (Krist) Werling represents private equity and strategic investors in a wide variety of transactional matters in the healthcare and life sciences industry. In this capacity, he works with cross-disciplinary teams to conduct legal due diligence and execute acquisitions and divestitures, as well as provide ongoing legal services to portfolio companies. Krist is a co-head of the Firm’s Private Equity Practice Group.
Clients look to Krist for his ability to lead teams of lawyers that develop creative transaction structures that enable deals to close. In the healthcare services arena, Krist has particular experience with transactions and joint ventures involving physician practice management, ambulatory surgical centers, specialty hospitals, dermatology, pain management and anesthesia physician practices and dental practice management companies.
Krist had several years of experience serving as in-house counsel to Hospira, Inc., a generic specialty pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturer that was sold to Pfizer.
Results
- Ampersand Capital Partners in a wide variety of transactions including the acquisition of New England Peptides, Peptides International, Tjoapack, Canopy Biosciences, Zellwerkraft, Adaptas/ETP Ion Detect, Cadence Fluidics, Pharma Packaging Solutions, Applied Kilovolts, Genome Diagnostics and Sanova Dermatology as well as the sale of Adaptas Solutions to IMI Plc
- Amulet Capital Partners in a wide variety of transactions including the formation of and investment in US Fertility through the acquisition of Integramed and Shady Grove Fertility as well as the formation and investment in Children’s Choice Dental Management, Children’s Choice Dental Management, Dental Brands, Children’s Dental Support Services, LLC and Desert Valley Pediatric Dentistry as well as the formation of US Fertility
- Baxter International in a wide variety of transactions including the acquisition of a portfolio of hemostasis product lines from Mallinckrodt, multiple undisclosed acquisitions of liquid injectable pharmaceutical products, the acquisition of Chatham Therapeutics, strategic licenses with ScinoPharm Taiwan and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals and acquiring the rights to manufacture and sell Scopoderm from GlaxoSmithKline
- Enhanced Healthcare Partners in a wide variety of transactions including the sale of SCA Pharma to The Vistria Group and Excellere Partners, the formation and acquisition of Eventus WholeHealth Management and the merger of Prospira PainCare with National Spine and Pain
- Chicago Pacific Founders in its investment in Pinnacle Dermatology and numerous add-on acquisitions and the recapitalization of Pinnacle Dermatology Management by BayPine LP
- WindRose Health Investors in the acquisition and sale of Celerion and Medical Knowledge Group as well as its investments in Trumpet Behavioral Health, Lykan Biosciences and Veristat, LLC
- Quad-C Management in its investments in Prism Vision Group, Pharm Olam, US Endo Partners and in the sale of VMG Health to Northlane Capital Partners
- REGENXBIO in its $1.8 billion strategic partnership with AbbVie to develop and commercialize RGX-314
- Summit Partners in transactions with AdvoServ, Covenant Surgical Partners, Patient Care Management (PCM) and Abode Healthcare
- Spindletop Capital Management in its investments in San Antonio Pain Management and Sanova Dermatology
- Michelin in the auction and sale of a controlling interest in its US life sciences subsidiary, Solesis, Inc., to Altaris Capital at a $475 million enterprise value
- Neurovance in its sale to Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
- Pouschine Cook Capital Management in the acquisition and sale of Golden State Dermatology Management, the acquisition of Southern Dental Alliance and its investment in Curexa Pharmacy
- Advent International, a global private equity fund, in the due diligence of inVentiv Health, Inc.
- Aligned Modern Health, a chiropractic physical medicine, acupuncture and functional medicine provider, in multiple financing rounds
- Alpine Investors in its investment in Summit Dermatology Partners, the formation of Midwest Vision Partners and acquisition by Midwest Vision Partners of Specialty Eye Institute
- Amulet Capital Partners in the formation and investment in Children’s Choice Dental Management and, with Children’s Choice Dental Management, the acquisition of Pediatric Dental Providers Operations, LLC, Children’s Dental Support Services, LLC and Desert Valley Pediatric Dentistry
- Calera Capital in its investment in United Dental Partners and Bay State Physical Therapy
- Equum Medical in its growth equity investment from Heritage Group
- Frazier Healthcare in its formation of and investment in United Digestive
- Iron Path Capital in the simultaneous acquisitions of Urgent Care Centers of New England, Inc. and ClearChoiceMD MSO, LLC and its investment in Versant Diagnostics
- H.I.G. Capital in the acquisition of Symbion, Inc., a national chain of ambulatory surgery centers by H.I.G. Capital portfolio company, Surgery Partners
- The Cleveland Clinic, Hospital for Special Surgery and Northwestern Medicine in a variety of strategic innovation investments and joint ventures
- Public Pension Capital (PPC) in its investment in Life Science Outsourcing, Inc
- Surgical Institute of Reading in a strategic transaction with United Surgical Partners
- Wildcat Capital Management in its investment in Spring Fertility Management
- Multiple founder-owned businesses in strategic transactions with healthcare investors including Spring Management OK, LLC in the sale of a majority of its equity to Sorenson Capital
Recognitions
- Crain’s Chicago Business, Notable Gen X Leader in Law, 2021
- Chambers USA 2022
- The Legal 500 US 2017, 2019 and 2022
- LMG Life Sciences, Life Sciences Star, 2016, 2018, 2019
- LMG Life Sciences’ 2015 “Collaboration Deal of the Year,” for representation of Baxalta in a global license and collaboration with Merrimack Pharmaceuticals
- The M&A Advisor, Top 40 Under 40 Legal Advisors 2015
Community
- North Park University Board of Trustees
- American Health Lawyers Association, former chair of the Life Science Practice Group, and editor in chief of the second edition of The Fundamentals of Life Sciences Law: Drugs, Devices, and Biotech
Credentials
Education
Northwestern University J.L. Kellogg School of Management, MBA, 2010
University of Illinois College of Law, JD, magna cum laude, 2002
North Park University Chicago, BA, cum laude, 1999
Admissions
Illinois