Venable

The 2018 merger of Venable and IP firm Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto resulted in a full-service group in the life sciences patent arena. The firm receives top-tier status in branded Hatch-Waxman litigation and patent prosecution, with additional rankings in general patent litigation and strategy. A peer calls the firm "a force to be reckoned with in Hatch-Waxman."

IP group co-chair Dominick Conde is a leader in the firm's Hatch-Waxman litigation practice with more than 25 years of experience in law. He is currently active for clients Astellas and Pfizer in a pharmaceutical dispute involving branded prostate cancer drug Xtandi. Scott Reed is co-chair of the firm's IP litigation practice group, specializing in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device disputes. He and partner Ha Kung Wong recently represented Alnylam Pharmaceuticals against Silence Therapeutics in a matter involving PTAB and district court proceedings.

John Murnane's career in patent litigation spans more than 30 years, during which time he has accumulated expertise in district court, ITC, Federal Circuit and post-grant matters. William Solander is currently active for Genzyme and the University of Michigan in a consolidated case against Apotex and five other defendants.

For non-contentious work, Alicia Russo is one of the firm's expert patent strategists, advising clients in the biologics and pharmaceutical sectors. She recently assisted client Gilead in a strategic collaboration with Tango Therapeutics to develop cancer therapies. Russo currently serves as co-chair of the firm's IP transactions group.

New to the stars list is Christina Schwarz, who recently acted in the significant pharmaceutical case Novartis v Breckenridge. The matter resulted in the Federal Circuit issuing a decision on obviousness-type double patenting. The case was recognized as one of the Hatch-Waxman Impact Cases of the Year by LMG Life Sciences.

Headquartered in Baltimore with an additional seven offices across the country, Venable is a full-service law firm with a significant presence in the life sciences space. In particular, the firm offers a host of litigation services to clients in the industry, including representation in product liability suits and government investigations.

Stephen Marshall is a seasoned litigator who is highly regarded for his expertise in product liability matters. Most notably, Marshall is leading a team that serves as national counsel for Merck in a case involving one of the company's products, Fosamax. In addition, Marshall represents Merck in separate litigation related to its prescription drugs Propecia and Proscar.

Working alongside Marshall in Baltimore on a number of matters is litigation standout Craig Thompson and new star Bruce Parker. Thompson and Parker currently lead the team serving as co-national counsel for Takeda in litigation involving the company's proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, including Prevacid and Dexilant, which plaintiffs allege caused kidney injuries.