Karen Gibbs Joins Quarles as Health & Life Sciences Partner

CHICAGO—The national law firm of Quarles & Brady LLP announced that Karen Gibbs, who has in-house and law firm experience dealing with a broad spectrum of healthcare and life sciences issues, has joined the firm’s Chicago office as a partner in the Health & Life Sciences Practice Group.

Over a career that has spanned more than three decades, Gibbs has handled regulatory, policy and compliance challenges related to pharmacies of all kinds, wholesale distributors, pharmaceutical and biological manufacturers, pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies, device manufacturers, durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, hospitals, behavioral health providers and senior living providers. She also advises investors and lenders in the healthcare and life sciences industries, including private equity, growth equity, venture firms and lenders.

In addition to previously being a partner at two other major law firms, Gibbs served as vice president and senior counsel at CVS Health, an integrated Fortune 20 pharmacy company. There, she led a team of lawyers who managed a wide array of regulatory matters and investigations.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome someone with Karen’s impressive level of industry experience and relationships,” said Brenda Maloney Shafer, national chair of the Quarles Health & Life Sciences Practice Group. “Her knowledge and ability to smartly guide clients through complicated business decisions in a fast-paced and constantly evolving world is valuable. But equally important, she has a great reputation for being a highly responsive, collaborative partner who is laser focused on helping clients manage risk and find solutions that will help them achieve their long-term goals.”

Areas in which Gibbs advises clients include healthcare transactions, federal and state regulatory compliance, internal and government investigations and general guidance on novel ways to navigate the healthcare and life sciences regulatory climate.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, a master’s from the University of Virginia and a juris doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

“I am thrilled to join Quarles,” Gibbs said. “I relied heavily on this team when I was in-house counsel and continued to collaborate with them while a partner at another firm. They are top notch and couldn’t be more focused on helping clients achieve their goals.”