Overview

Dennis Williams is a corporate healthcare partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Dennis’ focus is on healthcare entities and related companies. He is regularly engaged in structural, transactional, regulatory and enforcement matters on behalf of private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies.

He advises clients on a broad range of healthcare-related issues including federal and multi-state regulatory matters, structuring, Stark, Anti-Kickback Statutes, False Claims Act, state anti-referral laws, fraud and related regulatory issues. Dennis is experienced in federal and state healthcare regulatory and licensure, enrollment and reimbursement matters.

Dennis is frequently called upon as special regulatory counsel in connection with major acquisitions and mergers of healthcare service platforms undertaken by private equity and strategic acquirers. He engages and provides legal counsel to private equity funds, venture capital, and public companies. He likewise consults for: hospitals, physician group practices, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, pharmacies, home healthcare agencies, revenue cycle management companies, medical device companies, telemedicine, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice care, payors, home health, ambulatory facilities, physicians, dentists, and other healthcare providers and entities. These engagements have included mergers and acquisitions of healthcare entities, structural, compliance, contractual, corporate, regulatory, employment-related, real estate and risk management legal issues in healthcare. He has developed and implemented HIPAA policies and compliance programs for various sized entities.

He began his professional career in health care as a registered critical care nurse at New York Presbyterian, Weill Cornell Medical Center in the Burn Intensive Care Unit.

Additionally, Dennis actively participates in pro bono activities serving as legal counsel to multiple not-for-profit organizations.

Dennis was recognized in the 2020–2025 editions of Chambers USA for his transactional work in Healthcare, where clients commented, "A great lawyer, who always adds a dose of practicality to his advice. I would highly recommend him for any complex healthcare regulatory matters." "Knowledgeable in both the healthcare regulatory and M&A space and provides a balanced approach to business transactions." "He has a very detailed command of the subject matter and is extremely pragmatic as relates to healthcare regulatory risk."

More

Thought Leadership

Publications

“California Enacts New Laws Impacting Private Equity Investments in Healthcare,” Kirkland Alert, October 13, 2025

“Indiana’s Healthcare Reporting Law to Give Private Equity Pause,” Bloomberg Law, July 29, 2025

“Massachusetts Gives Private Equity in Health Care New Burdens,” Bloomberg Law, February 3, 2025

“Oregon SB 951 — Nation’s Toughest Limits on Private Equity in Physician Practices Now Law,” Kirkland Alert, June 23, 2025

“Massachusetts Expands Review of Private Equity Investments in Healthcare,” Kirkland Alert, January 14, 2025

“2025 Healthcare Private Equity Outlook and Considerations,” Kirkland Alert, January 10, 2025

“OCR Proposes Changes to HIPAA Security Rule,” Kirkland Alert, January 6, 2025

“Regulatory Scrutiny over US Healthcare ramps up,” Private Equity International, July 1, 2024

“Healthcare Regulatory Update (Winter/Spring 2024),” Kirkland Alert, May 20, 2024

“FTC Announces Revised Health Breach Notification Rule,” Kirkland Alert, April 30, 2024

“2024 Healthcare Private Equity Outlook and Considerations,” Kirkland Alert, January 11, 2024

“Washington's My Health My Data Act,” Kirkland Alert, May 16, 2023

“2023 Healthcare Private Equity Outlook and Considerations,” Kirkland Alert, March 8, 2023

“Proposed California Legislation Imposes Attorney General Approval Requirements,” Kirkland Alert, June 21, 2022

“Health IT Transaction Trends and Considerations,” American Health Law Association, April 15, 2021

“Changes Proposed for Medicare, Medicaid Anti-Kickback, and Self-Referral Rules,” Managed Healthcare Executive, December 13, 2019

“Sweeping Changes Proposed for Medicare and Medicaid Anti-Kickback Statute and Self-Referral Rules,” Kirkland Alert, October 14, 2019

“HIPAA: Big Data, Big Issues,” KirklandPEN, May 21, 2019

“Streamlined Regulation of Healthcare Software Platforms,” KirklandPEN, May 21, 2019

Seminars

Panelist, “Current Healthcare Landscape & Outlook,” Avalere Webinar, October 21, 2021

Speaker, “The Pulse on Healthcare,” webinar hosted by AllianceBernstein, April 20, 2021 

Speaker, “Emergent Issues in Healthcare,” Kirkland Seminar, January 21, 2021 

Speaker, “Return to the Workplace,” webinar hosted by NYPEN, August 17, 2020

Speaker, “Uncharted Waters: Navigating Advisory Office Re-Entry,” Investment Adviser Association, July 9, 2020

Speaker, “Keys to Private Equity Transactions in Health Care,” webinar hosted by AHLA, December 2019

Recognition

Healthcare - Life Sciences, Legal 500, 2017 & 2025

Healthcare - New York, Chambers USA, 2020–2025

Law360 MVP (Healthcare), 2022

Selected to the 2017–2018 New York Metro Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers magazine

Registered Nurse

Memberships & Affiliations

NYULH Long Island Campaign Cabinet

American Health Lawyers Association

  • Young Professionals Council, Member, 2013–2016

New York State Bar Association, Health Law Section

  • Co-Chair Young Attorneys Group, 2014

Credentials

Admissions & Qualifications

  • New York
  • New Jersey

Education

  • Seton Hall University School of LawJ.D., Healthcare Law
  • Georgetown UniversityB.S.N.