Mayer Brown

Mayer Brown offers a full suite of IP services to life sciences clients, including patent litigation, prosecution and strategy. The firm is notable for its representation of high-profile drug makers on the branded side, including companies in the biologics arena.

Lisa Ferri, described as a "great lawyer" by a peer, serves as co-head of the firm's IP practice, and is sharply focused on life sciences-related patent disputes. She is experienced in ANDA litigations, biosimilars disputes and post-grant proceedings. Ferri recently achieved success for client Sanofi in a patent dispute against Genentech and the Washington Research Foundation, which resulted in the Seattle District Court finding the client's cancer drug Elitek does not infringe the asserted patent.

Joseph Mahoney serves as co-chair of the life sciences industry group and contributes to the firm's deep experience representing clients in Hatch-Waxman litigations and Patent Office disputes. He currently handles all IP-related matters for a major pharmaceutical company, including patent strategy, licensing and litigation. Colleen Tracy James is acting for Gilead Sciences in a pending Hatch-Waxman dispute against Mylan related to the company's blockbuster HIV prevention drug and treatment Truvada. A peer notes: "She really gives her all to her clients. She is thoughtful, smart, strategic and fun to work with."

One of the firm's newest stars is Vera Nackovic, who contributes to Mayer Brown's capabilities in patent prosecution and strategy. She provides expertise in IP protection and regulatory issues for clients in a number of technology areas in the life sciences space. Nackovic was recently involved as lead IP counsel for Gilead in its $567 million acquisition of Cell Design Labs, increasing the client's capacity in cellular therapy.

Chicago-based national and international leader Mayer Brown houses a broad spectrum of litigators throughout its various US offices.

Arguably the firm's greatest entry point in the life sciences world is its antitrust practice. A Chicago-based leader in this space, Daniel Ring represents St Jude Medical and Abbott Laboratories, now combined as one of the world's leading medical device companies, in a matter involving the first-known public effort by a short seller to partner with a cybersecurity research firm to short a stock based on claimed cybersecurity vulnerabilities. St Jude alleges that Muddy Waters and MedSec ran a short-selling scheme by spreading false and misleading information about its devices in order to drive down stock prices and collect the ensuing profits. Ring filed a complaint on St Jude's behalf claiming defamation, Lanham Act violations, deceptive trade practices, and civil conspiracy.

Ring and DC-based appellate specialist Andrew Tauber serve as co-counsel or lead counsel to this same client in several other matters, including the defense of the company in product liability suits in multiple jurisdictions arising out of alleged defects in its Riata defibrillator leads, and the defense of the client in a securities class action arising out of alleged misrepresentations. The pair has also represented the company in connection with other devices, recently securing dismissal of all claims in a case pending in Illinois involving a vascular closure device.