Winston & Strawn

Winston & Strawn is one of the premier patent litigation firms for companies in the life sciences space. The firm is most notable for being one of the most active generic practices in the Hatch-Waxman domain, and for its recent involvement acting for biosimilars clients in BPCIA disputes.

"I think Winston has the best generics group hands down," a competitor says about the firm's Hatch-Waxman team. "[They are] way better than anyone else." A peer on the branded side says Winston & Strawn comes to mind "when I think [about] who will put up a good fight." George Lombardi is considered one of the foremost ANDA litigators for generic clients, a reputation bolstered by a significant year of patent work in the life sciences area. He currently represents Sandoz against Amgen entity Immunex in a biosimilars litigation related to marketed drug Enbrel. A peer calls him a "terrific lawyer in this space," while another says, "I would not hesitate to send work to George Lombardi."

Michael Nutter is a first-chair trial lawyer and full-time life sciences practitioner. He acts as litigation counsel for the firm's many high-level generic clients, and is also involved in the growing area of BPCIA suits. Stephen Smerek had recent success for InnoPharma, an entity of Pfizer, in an ANDA litigation against Allergan related to its dry eye treatment Restasis.

IP co-chair Charles Klein is a new addition to the LMG Life Sciences stars list for exceptional work in pharmaceutical patent disputes. "I've had a lot of experience with him, and he is a very accomplished trial lawyer and litigator in the Hatch-Waxman space," a peer says of Klein. "He is tremendously responsive to his clients, and clients really like him. I think he is at the top of his game." Maureen Rurka also debuts as a star and is notably acting alongside Lombardi in the biosimilars dispute for Sandoz.