International law firm McDermott Will & Emery has appointed Kristian (Krist) Werling to be the new global head of its industry-leading Health & Life Sciences Practice Group. With over 160 lawyers across more than 20 global locations, McDermott has the largest and most proficient Health & Life Sciences Practice Group among U.S. law firms. Chambers has ranked the practice as the only Band 1 team for 15 consecutive years and McDermott has repeatedly held the top spot in PitchBook’s League Tables as the most active firm representing healthcare private equity investors.

“Krist is an extraordinary partner, leader and mentor. From working with clients to supporting our people, he delivers the best possible results—and always with a collaborative and authentic approach,” said McDermott Chairman Ira Coleman. “We are delighted for him to take on this role and confident that he’ll extend our leadership even further in this space.”

Krist brings extensive experience to this new leadership position, having previously served as co-head of the Firm’s private equity practice, and an elected member of its Management Committee.

In his own practice, Krist represents life sciences companies, health service providers, private equity firms, and venture capital investors in a wide variety of transactional and regulatory matters. Like the McDermott Health & Life Sciences practice, Krist has led cutting edge industry transactions that have resulted in industry firsts, including introducing cancer and gene therapy products to the global market, expanding access to fertility services, increasing the availability of cost-effective outpatient surgical services and transforming the delivery of physician services in a wide variety of specialities.

In 2024, Krist represented Valinor Pharma in its sale to Grünenthal and Amulet Capital Partners in its platform investment in Theoria Management, LLC.

“I’m honored to lead such a talented and globally recognized team in this new role. Our health and life sciences lawyers are leaders in the subsectors that matter most to the investors and C-suite executives that are driving change in this industry. The health and life sciences sectors are rapidly evolving, and I look forward to helping our clients achieve their strategic goals and drive innovation in these critical industries,” said Krist.

McDermott is the leading healthcare and life sciences law firm in the United States, offering clients better guidance for complex healthcare challenges with strong cross-border capabilities and market-leading teams across Europe. The Firm hosts several events in the healthcare space, serving as a dynamic ecosystem, fostering meaningful connections among clients, and acting as a catalyst to propel business relationships and opportunities forward.

In addition to the Chambers recognition, the Firm’s healthcare practice has received top rankings from Best Law Firms, Legal 500, LMG Life Sciences, and Law360.