Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Eric Tower has joined the firm as a partner in the Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group in Chicago. A healthcare industry pro, Eric handles a wide range of corporate and M&A transactions for health systems, physician practices, and value-based care companies. Before joining Blank Rome, Eric was a partner at Thompson Coburn LLP.
Eric’s arrival continues Blank Rome’s strategic growth in Chicago, following the recent additions of partners Rikke Dierssen-Morice, Basileios “Bill” Katris, and Cynde H. Munzer, of counsel Jason A. Frye, and associates Sheherbano “Sherry” R. Mirza and Krista P. McDonald over the past year.
“I am thrilled to welcome Eric to Blank Rome and our growing Chicago office,” said Grant Palmer, Blank Rome’s Chair and Managing Partner. “His significant experience and insight into the evolving and complex healthcare landscape makes Eric a fantastic addition to our diverse corporate practice and healthcare team as we expand our presence and transactional capabilities in the Chicago market.”
For nearly two decades, Eric served as vice president and associate general counsel for Advocate Health Care, the largest healthcare system in Illinois. In this role, he served as a business adviser to the company’s leadership team, providing guidance on matters relating to M&A, physician practice acquisitions, corporate governance, litigation, fraud and abuse compliance, and financing. He also led joint ventures and other deals worth more than $15 billion.
“Eric’s in-house experience at a major healthcare organization as well as his significant private practice background gives him holistic and strategic insight into his clients’ most pressing concerns,” said Peter Schnur, Partner and Co-Chair of Blank Rome’s Corporate, M&A, and Securities practice group. “Our national team looks forward to collaborating with him as we continue to expand our corporate services in the Midwest region and beyond.”
In addition to traditional M&A work, Eric’s private practice experience includes negotiating joint ventures in ambulatory healthcare as well as handling regulatory and reimbursement matters. He also represents rapidly growing private equity companies, having completed numerous acquisitions in multiple states for a nationally recognized advanced primary care provider and companies targeting various physician specialties. Eric has deep experience in responding to investigations from regulatory agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Internal Revenue Service, in addition to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
“Healthcare organizations are looking to advisers to provide a wide range of legal services beyond healthcare law, notably in the areas of antitrust and tax, and the strength of Blank Rome’s national, multiservice platform will provide for enhanced opportunities to support clients,” said Tower. “I am really looking forward to growing my practice at the firm and tapping into its collaborative and inclusive culture.”
Eric earned his LL.M. in Health Law from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his B.A., with honors, from Northwestern University.
