Financial & Corporate

Arnold & Porter maintains a strong financial and corporate life sciences practice, with a team of reputable attorneys assisting a variety of clients in corporate counseling, licensing and collaborations, mergers, and other transactions.

Derek Stoldt is co-chair of the firm’s transactions practice, advising both life sciences companies as well as financial institutions in securities offerings, joint ventures, mergers, and other complex transactional matters. Stoldt currently leads an Arnold & Porter team representing AstraZeneca in securing global funding, development, and distribution of the potential Covid-19 vaccine by the University of Oxford.

Fellow co-chair Lowell Dashefsky represents several high-profile life sciences clients in negotiating and structuring a wide range of transactions. Among his recent matters, Dashefsky led the team advising Pfizer on its licensing agreement with Akcea Therapeutics as well as the company’s acquisition of Therachon Holding AG, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focusing on rare diseases.

Aaron Gardner is a perennial LMG Life Sciences star, who last year worked alongside Dashefsky on the Pfizer-Akcea licensing agreement. Gardner has significant experience assisting life sciences companies, as well as private equity funds, in transactional matters. Gardner was also part of the team led by Stoldt that represented Novartis in the sale of its Signifor drug.

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 attorneys nationwide involved in a variety of life science deals, transactions, and collaborations. Several peers have lauded the firm for being "top tier" with a group of “very good lawyers.”

Barbara Borden serves as co-chair of the firm's M&A practice, representing both targets and acquirers. Among her recent clients, Borden served as lead counsel advising Synthorx in its $2.5 billion sale to Sanofi.

Another star is Charlie Kim, who co-chairs the firm’s capital markets practice group and is regularly involved in some of the largest public offerings in the life sciences industry. In the past year, Kim was part of a Cooley team that represented underwriters JP Morgan in 10X Genomics’ $448.5 million IPO. Div Gupta is also highly regarded in the industry for representing several emerging companies as well as underwriters in private and public offerings. Gupta recently represented underwriter JP Morgan Chase in biotechnology company argenX’s $556 million and subsequent $862.5 million equity offerings.

In venture capital, Mark Weeks led a team counseling Procept BioRobotics on its $118 million equity financing round.

This year, recently retired partner and life sciences transactions veteran Barbara Kosacz was inducted into the LMG Life Sciences Hall of Fame for a standout career in this area.

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 peer says the firm is “very strong” in the financial life sciences space with a “top tier’ group of attorneys.

Based in Washington DC, Catharine Dargan is a highly regarded life sciences practitioner and focuses her practice on advising both public and private companies in a variety of strategic transactions. Dargan was named this year’s LMG Life Sciences M&A Attorney of the Year.

Also located in the firm’s DC offices is Edward Britton, who 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."

Life sciences group vice chair Emily Leonard is based in Redwood Shores and has particular expertise in the licensing and collaboration space.

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 recently leading a Dechert team that advised Zyla Life Sciences in its merger agreement with Assertio Therapeutics. In addition, Rosenthal also represented Diffusion Pharmaceuticals in two separate direct offerings.

Another star practitioner at the firm is David Schulman, whose practice encompasses all aspects of the financial and corporate space. Schulman is noted for having a truly global client base, recently serving as lead counsel for Valneva in its collaboration with Pfizer to develop a vaccine for Lyme disease.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Fenwick & West is a highly regarded law firm representing both large and emerging life sciences companies. The firm has a host of star practitioners that assist clients in corporate transactions, licensing and collaboration agreements, as well as venture financing.

Included among the firm’s stars is Effie Toshav, who focuses her practice on advising life sciences companies in all aspects of corporate transactions and governance. In particular, Toshav represents a number of innovative clients with initial public offerings (IPO) as well as mergers and acquisitions. Among her recent matters, Toshav recently assisted Passage Bio in its $248.4 million IPO as well as its subsequent collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. One peer notes Toshav, who is this year’s LMG Life Sciences Corporate Attorney of the year, is “critical” and “the driving force behind [the firm’s] life sciences practice.”

Working closely with Toshav on a number of matters, including the Passage Bio IPO, are Stefano Quintini and Matthew Rossiter, both new additions to this year’s stars list. Quintini, who co-leads the firm’s digital healthcare practice and is noted by one peer as “fantastic” to work with, focuses on structuring and negotiating deals for a variety of life sciences clients. Rossiter is co-lead of the firm’s life sciences industry group and assists early-stage companies in a variety of corporate finance and governance matters.

Perennial star Robert Freedman also worked with Toshav, Quintini, and Rossiter on the Passage Bio IPO and serves as the firm’s capital markets and public companies practice group.

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 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 Ultragenyx in its $320 million sale of future royalties of its Crysvita® product to Royalty Pharma. In addition, Murr advised several life sciences companies with their IPO’s, including Heron Therapeutics and Odonate 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.

Karen Spindler is a perennial LMG Life Sciences star who recently joined Gibson Dunn from Goodwin Procter, strengthening the firm’s licensing and collaboration abilities.

Goodwin Procter is a premier global law firm with a robust financial and corporate team focused on the life sciences industry. The firm, which was awarded this year’s LMG Life Sciences Corporate Firm of the Year, 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 labels him the "dean” of Goodwin’s life sciences practice. Taft, who also holds a PhD in chemistry, regularly advises life sciences clients in a variety of business and financial affairs. Among his recent matters, Taft led the Goodwin team that represented Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in its $2 billion collaboration agreement with Blackstone. In addition, Taft advised Semma Therapeutics in its $950 million acquisition by Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

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 high-profile clients. In the past year, Cable served as lead counsel for Moderna in two follow-on offerings which totaled more than $1.8 billion. Furthermore, Cable represented Spark therapeutics in its $4.4 billion acquisition by Roche.

Maggie Wong advises a variety of innovative public and private life sciences clients in raising capital. Wong recently led a Goodwin team representing BridgeBio Pharma with its $348.5 million initial public offering.

Gunderson Dettmer is a highly reputable law firm with a strong reputation for assisting both emerging life sciences companies and funds in the venture capital space. In addition, their group of experienced practitioners advise a number of clients on licensing and collaboration agreements.

Timothy Ehrlich co-chairs the firm’s life sciences practice group representing both startups and established public life sciences companies throughout the entire corporate life cycle.  In particular, Ehrlich has developed a niche for assisting emerging clients with venture capital financing, most recently advising Affinivax, a vaccine development company, and Akous, a gene therapy firm, in separate Series B rounds. Furthermore, Ehrlich served as lead counsel for Lyndra Therapeutics in its collaboration with Gilead Sciences to develop HIV therapies.

Based in the firm’s Ann Arbor offices but also operating from Silicon Valley, Marcia Hatch is a new addition to this year’s stars list. Hatch represents emerging life sciences clients as well as underwriters in a number of deals. Among her recent matters, Hatch represented Comet Therapeutics in its Series A financing as well as PACT Pharma with its Series C funding.

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 "excellent, deep knowledge of the life sciences industry."

Based in Baltimore, Asher Rubin is global head of the firm's life sciences group and is highly regarded for advising a variety of life sciences clients in a host of corporate and finance-related matters. In the past year, Rubin led the Hogan team representing NextCure, a biotechnology company focused on cancer and immune-related diseases, with its $86 million IPO as well as a development collaboration with Eli Lilly.

Adam Golden is head of the corporate group in New York, and represents clients in several high-profile transactions as well as collaboration agreements. Golden, who one peer describes as “very strong in the space,” recently advised Novartis in its strategic collaboration agreements with IFM Therapeutics.  

Philadelphia-based Steve Abrams assists a variety of life sciences companies with corporate financing, transactions, licensing agreements and collaborations. Among his recent matters, Abrams represented Optinose, a pharmaceutical company focused on patients treated by ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists, with its public offering worth $39 million.

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 large 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 Oasmia Pharmaceuticals in its strategic partnership with Elevar Therapeutics in a deal valued at nearly $700 million. In addition, Hasko also advised Ridgeback Biotherapeutics in its collaboration with Merck.

Charles Ruck focuses on life sciences transactions, serving clients from both the firm's Orange County and New York offices. One peer notes he is “smart, thoughtful and constructive.” Among his recent matters, Ruck was part of the Latham team that represented Amgen in its $2.7 billion acquisition of a 20.5% stake in China-based biopharmaceutical company BeiGene.

Co-chair of the firm’s life sciences and healthcare group is Brian Cuneo, who one peer notes has a “fantastic” reputation in the industry. In addition to his activity in capital markets, Cuneo is known for his work in the venture capital space, advising both venture funds and underwriters.  In the past year, Cuneo assisted Omniome in a Series C financing as well as AI-driven biopharmaceutical company Insitro with its $143 million Series B financing round. In recognition of his activity in the space, Cuneo was named this year’s LMG Life Sciences Venture Capital Attorney of the Year. 

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 financial and corporate matters. He recently advised Eli Lilly in its collaboration with Evox Therapeutics to develop treatments for neurological disorders. In addition, Pensak led a Morgan Lewis team that represented Innovent Biologics in its $2.1 billion collaboration with Roche.

Working alongside Pensak is Alan Leeds, who co-chairs the firm's global life science practice and is the LMG Life Sciences Licensing & Collaborations Attorney of the Year. One peer notes Leeds is “very good, thoughtful, reasonable, and helps clients in a practical way.” In the past year, Leeds was part of a team representing Regeneron in a collaboration with Vyriad, which develops targeted cancer therapies. Leeds also led a team that advised Celgene in its collaboration agreement with Editas Medicine.

David Glazer is “fantastic” notes one peer and worked with Leeds on the Regeneron-Vyriad partnership. Glazer’s practice spans M&A, corporate transactions and licensing agreements. Among his recent matters, Glazer served as lead counsel to CRISPR Therapeutics in its licensing agreement with KSQ Therapeutics.

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, and is recognized as this year’s Licensing and Collaboration Firm of the Year. 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 represented a number of innovative startups.

David McIntosh is head of the firm’s 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 licensing agreements with several entities, including Roche.

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 advised Allergan in its divesture of a clinical-stage gastrointestinal drug to AstraZeneca.

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 was active on the Sarepta licensing agreement with Roche.

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. Among his notable matters, Hofheimer represented Yuhan Corporation in its licensing and collaboration agreements with Gilead and Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson.

Based in Chicago, Pran Jha represents several clients in the life sciences industry with public offerings, transactions, and collaborations. Recent representations include CSL Behring and Vifor Pharma. In addition, Jha serves as co-chair of the firm’s diversity and inclusion committee.

Bay Area-based partners Jennifer Fitchen and Sharon Flanagan add to the firm’s West Coast credentials. 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 "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.

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 advises a number of public and private life sciences companies on licensing agreements and strategic collaborative transactions. Among his recent clients, Edvalson represented CG Oncology in its collaboration agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical for its oncolytic immunotherapy drug. In addition, Edvalson advised Mammoth Pharmaceuticals in a collaboration deal with GlaxoSmithKline to accelerate CRISPR-based Covid-19 diagnostics test.

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 ORIC Pharmaceuticals in its $138 million IPO as well as IGM Biosciences with its offering which totaled $201.3 million.

Robert Ishii is based in San Francisco and primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions in the life sciences space. Ishii was recently part of a Wilson Sonsini team that advised Forte Biosciences in its merger agreement with Tocagen, a biopharmaceutical company focused on gene therapy.