Christina Farr, Tom Cassels, Dr. Shamiram
Feinglass and Melindah Sharma bring extensive experience and
notable industry track records to Manatt’s renowned life sciences
and digital health practices
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, a multidisciplinary,
integrated professional services firm, today announced the arrival
of four new Managing Directors to the Firm’s Health Care industry
group—Christina (Chrissy) Farr, Tom Cassels, Dr. Shamiram (Shami)
Feinglass and Melindah Sharma—who will join Manatt’s expanding
bench of accomplished professionals throughout the country who work
with life sciences and digital health clients in a wide range of
consulting, advisory, technology and legal matters.
Farr’s vast knowledge of the emerging digital and health
technology landscape, Dr. Feinglass’ and Sharma’s deep expertise in
medical affairs, product development and commercialization across
life sciences and devices, and Cassels’ sophisticated background in
both strategy and operations in digital health, health technology
and life sciences strengthen Manatt’s role as the go-to-market
partner for clients working to advance outcomes, increase access to
care and improve innovation.
“Chrissy, Tom, Shami and Melindah bring a business savvy and
technical understanding that not only complements our dynamic life
sciences and digital health practices, but also adds to our
strengths more generally as a Firm relating to venture capital,
emerging companies, entertainment and beyond,” said Manatt CEO and
Managing Partner Donna L. Wilson. “Their leadership backgrounds and
successes in the market at the intersection of health care and
innovation make them the ideal additions to our Firm and reinforce
why we believe it is critical to provide clients with comprehensive
counsel across legal, business, policy and technology.”
Farr, Cassels, Dr. Feinglass and Sharma will provide business
advisory services to help clients—ranging from pharmaceutical,
biotechnology and medical device companies to emerging start-ups,
investors and innovators alike—achieve their business goals and
thrive in today’s market. They work collaboratively with strategy,
commercial, policy, innovation and product teams to develop
actionable insights and implement innovative solutions for
go-to-market strategies. This will complement the Firm’s deep
experience relating to the impact of federal and state policy,
regulatory and compliance, data privacy and cybersecurity, and
supply chain and asset management in the ever-evolving health care
environment.
“One of the unique parts of Manatt is our proven ability to
attract top tier talent which combines business acumen, broad
relationships and strategic, policy and legal advice into
engagements that accelerate client growth at all levels of their
development,” said Manatt Health Leader Bill Bernstein. “Chrissy,
Tom, Shami and Melindah present a big step forward which will allow
us to build upon our already recognized brand in the life sciences,
AI and digital spaces.”
Farr brings “go direct” communications savvy and a deep
understanding of the health industry and emerging trends, with an
emphasis on the intersection of health and venture capital. At
Manatt, she will provide a range of go-to-market, content
development, social media, investor relations and communications
counsel to both emerging and established companies as well as the
investors behind them. As an angel investor, she will additionally
leverage her experience to offer strategic counsel to the Manatt
Venture Fund. Farr immediately enhances the Firm’s robust digital
health and heath tech capabilities, supporting the Firm’s
industry-leading clients as they continue to innovate and harness
technology to transform their fields.
Most recently, Farr was an investor at OMERS Ventures, where she
focused on health tech with an emphasis on behavioral health,
telemedicine, electronic medical records and women’s health. With
almost 300,000 followers across social media platforms, Farr is the
owner and editorial lead of the weekly newsletter Second Opinion
Media, which provides insights on the latest health technology news
and trends to 20,000 subscribers and hundreds of thousands of
readers. Previously, she was a health tech reporter and on-air
contributor for CNBC, Fast Company and Reuters, as well as other
renowned news organizations and publications.
Cassels brings deep experience in growth strategy, corporate
development and investment advisory services to health care
companies ranging from growth equity to the Fortune 500. He will
combine his active governance and investment expertise with
Manatt’s comprehensive regulatory, policy and strategy consulting
services for pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms, medical
device manufacturers, providers, health plans and private
investors. He will equip clients to move wisely and at the right
pace to grow, innovate and stay ahead of competition amidst the
ever-shifting health care landscape.
Previously, Cassels was president and CEO of Rock Health
Advisory, a digital health strategy group. Prior to that he cut his
teeth as an intrapreneur, serving as Chief Strategy Officer for an
incubated software business within Leidos Health. He started his
career with a 15+ year stint at the Advisory Board Company, where
he led the company’s flagship research membership before launching
the firm’s Strategy consulting practice, working with clients on
engagements from enterprise strategic plan development, regional
health systems M&A, ambulatory network strategy, consumer
digital marketing transformation, post-merger integration of
corporate services and payer-provider partnership development.
With notable experience in global executive leadership roles and
government, Dr. Feinglass has a sophisticated understanding of the
business and policy needs of health systems, medical device,
diagnostic and life sciences companies and will be instrumental in
strengthening Manatt’s life sciences, public policy, strategy,
regulatory and reimbursement capabilities.
Serving as an executive and Chief Medical Officer in large
multi-national life sciences corporations, Dr. Feinglass has
successfully transformed business systems at scale by integrating
and streamlining medical affairs strategy and operations into
product development, commercialization and M&A preparation and
execution. In parallel, she has driven policy changes alongside
senior government officials and CEOs around the world to influence
health policy, regulation and access. This holistic approach
enables companies to move more swiftly to market, meeting patient
needs and the public's health more effectively. A public health
doctor, she was the trusted medical leader responsible for
coordinating the pandemic response across 80,000 associates
globally.
As a health care executive, Sharma has advised leading
organizations in pharma, biotech, consumer health, medical devices,
digital health and care systems on strategic, operational, policy
and financial matters. She has delivered sustainable and scalable
solutions in commercial, supply chain, capital/portfolio management
to create value for stakeholders. Sharma has led and worked with
global cross-functional teams to develop and execute growth and
transformation initiatives to facilitate investments, negotiations,
M&A and integrations that enhance the performances and outcomes
of health care ecosystems.
Previously, Sharma has worked with multi-billion dollar,
multinational companies and was also the co-founder of VLAB
Partners, working with stealth and series A companies to address
the deep fragmentation across pharma, biotech, devices, digital
health and delivery systems.
“The first time I met the Manatt team, I was struck by the idea
that these are even bigger health care nerds than myself, with a
true passion for improving health care. Joining this brain trust is
such an incredible next step and I plan to work collaboratively
with the teams across health, digital, policy, venture and
entertainment to innovate on behalf of our clients,” said Farr.
“A few years ago, leading health care companies could afford to
explore new product lines far and wide; today the risks associated
with innovation are as high as I can remember. Manatt’s
client-centric approach to advising clients through multiple
lenses—strategic, legal, regulatory, etc.—creates a unique ability
to support clients holistically,” said Cassels.
“Helping companies look for unique opportunities to transform
health care, whether by leveraging medical affairs, the promise of
AI, or speed to market, is critical to the health ecosystem. I’m
looking forward to working alongside the talented Manatt team to
help companies create a competitive advantage as they quickly bring
needed solutions to patients,” said Dr. Feinglass.
“I was attracted by Manatt’s culture and exceptional
capabilities in policy, consulting and law. With the vision of
driving commercial success and innovation, we now have unparalleled
expertise to accelerate the health care journey for patients in
need. This strengthens our commitment to delivering impactful
solutions that bridge the gap between life sciences, hospitals,
state/federal policies and access. I am humbled to be a part of
this important mission with an incredible team,” said Sharma.
Farr, Cassels, Dr. Feinglass and Sharma join the Firm’s roster
of legal and consulting professionals who have also joined over the
last year across core practices, including Corporate and Finance
(Bill Broome); Digital and Technology (Tim Andrews and Lisa W.
Rosaya); Entertainment (Binta Niambi Brown); Financial Services
(Warren Biro, Haley Fiallo, Mike Katz, Jessica Sklute and Troy
Zander); Health Care (Heide Bajnrauh, Axel Bernabe, Robert (Rob)
Fraiman, Seth Frazier, Eric Gold, Paul Irving, Dr. Tracy Johnson,
Anna Lansky, John O’Brien, Thomas (Tom) Robertson, Lisa Sbrana,
Jerry Tichner and Mark Wietecha); and Litigation (Schuyler G.
Carroll, Dylan Carson, Randy S. Grossman, Kareem A. Salem and
Justin Wolosz).
Farr earned her M.A. from the University College of London and
an M.A. in Journalism from Stanford University.
Cassels earned his B.S. from Georgetown University and his
M.P.P. from the Georgetown Public Policy Institute.
Dr. Feinglass earned her A.B. from Smith College, M.P.H. from
Emory University School of Public Health and M.D. from Emory
University School of Medicine.
Sharma earned her A.L.B. from Harvard University.
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Samuel Eisele 212.704.1998 Manatt, Phelps & Phillips,
LLP