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 2020–2024 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

“Regulatory scrutiny over US healthcare ramps up,” Private Equity International, July 1, 2024

“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

“21st Century Cures Act offers array of holiday gifts to healthcare providers,” December 20, 2016

“Legal and Operational Guide for Free Medical Clinics,” American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA) and the American Medical Association Foundation (AMAF), September 2015

“Joint Ventures: Non-Profit Meets For Profit,” Ambulatory Advisor, August 2015

“Raise Your Hand…It's Easy to get involved in American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA),” AHLA Connections Magazine, December 2013

Co-Author, “The Duty to Warn: Dangerous Patients,” Professional Liability Underwriting Society Journal, July 2010

Co-Author, “Recordkeeping and the Legal Defense of Mental Health Care Professionals: ‘The Ugly, The Bad and the Good,’” Professional Liability Underwriting Society Journal, October 2009

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

Speaker, “Hot Topics In Health Law - What are Urgent Care Centers?” Nassau County Bar Association, June 2014

Speaker, “What is the Affordable Care Act?” public presentation on all aspects of the Affordable Care Act at OPL Oceanside, New York, November 2013

Speaker, “What You Need to Know Right Now About the Affordable Care Act,” public presentation on Affordable Care Act including employer requirements, quality improvement initiatives, patent centered medical homes and ACOs, Nassau County Bar Association, September 2013

Speaker, “Risk Management Issues for Nurses,” New York Methodist Hospital, May 2013

Speaker, “Implementation of the Affordable Care Act: Implications for 2014,” Discussion of Patent Centered Medical Homes and ACOs, New York City Bar Association, March 2013

Recognition

Healthcare - New York, Chambers USA, 2020–2024

Law360 MVP (Healthcare), 2022

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

Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. for 2017

Registered Nurse

Memberships & Affiliations

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.