WilmerHale

Dual-headquartered in Boston and Washington DC, WilmerHale offers life sciences companies a full range of corporate and finance-related legal services. One peer notes the firm has "excellent lawyers" in the space while another peer highlights their "great reputation" in Boston.

Steven Barrett is co-chair of the firm's technology transactions and licensing practice group. Recently, Barrett represented Ribometrix in a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Medtronic in funding agreements with Blackstone Life Sciences.

Life sciences group co-chair Stuart Falber advises a variety of life sciences clients ranging from startups to established companies in the space. He specializes in corporate and venture capital transactions, as well as licensing and collaboration agreements. Among his notable matters, Fabler advised Epizyme in its $270 million collaboration agreement with Royalty Pharma.

Operating from both the firm's Boston and New York offices, Steven Singer has over 30 years of experience assisting both public and private life sciences companies in various transactions. Among his recent clients, Singer represented Fulcrum Therapeutics in its $72 million IPO.  

Lia Der Marderosian is chair of the firm's transactional department and advises life sciences clients in a variety of corporate matters, including offerings, transactions, and governance. Among her recent matters, Der Marderosian represented Pandion Theraupetics, a biotechnology company focused on autoimmune diseases, in its $80 million Series B financing.

A new addition to this year’s list is Cynthia Mazareas, who represents both a number of high-profile private and public life sciences companies with a variety of issued related to corporate governance and transactions. In the last year, Mazareas served as lead lawyer for Schrödinger in its $232 million IPO as well as Imara’s IPO, valued at $86.5 million.

WilmerHale's life sciences IP group is highly recommended for general patent litigation and Hatch-Waxman disputes for branded drug makers. The firm is also notable for its expertise in patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings. "I have worked with and against this firm and find their work to be top-notch," a peer says about the litigation practice.

William Lee is one of the most celebrated patent litigators in the country, offering more than four decades of experience in law. Although his practice spans industries outside of life sciences, he is often involved in key patent disputes facing the firm’s life sciences clients. IP litigation group co-chair Lisa Pirozzolo is an experienced first-chair trial lawyer who is representing several notable life sciences clients, including CSL Behring in a dispute against Biogen related to hemophilia treatment.

New York partner Robert Gunther is a key member of the firm’s life sciences patent litigation bench, and was honored in 2020 as the General Patent Litigator of the Year in New York for his significant activity in the area. Among his notable representations was a consolidated case for Roche and Becton Dickinson against Enzo Life Sciences, which resulted in a noteworthy Federal Circuit ruling involving enablement issues. The matter was named one of 2020’s Patent Impact Cases of the Year and Gunther in part won the Litigator of the Year award due to his involvement.

DC-based partner Amy Wigmore is currently active for Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer in a Hatch-Waxman litigation opposite several generic manufacturers that at one point totaled 25 challengers. PTAB expert Emily Whelan was active alongside Wigmore in the matter, and is separately involved in a Hatch-Waxman dispute for Akebia and Keryx involving 14 patents related to its Auryxia drug.

Patent attorney Colleen Superko specializes in portfolio development, strategic counseling and licensing, among other areas. She currently assists H Lundbeck with several patent portfolios and related PTAB challenges.

WilmerHale is recognized as a leading firm in the life sciences sector for its multifaceted practice assisting companies in pre- to post-market matters. The firm is graded highly in a number of legal disciplines, including patent litigation, white-collar matters, licensing and collaboration, and general corporate work.

New York partner Robert Gunther is a key member of the firm’s life sciences patent litigation bench, and was honored in 2020 as the General Patent Litigator of the Year in New York for his significant activity in the area. Among his notable representations was a consolidated case for Roche and Becton Dickinson against Enzo Life Sciences, which resulted in a noteworthy Federal Circuit ruling involving enablement issues. The matter was named one of 2020’s Patent Impact Cases of the Year. IP litigation group co-chair Lisa Pirozzolo is an experienced first-chair trial lawyer who is representing several notable life sciences clients, including CSL Behring in a dispute against Biogen related to hemophilia treatment. William Lee is one of the most celebrated patent litigators in the country, offering more than four decades of experience in law. DC-based partner Amy Wigmore is currently active for Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer in a Hatch-Waxman litigation opposite several generic manufacturers that at one point totaled 25 challengers.

The firm's corporate capabilities are supported by several experienced attorneys, including Steven Barrett, who co-chairs the technology transactions and licensing practice group. He recently represented Ribometrix in a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Medtronic in funding agreements with Blackstone Life Sciences. Transactional department chair Lia Der Marderosian represented Pandion Theraupetics, a biotechnology company focused on autoimmune diseases, in its $80 million Series B financing. Life sciences group co-chair Stuart Falber advises a variety of life sciences clients ranging from startups to established companies in the space. He specializes in corporate and venture capital transactions, as well as licensing and collaboration agreements. Among his notable matters, Fabler advised Epizyme in its $270 million collaboration agreement with Royalty Pharma. Steven Singer has over 30 years of experience assisting both public and private life sciences companies in various transactions. A new addition to this year’s list is Cynthia Mazareas, who represents both a number of high-profile private and public life sciences companies with a variety of issued related to corporate governance and transactions.

In the enforcement area, the firm is noteworthy for its practice focused on government investigations and white-collar matters. Securities litigation practice co-chair Michael Bongiorno recently took part in an appellate matter for Ocular Therapeutix and its former officers, resulting in a First Circuit ruling that the clients did not mislead investors regarding manufacturing and regulatory aspects of drug candidate Dextenza. Howard Shapiro is chair of the firm's litigation and controversy department, with more than three decades of experience handling disputes, particularly in the area of white-collar defense. Reginald Brown is new to the LMG Life Sciences stars list this year for his strong practice focused on investigations and compliance-related matters. Brown currently serves as head of the congressional investigations practice, and was recently active in matters for multiple pharmaceutical companies.

Described by industry peers as "a go-to firm for the big-bucks litigation," WilmerHale is a large, full-service firm that draws competitor praise on a regular basis, especially in the area of white-collar defense and government investigations. A peer attests the firm has an "excellent team" of litigators focused on life sciences matters.

Securities litigation practice co-chair Michael Bongiorno is currently active for client Solid Biosciences in a matter involving the company's IPO and post-IPO statements as it relates to a product in clinical development. Bongiorno and his team obtained a ruling preventing a Massachusetts state court from moving forward with a nationwide class action.

Howard Shapiro is chair of the firm's litigation and controversy department, with more than three decades of experience handling disputes, particularly in the area of white-collar defense. His expertise is bolstered by his previous role as general counsel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Shapiro is currently representing a pharmaceutical company in a Department of Justice investigation.