Husch Blackwell served as outside transactional and regulatory counsel to Marshfield Clinic Health System in a merger with Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States.
As a result, the combined system will serve patients and communities across the upper Midwest, including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The organization includes nearly 56,000 employees, 56 hospitals, 4,500 providers, two fully integrated health plans, specialty pharmacies and nationally recognized research institutions. Sanford Health Plan and Security Health Plan will serve more than 425,000 members.
“It was an honor for our team to support Marshfield Clinic Health System in its merger with Sanford Health,” said Tom Shorter, Husch Blackwell healthcare partner who led the Husch Blackwell support team for Marshfield Clinic Health System. “This combination marks a significant milestone in advancing healthcare services for our communities. We are grateful for the trust Marshfield Clinic placed in us to support them through this transformative process, and we look forward to seeing the positive effect this merger will have on patient care and innovation in the healthcare sector.”
Wendy Arends, partner and co-chair of Husch Blackwell’s antitrust group, helped Marshfield Clinic Health System navigate and clear multiple reviews under state and federal antitrust and charitable trust laws.
In addition to Shorter, the Husch Blackwell team included Peggy Barlett, Arends, Auriel Ackerman, Ashley Inbau, Renee Zerbonia, and Charles Martin.
For further information, please refer to the Jan. 2, 2025, Sanford Health news release.