- Represented more than 1,000 physician owners of Summit Health and CityMD, in a $9 billion sale to VillageMD, which is majority owned by Walgreens and included an investment by Cigna. The transaction created one of the largest independent health care provider groups in the United States.
- Counsel to both for-profit and not-for-profit health systems in the acquisition and divestiture of more than 20 acute care hospitals, and counsel to not-for profit health systems in corporate governance and restructuring matters.
- Counsel to Memorial Health University Medical Center in its $700+ million sale transaction with Hospital Corporation of America (HCA).
- Counsel to Tenet Healthcare Corporation in its $250 million sale of MacNeal Hospital in Chicago to Trinity Health System.
- Counsel to Tenet Healthcare Corporation in its $575 million sale of Atlanta-area hospitals Atlanta Medical Center, North Fulton Hospital, Spalding Regional Hospital, and Sylvan Grove Hospital, and related physician clinics, to WellStar Health System.
- Represented home health and hospice companies in more than 10 acquisitions and divestitures.
- Counsel to LHC Group Inc. in its $2.4 billion merger with Almost Family Inc.
- Counsel to Harden Healthcare Holdings Inc., a portfolio company of Capstar Partners and KKR, in a tax-free merger with Gentiva Health Services Inc. valued at $410 million and related spinoff of Harden’s long-term care business to its shareholders.
- Counsel to Getinge AB in numerous medical device acquisitions and divestitures, including an $860 million tender offer purchase of Datascope, a U.S. publicly traded cardiovascular device company.
- Counsel to physician practice groups and physician practice managers in acquisitions and divestitures, including primary care, ophthalmology, pathology, anesthesiology, and radiology.
- Represented laboratory companies in more than 20 acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate financing transactions, including Aurora Diagnostics in its equity financing, 144A offering of indentures, and subsequent exchange offer and acquisition of pathology practices across the U.S.
Partner,
- Phone: +1 404 881 7866
- Email: russell.hilton@alston.com
Health care stakeholders turn to Russell to lead M&A and private equity deals, and advise them on complex legal issues unique to the health care industry. Clients rely on his ability to execute practical strategies tailored to achieve their business objectives.
- Counsel to behavioral health providers, including adult treatment facilities and continuum of care programs for youth.
- Advised P2P Staffing Corporation in the sale of its MedPartners HIM division to AMN Healthcare Services for approximately $200 million.
- Counsel to Ambulatory Services of America Inc., a portfolio company of Lindsay Goldberg and MedCare Investment Funds, in the sale of its dialysis business to U.S. Renal Care Inc., a portfolio company of Leonard Green & Partners, and related sale of ASA’s radiation oncology business to Vantage Oncology LLC, a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital Partners.
- Counsel to a leading provider of outsourced clinical services to hospitals in connection with acquisitions, equity financing, and recapitalization transactions.
- Counsel to Allion Healthcare, a specialty pharmacy distribution company in New York, in a $300 million going-private transaction with a private equity sponsor.
- Counsel to a medical technology company in its $1.7 billion tax-free spinoff.
- Counsel to underwriters issuing representation and warranty insurance policies in connection with M&A transactions.
Russell Hilton represents public and private companies in complex mergers and acquisitions, corporate financing transactions, and public and private securities offerings. He also advises clients on SEC compliance and reporting obligations and corporate governance matters.
Russell represents a variety of business organizations (public, private, not-for-profit) in numerous industries, with an emphasis in the health care sector. He has the unique knowledge and experience critical to the structuring and negotiation of transactions involving health care companies. With this industry focus, Russell is able to provide comprehensive legal counsel on the complex strategic and operational issues facing health care providers and investors. In 2018, Russell was recognized by Law360 as a “Top Attorney Under 40” and “Rising Star” in Health Care. Russell was recognized by Chambers USA for Healthcare in 2022 and The Best Lawyers in America© for Health Care Law in 2023.
Russell was an adjunct professor at the Emory University School of Law, where he taught courses on mergers and acquisitions.
Bar Admissions
- Georgia
Education
- Emory University (J.D., 2007)
- Emory University (M.T.S., 2007)
- Union University (B.A., 2002)