Michael R. Hess
Michael Hess leads the firm’s Specialty Pharmacy & Pharmaceuticals Practice Group. His ability to balance legal issues with business issues has earned him a reputation as a go-to lawyer in the specialty pharmacy industry.
Mike’s ability to provide practical and impactful advice to specialty pharmacies is rooted in his first-hand experience as former Chief Counsel & VP of Strategic Development of Accredo Health Group, former Assistant General Counsel of Medco Health Solutions and as a private practice attorney to the industry. He now supports 40 percent of the largest independent specialty pharmacy companies located from Los Angeles to Orlando, serving as the outside general counsel. In addition, he has participated in many of the specialty pharmacy transactions coming to market during the past three years. Mike’s strategic business advice and transactional and regulatory guidance helps manufacturers and pharmacies get high-cost, complex specialty drugs from the manufacturer’s warehouse to the patient’s door, safely, legally, effectively and efficiently.
Memberships
American Health Law Association (AHLA) — RAP Practice Group, Vice Chair (2004-2007)
Institute for Health Law & Policy (iHeLP), University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law — Advisory Board
Memphis Leadership Academy — Board of Trustees
National Infusion Center Association — Advisory Board
Make-a-Wish of the Mid-South — Board of Directors
Representative Experience
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Representation of Linden Capital Partners, as lead healthcare regulatory counsel, in its investment in Vital Care, Inc., a pharmacy franchisor of home infusion services. Linden Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry
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Served as regulatory and deal counsel to BioPlus, a leading national specialty pharmacy, and ProHealth Pharmacy Solutions, a significant provider of infusion pharmacy management services in their sale to CarepathRx a platform company formed by Nautic Partners
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Represented Consonance Capital Partners in the recapitalization of Orsini Pharmaceutical Services, LLC
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Represented Community Pharmacy Partners in its investment by Altaris Capital Partners, LLC.
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Served as lead healthcare regulatory counsel to Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) in its acquisition of PillPack
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Provided healthcare regulatory and antitrust counsel to Avella Specialty Pharmacy in its sale to OptumRx
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Represented Fred’s, Inc. in its sale of EntrustRx to CVS Health Corporation.
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Represented a leading provider of 340B Drug Pricing Program services in its acquisition by a prescription benefit management subsidiary of a leading pharmacy healthcare provider
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Represented Frazier Healthcare Partners in its acquisition of a specialty pharmacy platform
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Assisted a biopharmaceutical manufacturer with a limited distribution network oncology drug launch
Publications
Past Events
Media Mentions & Firm News
Additional News & Insights
Additional Presentations:
- Panelist – “Understanding the Contractual, Operational, Regulatory Nuances of Specialty Pharmacy Contracting,” The World Congress Summit on Specialty Market Access and Channel Optimization (July 2014)
- Presenter – “Specialty Drugs & Limited Distribution Networks Roundtable,” 17th Annual 340B Coalition Conference (July 2014)
- Panelist – “Specialty Pharmacy Issues Impacting Oncology Practices,” Oncology Circle Annual Meeting (October 2013)
- Moderator – “Specialty Pharmacy Mergers & Acquisitions (MA): Trends, Strategies, and Opportunity,” National Association of Specialty Pharmacies Strategic Business Exchange (October 2013)
- Moderator – “340B in the Trenches: What You Should Know About 340B Audits,” American Health Lawyers Association (August 2013)
- Presenter – “Specialty Drugs & Limited Distribution Networks Roundtable,” 17th Annual 340B Coalition Conference (July 2013)
- Presenter – “Current Oncology Practice Trends,” Oncology Physician Resources 2013 Annual Meeting (May 2013)
- Panelist – “Ongoing Controversies in 340B,” Pharmaceutical Care Management Association – 2013 Specialty Pharmacy Business Forum (March 2013)
- Panelist – “How to Structure 340B Contract Pharmacy Agreements,” American Bar Association webcast (September 6, 2012)
- Presenter – “Specialty Drugs & Limited Distribution Networks,” 16th Annual 340B Coalition Conference (July 2012)
- Presenter – “Nuts & Bolts of Contract Pharmacy Implementation and Compliance,” 8th Annual 340B Coalition Winter Conference (March 2012)
- Presenter – “Drug Supply Policy, Challenges & Solutions,” 8th Annual 340B Coalition Winter Conference (March 2012)
Additional Article:
- Co-author – “HHS Issues Guidance on Permitted Remuneration for Prescription Refill Reminders in the Absence of Patient Authorization,” Health Lawyers Weekly (October 11, 2013)
Accolades
Chambers USA — Healthcare (2016-2020)
BTI Client Service All-Stars (2016, 2019)
Martindale-Hubbell — AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated
The Best Lawyers in America© — Health Care Law (2014-2021)
Best Lawyers® — Memphis Health Care Law “Lawyer of the Year” (2018)
Client Choice Award — Healthcare & Life Sciences (2019)
Mid-South Super Lawyers (2009, 2018-2020)
Education
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University of Mississippi School of Law - J.D., 1996
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Mississippi State University - M.A., 1993
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Mississippi College - B.A., 1992
Admissions
- Alabama, 2005
- Tennessee, 2003
- Mississippi, 1996
Chambers USA
"Michael Hess is highly regarded for his expertise in advising specialty pharmacies on transactions. Market sources remark that he is 'a very creative thinker and understands business' while a client comments: 'Above all, he is a person who takes a complex matter and makes it simple.'"
From Chambers USA 2020
BTI Consulting Group
