Ropes & Gray

Ropes & Gray has a longstanding reputation in the life sciences industry representing clients in financial and corporate matters. The practice has locations spanning the US, including its Boston headquarters which is "phenomenally strong," a peer says. The firm is widely recognized by contemporaries for its active representation of "big pharma" clients. In addition, the firm advises and represents emerging companies in financings in addition to taking them public.

IP transactions group head David McIntosh represents numerous companies in the life sciences industry, particularly in licensing and collaborations. This year, he advised Juno Therapeutics in its agreement with Eli Lilly, and continues to advise the company in other manufacturing and clinical supply agreements.

Along with McIntosh, Marc Rubenstein is another active practitioner in licensing and collaborations, as well as corporate transactions. Last year, Rubenstein served as lead counsel for Mersana in an IPO, and Prevail Therapeutics in its seed financing and series A financing. Additionally, as part of the Vertex-CRISPR collaboration, Rubenstein represented Vertex in its co-development and co-commercialization with CRISPR for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease. The firm's strength in licensing and collaborations is further bolstered with Mark Bellomy, who recently represented Pfizer in a licensing agreement.

Christopher Comeau predominantly advises companies on mergers and acquisitions, and is noted by peers for his work in the space. Founder and former life sciences group chair Steven Wilcox represents leading companies in various transactions, including corporate financings and mergers and acquisitions.

Full-service law firm Ropes & Gray offers a regulatory practice well known for handling life sciences issues. The firm's team frequently provides counseling and advice to pharmaceutical and medical device companies as they face FDA and healthcare pricing and reimbursement issues. The firm handles a wide array of issues on behalf of clients, from representing clients against the FDA, to strategizing approval pathways and labeling concerns. The firm also advises companies on pricing and reimbursement matters. A peer considers the practice a mainstay in the area, calling the firm one of the "usual suspects."

Co-chair of the life sciences industry group Greg Levine handles FDA-related issues predominantly for medical device companies. He is also highly experienced handling matters for pharmaceutical clients, exemplified by his recent work for Aegerion Pharmaceuticals. Levine led the team in negotiating a Consent Decree of Permanent Injunction with the FDA and DOJ, the first relating to REMS compliance issues. He is also versed in filing amicus briefs on behalf of associations and organizations, recently for PhRMA and BIO. Albert Cacozza also handles regulatory matters most often for pharmaceutical clients, and frequently assists private equity firms on their due diligence and regulatory support in transactions.