Goodwin Procter

Goodwin Procter is a premier global law firm with a robust financial and corporate team focused on the life sciences industry. The firm, which was awarded this year’s LMG Life Sciences Corporate Firm of the Year, offers a deep bench of attorneys capable of assisting with public offerings, transactions, licensing, collaborations and venture-backed financing. "They have one of the largest and most successful corporate IP life sciences practices in Boston and the US," a peer says.

Kingsley Taft co-chairs the firm's life sciences group and is highly regarded in the field. One peer labels him the "dean” of Goodwin’s life sciences practice. Taft, who also holds a PhD in chemistry, regularly advises life sciences clients in a variety of business and financial affairs. Among his recent matters, Taft led the Goodwin team that represented Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in its $2 billion collaboration agreement with Blackstone. In addition, Taft advised Semma Therapeutics in its $950 million acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

Serving alongside Taft as co-chair of the life sciences group is Mitchell Bloom, who "has a great knowledge base and is great to work with," a peer says. Bloom is particularly noteworthy for venture capital work, with one peer stating he is "probably the best VC lawyer" in the industry. Stuart Cable focuses on transactions and corporate financing, representing several high-profile clients. In the past year, Cable served as lead counsel for Moderna in two follow-on offerings which totaled more than $1.8 billion. Furthermore, Cable represented Spark therapeutics in its $4.4 billion acquisition by Roche.

Maggie Wong advises a variety of innovative public and private life sciences clients in raising capital. Wong recently led a Goodwin team representing BridgeBio Pharma with its $348.5 million initial public offering.

Boston-based Goodwin Procter offers a full-service life sciences IP practice, supported by top national rankings in general patent litigation, Hatch-Waxman and patent strategy. A pharmaceutical client highlights the firm for its “high technical competence” and “excellent litigation and trial skills.” For significant growth in its patent prosecution group and a strong year in litigation, Goodwin Procter was awarded 2020 Firm of the Year in Intellectual Property by LMG Life Sciences.

IP litigation chair Daryl Wiesen is a standout for disputes related to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, supported by a client who says: “He's one of the best trial attorneys I've seen in action.” Wiesen was recently active for Fresenius Kabi in a patent dispute opposite Sanofi related to the branded product Jevtana. Elaine Herrmann Blais, who heads the litigation department in the Boston office, is one of the firm's specialists in biopharmaceutical matters. She was recently active in a significant Federal Circuit appeal for Dr Reddy’s involving the branded sublingual product Suboxone. Blais was shortlisted by LMG Life Sciences for the Patent Litigator of the Year award in New England.

Elizabeth Holland was on the shortlist for the Hatch-Waxman Litigator of the Year award in the generic category. She is well-known for her experience in pharmaceutical litigation, often for major clients like Teva and Actavis. Recent representations include Regeneron in Patent Office proceedings, and Actavis in an ongoing pharma dispute against Cosmo Technologies and Valeant.

In the non-contentious space, Theresa Kavanaugh focuses her practice on patent prosecution and portfolio development for early stage companies. She recently assisted a biopharmaceutical company in a licensing agreement with a major life sciences company. Duncan Greenhalgh has a strong reputation as a patent advisor to life sciences companies and a "great depth of biotech knowledge," according to a peer. Michael Shuster supports the firm’s West Coast offering in patent matters, recently assisting Mission Bio and other emerging clients in patent prosecution and strategy.

General practice firm Goodwin Procter offers a strong roster of attorneys servicing life sciences clients in all practice areas, but is most notable for being a powerhouse in IP and transactions. The firm receives top ranking in patent litigation, patent strategy, licensing, M&A, venture capital and general corporate work.

The firm was awarded Firm of the Year for Intellectual Property in 2020, due to its strong practices focused on patent litigation, prosecution and strategy. IP litigation chair Daryl Wiesen is a standout for disputes related to pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, and was recently active for Fresenius Kabi in a patent dispute opposite Sanofi related to the branded product Jevtana. Elaine Herrmann Blais took part in a significant Federal Circuit appeal for Dr Reddy’s involving the branded sublingual product Suboxone. She was awarded Patent Litigator of the Year in New England. For prosecution, Duncan Greenhalgh, Theresa Kavanuagh and Michael Shuster provide strategic portfolio advice to companies in novel technology areas.

In the financial area, Goodwin Procter was named 2020 Corporate Firm of the Year. The firm assisted several clients with their public offerings, including Argenx in a global offering valued at $862.5 million, and BridgeBio in the second largest biotech IPO of last year. Kingsley Taft co-chairs the firm's life sciences group, and regularly advises life sciences clients in a variety of business and financial affairs. Stuart Cable focuses on transactions and corporate financing, representing several high-profile clients. Maggie Wong advises a variety of innovative public and private life sciences clients in raising capital. She was involved in the noteworthy biotech IPO for BridgeBio.

Notable individuals in the litigation and enforcement area are Joanne Gray and William Harrington, both based in the firm's New York branch. Gray serves as chair of the firm's products liability and mass torts practice group. Harrington, whose practice focuses on government investigations and white-collar matters, has expertise in health care fraud, the Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act and the Stark Act.

A leading practitioner in the regulatory group is Julie Tibbets, who specializes in product development, marketing and FDA issues that arise from transactions. In addition to pharmaceuticals, her technology expertise extends to biologics, medical devices, diagnostics, food, and other areas. Tibbets recently advised Protalix Biotherapeutics in FDA-related matters, and Henry Schein with respect to FDA and FTC matters.