Gibson Dunn & Crutcher

Internationally known for its financial and corporate practice, full-service firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher offers life sciences companies deep expertise handling complex transactions. The firm is particularly renowned for its corporate and M&A practices.

Financial and corporate star Ryan Murr is the co-chair of the firm's life sciences practice group. One peer notes Murr is "very well respected" in the space and is "strong in capital markets and early stage capital" matters. In addition to transactions and financing, Murr also assists clients with licensing and collaboration agreements. In the past year, Murr represented Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals in a collaboration with Johnson & Johnson worth approximately $3.7 billion, as well as Depomed in its corporate rebranding to Assertio Therapeutics.

Another star at the firm is Joseph Barbeau, who is widely recognized in the M&A space. Operating from both the firm's Beijing and Palo Alto offices, Barbeau handles a number of domestic and international life science transactions.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher is ranked nationally for its strength in general patent litigation, supported by a group of seasoned trial lawyers with life sciences expertise. The firm is also notable for its Hatch-Waxman practice representing branded drug makers.

Jane Love is one of the firm's leading litigators, and recently took part in one of the year's noteworthy pharmaceutical cases Novartis v Ezra Ventures. The suit, which was selected as a Hatch-Waxman Impact Case of the Year, dealt with the issue of obviousness-type double patenting. Love was shortlisted for New York General Patent Litigator of the Year for her role in the matter.

Wayne Barsky is co-chair of the firm's IP practice group. He recently acted for St Jude Medical in a case filed by a non-practicing entity, which was dismissed with prejudice in favor of the client. Life sciences group co-chair Tracey Davies is representing Sanofi in a five-patent Hatch-Waxman dispute related to the client's Lantus diabetes products.

New to the stars list is New-York based litigator Robert Trenchard, who was active on the award-winning Novartis matter involving double patenting.

Gibson Dunn & Crutcher sweeps the litigation rankings with top-tier status in antitrust, white-collar and product liability matters.

Antitrust and competition practice chair Sean Royall represented Allergan in a suit claiming the client used anticompetitive schemes to delay generic entry in relation to its branded Aymar and Zymaxid eye products. Royall's team was successful in obtaining dismissal of a class action and reversal of a district court ruling for the client. Jeffrey Thomas acted for Allergan in response to a complaint made by Xaleron Pharmaceuticals involving unfair competition, tortious interference and unjust enrichment. Following a successful motion to strike a damages expert's opinion, the parties settled.

San Francisco partner Winston Chan supports the firm's reputation as a go-to firm for government investigations. He has deep experience in matters related to the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Anti-Kickback Statute. Chan recently represented North American Health Care in parallel civil and criminal investigations that involved alleged billing fraud and kickbacks. The matters were eventually settled.