Overview
Ken Marlow is known as a go-to transactional advisor in the healthcare industry. During his three-decade career, he has worked with hospitals, health systems and other healthcare providers, and healthcare investors to structure and execute their most complex transactions.
Ken has led some of the most significant and transformative transactions in the United States, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures among hospitals, physician groups, and other providers. He has assisted clients with hundreds of transactions in both healthcare services and life sciences, including ambulatory, digital health and AI, behavioral health, physician practice management, home health and hospice, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, laboratory services, payor combinations, long-term care, and rehabilitation.
In addition to his hospital and health systems practice, Ken regularly represents private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies in a wide variety of transactional matters. He also works with clients across the healthcare community with respect to board guidance and other corporate governance needs. With a nationwide practice and deep roots in Nashville, the epicenter of the US healthcare industry, Ken is uniquely positioned to connect clients with the right partners to achieve their strategic business objectives.
Ken frequently speaks at national conferences, and he is regularly quoted in publications such as Modern Healthcare, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Prior to joining McDermott, Ken was the chair of the global healthcare industry team and the leader of the healthcare and FDA practice of a large international law firm.
Results
- Advised on 70+ acute care hospital transactions with an aggregate value of $50+ billion.*
- Represented Lifepoint Health in its acquisition by a large alternative asset management company by providing transaction, healthcare regulatory, tax, employee benefits, and real estate advice to the company. The company subsequently merged Lifepoint with RCCH HealthCare Partners, a 16-hospital system. The combined company now operates under the name Lifepoint Health. At the time of the closing, the combined hospital system operated 84 hospitals in largely rural areas across 30 states, with a portfolio including physician practices and outpatient clinics and pro forma 2017 revenues of more than $8 billion.*
- Represented a large private equity fund with respect to its acquisition of one of the largest home health and hospice platforms valued at more than $600 million.*
- Represented a large multispecialty physician practice group in California in its sale to a payor for approximately $200 million.*
- Represented Lehigh Valley Health Network in its merger with Jefferson Health to create a new $15 billion health system serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey.*
- Represented Mississippi Baptist Health Systems in its merger with Baptist Memorial Health Care, resulting in a combined system of 21 hospitals with more than $3 billion in revenue.*
- Represented a private equity firm with respect to the sale of its laboratory and device portfolio company to a Korean investor valued at approximately $100 million.*
- Represented one of the largest behavioral health providers in the United States with more than 20 joint ventures with hospitals and health systems.*
- Represented one of the largest public company ambulatory surgery center companies with more than 100 syndications of its ambulatory surgery center subsidiaries.*
- Represented a large publicly traded health system in connection with its acquisition of a statewide health plan.*
- Represented Lifepoint Health with the formation of its joint venture with Duke University Health System (becoming Duke LifePoint Healthcare) to develop, acquire, and operate health systems in North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, including the acquisition of 12 hospitals and health systems.*
- Represented a Texas-based private equity firm in the acquisition of two healthcare technology companies providing secure healthcare data-archiving solutions, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance.*
- Represented one of the largest investor-owned health systems in connection with its joint venture with a preeminent academic medical center. The joint venture was formed to acquire, lease, and own hospitals in Georgia and contiguous states.*
- Represented an academic medical center in its $600 million combination with a regional nonprofit health system to develop a collaboration to expand access to quality healthcare in the region.*
- Represented an academic medical center with respect to its $100 million investment in a large regional not-for-profit health system.*
- Represented Pennsylvania-based Ellwood City Hospital in its acquisition by Florida-based Americore Health LLC, which included the hospital’s conversion from a nonprofit to for-profit hospital.*
- Represented Kindred Healthcare in its $195 million acquisition of Centerre Healthcare, an operator of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals.*
- Represented Duke LifePoint Healthcare in its $500 million acquisition of Conemaugh Health System, West Central Pennsylvania’s largest health system, including three hospitals, outpatient facilities, and physician practices. The transaction required the review and approval of the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Orphans Court of Cambria County, including hearings before the Judge of Cambria County, the transfer of approximately 80 properties and 150 licenses and permits, and defeasance of 10 series of Hospital Revenue Bonds.*
- Represented a publicly traded health system in the creation of a joint venture with one of the largest home health providers in the US to create an innovative and strategic partnership to provide home health and hospice services.*
- Represented a leading middle market private equity group in multiple stock and acquisitions of gastroenterology practices and ambulatory surgery centers.*
- Represented a post-acute provider in its acquisition of one of the largest and the premier home health provider in Florida and Louisiana with 47 locations, for a purchase price of $95 million.*
*Matter completed prior to joining McDermott
Recognitions
- Chambers USA, Band 1 in Healthcare, Tennessee, 2016 – 2024
- Legal 500 United States, Healthcare, Recommended Lawyer, 2024
- Best Lawyers, “Lawyer of the Year,” Health Care Law, Nashville, 2023
- Best Lawyers, Health Care Law, 2019 – 2024
- Nashville Post, named to “In Charge 2024: Legal” list
Community
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section, Health Law Section
- American Health Law Association
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Nashville Bar Association
- Nashville Health Care Council, Board of Directors
- American Heart Association, Executive Leadership Team
Credentials
Education
University of Tennessee College of Law, JD, 1996
Vanderbilt University, BS, cum laude, 1993
Admissions
Tennessee
Languages
English