Financial & Corporate

Cooley is considered a go-to firm for many life science companies because of its robust financial and corporate practice. The firm has over 90 lawyers nationwide involved in a variety of life science deals, transactions, and collaborations. Several peers have lauded the firm for being "very strong" and doing "an amazing job" in the space, while another competitor labels the firm a "leader in the biotech field."

Barbara Kosacz, who chairs the firm's life sciences group from her office in San Francisco, is noted by one peer for being a "big name in the Bay Area," and is particularly recognized for her work in the licensing and collaborations space. Another peer calls Kosacz an "exceptional licensing attorney," adding she is "one of the best in this space."

Barbara Borden serves as co-chair of the firm's M&A practice, representing both targets and acquirers. Among her recent clients, she advised Arena Pharmaceuticals in its $1.2 billion agreement with United Therapeutics.

On the venture capital side, Mark Weeks is acknowledged for being "very strong" in the space, according to a peer. Recently, Weeks led a team counseling Procept BioRobotics on its $118 million equity financing round.

Charlie Kim and Div Gupta are two new additions to this year's stars list, and have been highlighted for their work assisting several life sciences companies with initial public offerings. Among their recent matters, both were involved in advising the underwriters to the IPOs of Eidos Therapeutics and Tricida, respectively worth $122 million and $256 million. A peer calls Gupta a "knowledgeable and highly practical lawyer."

Covington & Burling is a full-service firm with a strong presence in the life sciences space. The firm advises a number of companies in the industry in all aspects of financial legal matters, including corporate and venture capital offerings, transactions, and licensing agreements. A competitor says the firm "has a strong subject matter expertise and is pragmatic in their approach."

Emily Leonard is vice-chair of the firm's life sciences industry group, and has particular expertise in the licensing and collaboration space. Based in Washington DC, Edward Britton focuses his practice on advising clients in a wide range of transactions, including joint ventures, licensing, and collaboration agreements. Van Ellis represents a number of biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostics, and consumer care companies.

John Hurvitz is co-chair of the firm's life sciences industry group, as well as head of the technology transactions group. A peer calls him an "excellent practitioner with broad experience." Representing a variety of life sciences companies, Catherine Dargan specializes in assisting both public and private clients with their strategic transactions.

Dechert is a full-service firm that is especially notable in the life sciences space for assisting clients in corporate transactions, licensing agreements and collaborations. One peer notes the firm is "top-tier" with an international presence, regularly representing clients in cross-border transactions.

David Rosenthal serves as co-leader of the life sciences practice and co-chair of the global corporate finance and capital markets practice. He represents clients in M&A and general corporate transactions, including his recent representation of pharmaceutical company Aquestive in its initial public offering. A peer says of Rosenthal: "David is one of the top capital markets lawyers in the United States, advising numerous life sciences issuer clients. He is adept at steering his clients through the complicated web of rules and regulations needed to go public."

Another leading attorney at the firm is David Schulman, whose practice encompasses all aspects of the financial and corporate space. Schulman advises clients from around the globe, recently assisting BioAtla with its worldwide collaboration with BeiGene.

Internationally known for its financial and corporate practice, full-service firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher offers life sciences companies deep expertise handling complex transactions. The firm is particularly renowned for its corporate and M&A practices.

Financial and corporate star Ryan Murr is the co-chair of the firm's life sciences practice group. One peer notes Murr is "very well respected" in the space and is "strong in capital markets and early stage capital" matters. In addition to transactions and financing, Murr also assists clients with licensing and collaboration agreements. In the past year, Murr represented Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals in a collaboration with Johnson & Johnson worth approximately $3.7 billion, as well as Depomed in its corporate rebranding to Assertio Therapeutics.

Another star at the firm is Joseph Barbeau, who is widely recognized in the M&A space. Operating from both the firm's Beijing and Palo Alto offices, Barbeau handles a number of domestic and international life science transactions.

Goodwin Procter is a premier global law firm with a robust financial and corporate team focused on the life sciences industry. The firm offers a deep bench of attorneys capable of assisting with public offerings, transactions, licensing, collaborations and venture-backed financing. "They have one of the largest and most successful corporate IP life sciences practices in Boston and the US," a peer says.

Kingsley Taft co-chairs the firm's life sciences group and is highly regarded in the field. One peer notes Taft is "definitely one of the leading lawyers in the life sciences sector," and that he is "not just a star, but a superstar" in the space. Taft, who also holds a PhD in chemistry from MIT, regularly advises life sciences clients in a variety of business and financial affairs. Among his recent matters, Taft advised Insitro, a drug discovery firm, on its strategic collaboration with Gilead Sciences valued at $1 billion.

Serving alongside Taft as co-chair of the life sciences group is Mitchell Bloom, who "has a great knowledge base and is great to work with," a peer says. Bloom is particularly noteworthy for venture capital work, with one peer stating he is "probably the best VC lawyer" in the industry. Stuart Cable focuses on transactions and corporate financing, representing several clients in the past year. Among his recent matters, Cable assisted Rubius Therapeutics in its initial public offering, and advised Spark Therapeutics in its $4.8 billion merger agreement with Roche.

Maggie Wong represents a variety of innovative life sciences companies in raising capital. Wong recently advised Eidos Therapeutics with its initial public offering as well as BridgeBio Pharma with its Series D financing round, totaling $299 million.

With several offices throughout the US and around the globe, Hogan Lovells maintains a strong international presence in the life sciences industry. The firm advises clients in the sector on all matters related to financing, licensing, and transactions. A peer praises the firm for its "strong regulatory group supporting the transactional practices," and "excellent, deep knowledge of the life sciences industry."

Based in Baltimore, Asher Rubin is global head of the firm's life sciences group and "pretty strong" in the space, according to one peer. He recently advised Tesaro on its $5.1 billion acquisition by GlaxoSmithKline. Rubin was shortlisted by LMG Life Sciences for the Corporate Attorney of the Year award in 2019.

Adam Golden is head of the life sciences corporate group and is highly regarded in the field, representing clients in several high-profile transactions as well as collaboration agreements. He recently represented Celgene in its strategic collaboration with Obsidian Therapeutics, and served as corporate counsel to Novartis in its $8.7 billion acquisition of AveXis. A peer notes Golden for his "deep experience and superior knowledge of the life sciences," and is "always at the cutting-edge of developments."

Philadelphia-based Steve Abrams assists a variety of life sciences companies with corporate financing, transactions, licensing agreements and collaborations. Abrams recently assisted in initial public offerings for Arbutus Biopharma and EyePoint Pharmaceuticals.

Latham & Watkins is a globally recognized, full-service firm with a robust life sciences group. The firm provides the full gamut of financial and corporate services for life sciences companies, and is noted for having an "excellent market share" of the biotech space, according to one peer. Clients of the firm range from startups to mature public companies.

Judith Hasko is vice chair of Latham's life sciences and healthcare group, and is widely recognized for her work in the licensing and collaboration space. In the past year, Hasko represented Daiichi Sankyo in a $6.9 billion collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca to develop a groundbreaking drug to treat breast cancer. In addition, she also advised Revolution Medicines in partnership agreement with Sanofi to develop targeted therapies.

Endorsed by peers as a "top attorney" and a "big name in the Bay Area", life sciences group co-chair Alan Mendelson is recognized for his decades of experience assisting clients in a variety of corporate and financial matters including public offerings, transactions, collaborations, as well as venture capital financing. Recently, Mendelson represented Intuitive Surgical in its acquisition of Unison Surgicals Company, and PellePharm in its $760 million collaboration agreement with LEO Pharma.

Charles Ruck focuses on life sciences transactions, serving clients from both the firm's Orange County and New York offices. Ruck, who one peer notes "tends to get a lot of deals through," recently represented the financial advisor to K2M in its acquisition by Stryker in a deal worth $1.4 billion.

Headquartered in Philadelphia with an additional thirty offices across the globe, Morgan Lewis & Bockius is a full-service firm with an established life sciences practice serving a variety of clients, from startups to market-leading companies. In addition to providing counseling on corporate financing, transactions, and venture capital matters, the firm has developed a particular focus on the licensing and collaborations space.

Benjamin Pensak represents a number of companies in the life sciences industry in all aspects of corporate and financial matters. He recently advised Eli Lilly in its collaboration with Sigilon Therapeutics to develop cell therapy treatment of Type 1 diabetes. In addition, Pensak also represented Xencor in a $460 million licensing agreement with Genentech.

Alongside Pensak is Alan Leeds, who co-chairs the firm's global life science practice, and partner David Glazer, who are veterans with a reputation for advising some of the biggest names in the industry. Both Leeds and Glazer recently represented Merck in its $5.8 billion strategic collaboration agreement with Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai.

Mark Stein and Steven Navarro are recognized for representing both investors and companies in a variety of matters including corporate financing, public offerings, transactions, and venture funding.

Ropes & Gray has an established reputation in the life sciences industry for its strength in financial and corporate matters. One peer notes they are a "solid firm" in the life sciences space, while another lauds the number of "highly recommended lawyers" on their bench. In the M&A space, a peer calls Ropes & Gray a "high quality firm with excellent technical expertise." In addition to advising some of the largest companies in the industry, the firm also has represents a number of innovative startups.

David McIntosh is head of the firms IP transactions group and represents numerous companies in the life sciences industry, particularly in licensing agreements and collaborations. Among his recent clients, McIntosh served as lead partner representing Sarepta Therapeutics in its material licensing agreements with several entities.

Working alongside McIntosh in Boston, Marc Rubenstein advises clients in a number of matters including public offerings, transactions, and licensing agreements. In the past year, he represented LogicBio Therapeutics in its initial public offering as well as Vertex Pharmaceuticals in its expanded collaboration with CRISPR Therapeutics and acquisition of Exonics Therapeutics. A peer singles Rubenstein out for his "great technical skill in licensing and collaboration transactions."

Christopher Comeau represents companies in mergers and acquisitions, and is highlighted by a peer for being a "terrific M&A lawyer with broad knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry." Comeau recently served as lead partner representing Tesaro in its $5.1 billion sale to GlaxoSmithKline.

Founder of the life sciences group and former chair Steven Wilcox is well regarded in the field for representing a variety of companies in complex deals, including corporate financings and mergers and acquisitions.

Sidley Austin is an internationally recognized firm with a strong reputation in financial and corporate matters for life sciences companies. The firm leverages its global team to assist clients with public offerings, transactions, licensing, collaborations, and venture capital financing.

Practicing out of the firm's Los Angeles and Palo Alto offices, Joshua Hofheimer has over 20 years of experience advising life sciences companies. Recently, Hofheimer represented Yuhan Corporation in its licensing and collaboration agreements with Gilead and Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson. In addition, he advised Genentech in its collaboration with Adaptive Biotechnologies.

Pran Jha is based in Chicago and represents several clients in the industry with public offerings, transactions, and collaborations. Among his recent clients, Jha represented pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline in the sale of an investigational therapeutic product. Jha also represented Novocure in a licensing agreement with Zai Lab in China involving the development of oncology products in China.

Partners Jennifer Fitchen and Sharon Flanagan add to the firm's Bay Area life sciences offering. Fitchen is global co-leader of the firm's mergers and acquisitions practice, and has extensive experience advising a number of life sciences companies in complex deals. Flanagan serves as managing partner of the firm's San Francisco office, and has over two decades of expertise in corporate governance, transactions, and securities offerings for clients in the industry.

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 "strong folks" 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 Agios Pharmaceuticals in an exclusive collaboration with CStone Pharmaceuticals to develop a leukemia drug in Greater China.

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 recent clients, Fabler advised Apellis Pharmaceuticals in a $120 million collaboration with SFJ Pharmaceuticals, backed by Blackstone Life Sciences.

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. In the past year, Singer represented Voyager Therapeutics in a strategic collaboration with Neurocrine Biosciences worth $165 million.

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 Kala Pharmaceuticals and Constellation Pharmaceuticals with their initial public offerings. In addition, she advised Fulcrum Therapeutics, a company focused on discovering and developing small molecule therapies to combat genetic diseases, with its $80 million Series B financing.

A Silicon Valley institution, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is highly regarded for its robust financial and corporate practice focused on emerging life sciences companies. The firm assists clients in a number of matters involving transactions, licensing, collaboration, and venture capital.

Ian Edvalson is co-leader of the firm's technology transactions department and advises a number of public and private life sciences companies on licensing agreements and strategic collaborative transactions. Among his recent clients, Edvalson represented Parvus Therapeutics in its collaboration and licensing agreement with Genentech worth approximately $800 million.

Kenneth Clark is well known in the industry and has significant experience assisting clients with licensing agreements and collaborations, among other areas. Recently, Clark advised Kallyope, an innovative biotechnology company, in its collaboration with Novo Nordisk.

Robert Ishii is based in San Francisco and primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions in the life sciences space. Ishii is currently advising Peloton Therapeutics in its potential $2.2 billion sale to Merck.

Based in Palo Alto, Phillip Oettinger is a new addition to this year's list, and assists several life sciences clients with public offerings, venture capital financing, as well as transactions. A peer says Oettinger is "one of the leading corporate lawyers in Silicon Valley focusing on life sciences, and especially medical device companies. [His] full skillset enables Phillip to guide companies from inception through to IPO."