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Melesa Freerks

Partner
About

Melesa Freerks is a partner in the Chicago office of DLA Piper and focuses her practice on healthcare entities and related companies. She frequently advises healthcare clients on a broad range of healthcare-related issues including corporate transactions, federal and multi-state regulatory matters, compliance programs, fraud and abuse issues, employment agreements, and privacy matters. Melesa is also engaged by private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies for guidance on structural, transactional, regulatory and enforcement matters.

Melesa provides answers to questions and legal solutions regarding choice, formation and organization of professional entities, the development and structuring of joint ventures, and corporate governance, including the rights and duties of directors, officers and shareholders. She guides clients through mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and financings. Melesa frequently serves as special regulatory counsel with major acquisitions and mergers of healthcare service platforms and provides legal counsel to private equity funds, venture capital, and public companies. Additionally, she counsels a myriad of healthcare providers including hospitals, physician group practices, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care centers, pharmacies, veterinary practices, medical device companies, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, physicians, dentists, and other healthcare providers and entities on various healthcare regulatory, compliance and transactional matters.

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EXPERIENCE

  • Represented a private equity backed behavioral health platform in its acquisition of substance use and mental health treatment facilities.
  • Represented ToxStrategies, a portfolio company of Renovus Capital Partners, in its acquisition of Modality Solutions.
  • Represented Investindustrial Growth III Holdings S.a r.l in its acquisition of NextPhase Medical Devices LLC by Arterex. 
  • Represented a leading provider of obstetrical gynecological services in acquisitions of urogynecology practice.
  • Represented private equity platform in acquisition of provider IT consulting company.
  • Represented private equity platform in acquisition of reimbursement, market access and patient outcome research company.
  • Represented an industry-leading provider of pathology and clinical lab services in its majority investment from a private equity company.
  • Represented a healthcare consulting and services provider in its sale to a capital market company.
  • Represented an advanced primary care provider, a portfolio company of a private equity company, in its combination with a healthcare navigation company.
  • Represented a specialized private equity firm in its merger and acquisition of a clinic-based applied behavior analysis therapy provider.
  • Represented a private equity company-led consortium in its US$7.3 billion acquisition of a technology company.
  • Represented an investment company in its acquisition of a medical parts provider from a capital market company. 
  • Represented a European private equity firm in its acquisition of a majority stake in a contract research organization (CRO).
Education
  • J.D., Notre Dame Law School, magna cum laude
  • B.A., University of Minnesota

Publications

  • Author, "Health IT Transaction Trends and Considerations," American Health Lawyers Association, Business Law and Governance Practice Group Briefing, April 15, 2021

Seminars

  • Speaker, "Fundamentals of Health Care Professionals: Understanding Professional Scope of Practice, Reimbursement and Private Equity Investment Considerations in Practice Transactions," American Health Lawyers Association, Chicago, Illinois, November 7–9, 2021

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Melesa served as a partner for a well-known top Am Law firm.

Memberships and Affiliations

  • American Health Lawyers Association
  • Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys 
  • Chicago Bar Association

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