Dechert

Dechert is a full-service firm that is especially notable in the life sciences space for assisting clients in corporate transactions, licensing agreements and collaborations. One peer notes the firm is "top-tier" with an international presence, regularly representing clients in cross-border transactions.

David Rosenthal serves as co-leader of the life sciences practice and co-chair of the global corporate finance and capital markets practice. He represents clients in M&A and general corporate transactions, including recently leading a Dechert team that advised Zyla Life Sciences in its merger agreement with Assertio Therapeutics. In addition, Rosenthal also represented Diffusion Pharmaceuticals in two separate direct offerings.

Another star practitioner at the firm is David Schulman, whose practice encompasses all aspects of the financial and corporate space. Schulman is noted for having a truly global client base, recently serving as lead counsel for Valneva in its collaboration with Pfizer to develop a vaccine for Lyme disease.

Dechert's life sciences team includes a large group of professionals focused on all areas of intellectual property. The firm is nationally ranked for its expertise in Hatch-Waxman disputes for branded companies and patent strategy.

Andrea Reid co-chairs the firm's global life sciences group and is an expert in strategic patent counseling and portfolio management. She recently assisted Arrakis Therapeutics with patent strategy and diligence for its $190 million collaboration with Roche to develop RNA-targeted drugs. Reid was the 2020 winner of the Patent Strategy Attorney of the Year award in Massachusetts.

In litigation, practice group leader Martin Black is deemed a "very fine lawyer" by a peer, and is noted for being a steadfast trial presence in the Hatch-Waxman arena. He recently represented Norgine in a generic challenge to its Plenvu product. Silicon Valley-based Jonathan "DJ" Loeb obtained a complete defense verdict for Quest diagnostics in a case involving patent infringement and trade secret claims. Robert Rhoad bolsters the firm’s life sciences patent litigation bench out of the Princeton office.

Kassie Helm is a new addition to the firm’s roster of stars, who gained previous recognition as the 2019 winner of the Rising Star in IP award by LMG Life Sciences. She was recently active for Eli Lilly in a successful antibody dispute against Genentech.

Headquartered in Philadelphia with several domestic and international offices, Dechert is routinely recognized for its strong group of life sciences attorneys across practice areas, including product liability and antitrust litigation. The firm notably boosted its products law profile with the recent hiring of a Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan team dedicated to this area.

Based in New York, Sheila Birnbaum is co-chair of the firm's product liability and mass torts practice. Birnbaum, who was part of the move from Quinn Emanuel in 2018, is considered "The Queen of Torts," by a peer. Fellow co-chair Mark Cheffo is highly regarded for his work in high-stakes litigation and is the 2020 Product Liability Attorney of the Year for his significant activity in the area. Cheffo’s notable case work from the past year includes representing Purdue in matters related to opioid products, and Pfizer in a matter the invoked preemption issues.

In Chicago, Nathan Hoffman is currently representing AbbVie in national product liability litigation related to the client's product AndroGel, a testosterone replacement therapy. The Dechert team developed and defended the company witnesses through both deposition and trial, and responded to all written and documentary discovery aimed at the company. Currently the firm is active as settlement counsel for AbbVie in the matters.

For antitrust matters, George Gordon is one of the firm’s experienced practitioners. He is currently representing Endo in defense of several class actions involving “reverse payment” claims connected to its Opana ER product.