Non-IP Litigation & Enforcement

Arnold & Porter is a full-service life sciences firm with top-tier status in antitrust and product liability matters, with an additional national ranking in white-collar defense. A peer notes the firm has "solid credentials" in life sciences-related litigation. For the firm's involvement in high-profile competition suits, Arnold & Porter was awarded 2020 Antitrust Firm of the Year by LMG Life Sciences, the second year in a row the firm earned the honor.

Partners Saul Morgenstern and Laura Shores support the firm’s high caliber antitrust group, recently drawing attention for their involvement in a generic pharmaceutical antitrust litigation for Novartis subsidiaries Sandoz and Fougera. Morgenstern was shortlisted for the 2020 Antitrust Litigator of the Year award, a category he won last year from LMG Life Sciences.

DC-based Kirk Ogrosky adds to Arnold & Porter’s government investigations offering. He is currently defending UCB in a qui tam matter involving the Anti-Kickback Statute and False Claims Act, as well as Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi in investigations related to promotion of the drug Plavix.

For product liability matters, William Hoffman is labeled "one of the best practitioners in this field of law" by a peer. Hoffman was recently active for Pfizer in multiple cases, including litigation involving asbestos claims. Los Angeles partner Pamela Yates is "fantastic" and "very talented" to peers for her practice focused on class actions and product liability suits. She is noteworthy for her high-profile representations in the life sciences area, exemplified by her recent activity for Endo defending the client from claims related opioid products. New York partner Anand Agneshwar is representing Bristol-Myers Squibb in ongoing product liability matters, one of which was recently dismissed by federal MDL court. Lori Leskin and Andrew Solow both bring significant experience in product liability matters, supporting the firm’s top-tier ranking in the area.

Headquartered in Birmingham with additional offices across the southeast, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings is a full-service law firm with a growing national reputation. The firm offers litigation services to a variety of clients in the life sciences industry, with a particular emphasis on product liability cases.

Leading the firm's representation of companies in the industry is Lindsey Boney, who has been involved in several high-profile cases involving major pharmaceutical clients. Boney served as lead counsel for Bayer in a number of lawsuits involving the drug Xarelto, leading the strategy and legal briefing team. Kim Martin is another star who worked alongside Boney in the Bayer case, leading the discovery team. Martin and Boney are also active for Pfizer as national counsel in a set of litigations claims of injury connected to use of the client’s anti-arrhythmic drug Cordarone.

Tripp Haston is based in the firm's office in Birmingham and is highly regarded for his defense of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in numerous matters. In addition to his active practice in the products space, Haston was also recently active for Hospira in a commercial arbitration, and PRA Health Sciences in a breach of contract suit. He is also active as a lead partner on the Xarelto and Cordarone product liability matters. Haston was shortlisted for the Product Liability Attorney of the Year award in 2020 for his activity in the area.

Additional standout practitioners in the firm’s life sciences litigation group are Lela Hollabaugh, David Hymer and Dana Lumsden.

Long considered one of New York's premier law firms, Debevoise & Plimpton continues to grow its profile in life sciences with a standout bench of litigators. The firm is notable for its practices focused on white-collar defense and antitrust matters, supported by a team of attorneys staffed in its New York base and Washington, DC branch.

In the white-collar and government investigations space, New York partner Mark Goodman is a notable presence, particularly for his specialty as counsel to boards of directors. Goodman serves as co-chair of the firm's commercial litigation group, and is a senior member of its white-collar and regulatory defense group. He was recently active for a life sciences client counseling the company on compliance matters.

DC-based Ted Hassi is a noteworthy practitioner in the firm's litigation department, and is widely considered a top antitrust litigator. He leverages his background as former Chief Trial Counsel for the FTC in his practice representing clients against anticompetitive claims.

Headquartered in Philadelphia with several domestic and international offices, Dechert is routinely recognized for its strong group of life sciences attorneys across practice areas, including product liability and antitrust litigation. The firm notably boosted its products law profile with the recent hiring of a Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan team dedicated to this area.

Based in New York, Sheila Birnbaum is co-chair of the firm's product liability and mass torts practice. Birnbaum, who was part of the move from Quinn Emanuel in 2018, is considered "The Queen of Torts," by a peer. Fellow co-chair Mark Cheffo is highly regarded for his work in high-stakes litigation and is the 2020 Product Liability Attorney of the Year for his significant activity in the area. Cheffo’s notable case work from the past year includes representing Purdue in matters related to opioid products, and Pfizer in a matter the invoked preemption issues.

In Chicago, Nathan Hoffman is currently representing AbbVie in national product liability litigation related to the client's product AndroGel, a testosterone replacement therapy. The Dechert team developed and defended the company witnesses through both deposition and trial, and responded to all written and documentary discovery aimed at the company. Currently the firm is active as settlement counsel for AbbVie in the matters.

For antitrust matters, George Gordon is one of the firm’s experienced practitioners. He is currently representing Endo in defense of several class actions involving “reverse payment” claims connected to its Opana ER product.

International firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher earns top-tier status in the antitrust and white-collar areas, with an additional recognition for product liability.

Based in the firm’s Orange County office, Jeffrey Thomas has dual expertise in litigation related to antitrust and intellectual property. He recently represented Amgen in an antitrust litigation filed by Cipla, derived from a settlement of a patent infringement dispute between the client and Teva. The matter is currently pending.

San Francisco partner Winston Chan supports the firm's reputation as a go-to firm for government investigations. He has deep experience in matters related to the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and Anti-Kickback Statute. Reed Brodsky is co-chair of the firm’s crisis management practice group and a member of the government investigations department. He is a trial lawyer well-versed in matters related to securities, compliance counseling, internal investigations and commercial disputes.

Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum is a destination for product liability and antitrust matters, exemplified by its top national ranking in those areas by LMG Life Sciences. One competitor describes the firm as “the group brought in as firepower for trial counsel,” while another simply labels it: “Small outfit, high quality.” For the firm’s continued status as a stalwart in life sciences class actions and MDLs, and recent work for major clients AbbVie, Bayer and Johnson & Johnson, Goldman Ismail was awarded 2020 Product Liability Firm of the Year by LMG Life Sciences.

Much of the firm's reputation in product liability is founded on the practices of name partners Kenneth Baum, Andrew Goldman, Tarek Ismail and Joe Tomaselli, who have significant experience handling matters for life sciences companies. Baum and partner Shayna Cook are currently active as national counsel for Bayer Healthcare in pending litigation involving the client’s contraceptive product Mirena. The team recently obtained summary judgment for Bayer through the MDL court citing lack of evidence from the plaintiffs. For her work in this and other recent matters, Cook was shortlisted for the 2020 Product Liability Attorney of the Year award by LMG Life Sciences.

A team including Tarek Ismail, Shayna Cook, Joe Tomaselli and Andrew Goldman represented Johnson & Johnson entity Ethicon as trial counsel in a product liability litigation involving transvaginal mesh. In early 2020, the team achieved a full defense verdict in favor of Ethicon after a two-week trial.

In the antitrust area, the firm is active for Merck as strategic defense counsel in multiple putative antitrust class actions alleging reverse payment settlement claims related to a Hatch-Waxman suit.

DC-based Hogan Lovells is a global, full-service law firm that is widely considered a juggernaut in the life sciences industry, offering specialized practices focused on antitrust, white-collar defense and regulatory enforcement. The group was shortlisted for the Government Investigations Firm of the Year award in 2020 for significant activity in False Claims Act cases and other matters.

Denver-based Michael Theis leads the firm’s False Claims Act practice group, leveraging his experience as a former trial attorney with Department of Justice to assist clients with investigations and white-collar matters. For his work in the area, Theis was recently shortlisted for the Government Investigations Attorney of the Year award. Jonathan Diesenhaus has extensive experience advising life science clients in criminal investigations and enforcement matters. His practice often involves qui tam matters brought by whistleblowers or government entities. Virginia Gibson is a well-respected trial lawyer who has defended clients from Anti-Kickback Statute claims and other matters related to the False Claims Act. Gibson has a background as a federal prosecutor.

Lauren Colton heads the firm’s product liability group, contributing to the firm’s deep expertise in mass torts and class actions. She is currently acting for Bristol-Myers Squibb as national coordinating counsel in a multidistrict litigation related to the client’s Abilify drug. Recently involved in the product liability space is Neal Katyal, who has earned his status as a leading appellate litigator with a strong track record in life sciences disputes. He recently represented Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and Pfizer in a multi-district litigation, resulting in a Second Circuit ruling that ended the matter in favor of the clients. Prior to his private practice at Hogan Lovells, Katyal served as Solicitor General of the United States.

Kasowitz Benson Torres is a New York-based litigation boutique with a growing presence in the life sciences sector. The firm is particularly notable for its work in antitrust litigation. Sheron Korpus has extensive experience litigating on behalf of life sciences clients in complex antitrust cases. Among his recent matters, Korpus is active for generic giant Teva and its US subsidiary Actavis in numerous class action cases consolidated into a multidistrict litigation in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The matter involves claims of alleged price fixing, and is one of the largest current pharmaceutical litigations in the US.

With origins in Atlanta, King & Spalding is today a global powerhouse with a dominant position in many areas of practice. In the life sciences arena, the firm offers noteworthy practices in product liability and government investigations, areas the firm retains top-ranking nationally. For the firm’s significant activity in white-collar defense matters, King & Spalding was awarded Government Investigations Firm of the Year in 2020 by LMG Life Sciences.

DC's Wick Sollers contributes to the firm’s deep bench strength in the white-collar defense arena, steering King & Spalding’s practice as leader of the government matters team. He is currently active for a major pharmaceutical client in an investigation. Mark Jensen is another standout in the government investigations practice who recently acted alongside Sollers in the pharmaceutical matter. John Richter is former Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the DOJ, drawing on his significant government expertise to represent clients in white-collar and regulatory matters. He was recently active for a medical device company in an anti-bribery investigation. The firm’s group was also recently boosted with the addition of former US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, whose practice focuses on investigations and compliance matters.

Houston's Tracie Renfroe is currently representing Janssen, Johnson & Johnson and related subsidiaries as national coordinating counsel in a putative class action alleging the clients’ Elmiron drug can cause permanent vision damage. Los Angeles's Alexander Calfo secured a defense verdict for Johnson & Johnson in a lawsuit alleging the client’s talcum powder product caused asbestos contamination. Following a three-week trial, a jury rejected the plaintiff’s claims and found he had not been exposed to asbestos through the powder. The firm also serves as national coordinating counsel in further talc cases.

Latham & Watkins offers a substantial footprint in the litigation space, earning top marks for its practice focused on antitrust litigation and recommended status in the government investigations space. The firm garnered significant awards attention in 2020 for its involvement in a noteworthy litigation involving a Department of Health and Human Services rule.

Antitrust veteran Daniel Wall and LMG Life Sciences newcomer Amanda Reeves were active for Genentech in an antitrust suit filed in the Southern District of New York by a Russian biotech company, alleging the client engaged in anticompetitive activity. Reeves, who currently serves as chair of the firm’s global antitrust practice, is also active in antitrust transactions in addition to litigation.

Healthcare and life sciences group co-chair Daniel Meron is a specialist in regulatory enforcement, investigations and other areas of litigation. Among his notable matters from the past year, Meron was involved in one of the Non-IP Litigation Impact Cases of the Year for clients Amgen, Eli Lilly and Merck that invalidated an HHS rule requiring drug prices to be shown in pharmaceuticals advertisements. Meron was awarded Government Investigations Attorney of the Year in 2020 for his work in the area.

Headquartered in Chicago with an additional 25 offices worldwide, Mayer Brown is an international, full-service law firm with a significant presence in the life sciences space. In particular, the firm is noted for its robust antitrust and product liability practices.

In Washington, DC, Andrew Tauber contributes significant expertise in the product liability area, and was one of the few Attorney of the Year Award finalists in the area for 2020. Tauber’s practice drew attention for his involvement in one of the Non-IP Litigation Impact Cases of the Year, Delfino v Medtronic. He and a Mayer Brown team including Daniel Ring acted for Medtronic before the Minnesota Court of Appeals in this noteworthy product liability case dealing with preemption following the landmark Merck v Albrecht ruling. Tauber is a member of the firm’s appellate and Supreme Court practice, and Ring is co-chair of the product liability and mass torts group.

New York partner Hank Bullock supports the firm’s strong offering in product liability, recently acting for GlaxoSmithKline in more than 10 actions stemming from claims brought against the client’s Lamictal product. The firm is active as counsel for the discovery, trial and appellate stages of the case.

McDermott Will & Emery is an international law firm with a reputable group of attorneys specialized in non-IP litigation services for a variety of life sciences clients. DC-based Ray Jacobsen is global head of the firm's antitrust practice, with over 30 years of experience representing healthcare and biotechnology companies. He recently assisted Rochester General Health System and Unity Health System in securing FTC approval for the merger of hospitals in Rochester, New York.

Morgan Lewis & Bockius's national rankings in government investigations and antitrust are supported by an experienced team of litigators with a deep focus on life sciences clients. The firm had a new addition to the LMG Life Sciences stars list with Ethel Johnson, who made headlines with a recent product liability verdict that reduced an $8 billion judgment against client Johnson & Johnson to $6.8 million. Johnson was shortlisted in the Non-IP Trial Lawyer of the Year category for her work in the area.

Eric Sitarchuk is a senior partner in the Philadelphia office and current chair of the firm's white-collar and corporate investigations practice. He is experienced in a diverse set of matters, including cases that involve the False Claims Act, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and qui tam claims. He and partner Steven Reed are currently active for Teva and affiliated companies in its defense of numerous claims concerning opioid sales and distribution. In his antitrust practice, Reed was also active for Vyera and Phoenixus in a lawsuit filed by the FTC claiming two of the company’s former officers violoated antitrust laws with respect to generic competition. John Dodds has experience representing pharmaceutical and medical device companies in government investigations, bolstered by his credentials as a former prosecutor in the public sector. Among his current representations, Dodds is active for a drug maker client in an ongoing investigation.

Gordon Cooney and Steven Reed are representing Teva and Glenmark in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) that arose from a Department of Justice investigation involving alleged price fixing practices among generic drug makers, and is one of the largest MDLs to date. Howard Young is co-head of the firm's healthcare industry initiative and one of the group's experts on regulatory enforcement and investigations. He and partner Scott Memmott are currently representing device maker Joerns Healthcare in a civil False Claims Act litigation.

Nelson Mullins is considered a powerhouse in the southeast, with additional offices across the country. The firm has developed a growing reputation for assisting clients in the life science space, particularly in cases involving product liability.

Based at the firm's headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina is David Dukes, who is recognized for his diverse practice representing pharmaceutical and medical device companies in both IP and non-IP litigation. Dukes is lead trial counsel for Purdue Pharma in response to a lawsuit that was recently filed against the company. The State of South Carolina filed suit against the pharmaceutical manufacturer alleging improprieties in the marketing of the opioid drug OxyContin. South Carolina is one of a number of states to sue an opioid maker for allegedly deceptive marketing, joining several counties and cities across the nation.

Michael Brown is a new addition to this year's stars list, and is noted as fierce litigator handling a number of complex product liability cases. Peers affirm Brown is "a leader in the room" adding, "He covers the biggest litigation in the state of MD. He was prized by every firm on the east coast [and] tries cases all over the country on product liability." Another peer exclaims, "He fills up the whole room. He is a gentle giant who could go into any courtroom, convince those tough juries and win!" Most recently, Brown successfully defended Johnson & Johnson in a series of cases involving allegations of asbestos in one of the company's products.

In the life sciences area, O’Melveny & Myers continues to be significantly active in the product liability and class actions area, demonstrated by a year of notable trial work for top pharmaceutical and device manufacturers. Product liability and mass torts chair Steve Brody in part supports the firm’s reputation in the area, and recently garnered awards attention from LMG Life Sciences as a finalist for the Non-IP Trial Lawyer of the Year honor for 2020. Among his notable matters from the past year, Brody represented Johnson & Johnson and Janssen Pharmaceuticals in the first opioid products case in the United States to go to trial. The Oklahoma court ordered the client to pay 2.6% of the $17.7 billion claim, and the matter is now on appeal. Brody is also active as lead for Ethicon in multi-state Attorney General investigations related to pelvic mesh products. One of the related cases on appeal in California may raise novel arguments connected to First Amendment, due process and excessive fines issues.

Leading trial lawyers Daniel Petrocelli and Richard Goetz act alongside Brody and the O’Melveny team further assisting Johnson & Johnson in opioid matters, including a multidistrict litigation in Ohio and others cases throughout the country.

Reed Smith has a longstanding reputation in the product liability space, supported by the firm's national ranking in the area. The firm employs several notable practitioners in this area, echoed by a peer who says: "Reed Smith has product liability litigators all over the place… and among them, there are some real standouts."

Among the firm's senior trial lawyers in the products group is Barbara Binis, who specializes in mass torts, multidistrict litigation and class action defense for life sciences companies and providers. Binis and her team are responsible for overall defense strategy, lead trial counsel roles, and overall coordination in a mass tort litigation brought against clients Endo and its subsidiary AMS. The action, which involves 11 surgical mesh products that treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, is one of the largest mass torts to date. Michael K Brown is acting for Becton Dickinson entities CR Bard and Davol in a multidistrict litigation involving hernia mesh products. In two of the cases, Brown and his team secured summary judgment rulings in favor of the clients.

Headquartered in Boston with key offices in New York and Washington DC, Ropes & Gray is a firm of national repute for its litigation expertise. The firm earns top marks in the white-collar and government investigations area, as well as a recommended ranking for its work in antitrust matters. About the litigation group, a peer says Ropes & Gray offers an "excellent team."

Brien O'Connor is a leading practitioner for white-collar defense and government investigations, who a peer labels a "very thoughtful" and "strategic" lawyer. O'Connor specializes in False Claims Act cases, healthcare fraud disputes, internal investigations and compliance, among other areas. He is currently active for a pharmaceutical client in a nationwide dispute. Joshua Levy is co-chair of the firm's global litigation and enforcement group, with a practice focused on white-collar defense and civil litigation. He is currently representing a life sciences company and its Board of Directors in multiple matters. Additional standouts in the white-collar defense group are DC-based Colleen Conry and New York's Joan McPhee.

Head of the antitrust practice group is Mark Popofsky, who has significant experience representing clients in the technology sector, including pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies. He is currently defending a biotech client against claims of anticompetitive practices.

New York-based Schulte Roth & Zabel is an international, full-service law firm with additional offices in Washington, DC and London. The firm, which is highly regarded for representing several prominent hedge funds and private equity firms, has also stepped into the life sciences space in recent years. Adam Hoffinger is co-chair of the firm's white-collar and government investigations group, and has significant experience assisting life science clients. Among his recent matters, Hoffinger successfully defended a former pharmaceutical sales executive in a criminal case alleging conspiracy and violations of the federal Anti-Kickback statute. Additionally, Hoffinger also won a complete dismissal for a pharmaceutical client in a qui tam litigation involving alleged Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement violations.

With origins in Chicago and still one of that city's mainstay entities, Sidley Austin has since grown to a dominant position on the national stage, with star players populating all of its offices throughout the US. "I can't think of any firm off the top of my head that even comes close," ventures a peer. "From regulatory clearance, to IP, and right down to all-out court battles, Sidley has got it all covered. They really do it all." Another peer says, "Sidley is a great healthcare litigation firm." The firm maintains top rankings nationally for product liability and white-collar defense, with an additional mention for its team focused on antitrust matters.

Co-head of the firm's product liability and mass torts practice Heidi Levine is lauded by peers for her representation of pharmaceutical and medical device clients in large-scale actions. "Product liability rock star" Debra Pole represented Janssen Pharmaceuticals before a Philadelphia court, winning a key mid-trial victory when a Pennsylvania state judge issued a decision denying claims that an adolescent boy grew female breasts after being prescribed the antipsychotic drug Risperdal. Another product liability star is Maja Eaton, who recently represented Ferring Pharmaceuticals in class-action litigation, as well as individual personal injury and economic loss lawsuits, that have arisen out of the company's recall of fertility drug Bravelle.

Paul Kalb plays multiple leading roles at the firm, including his positions as global head of the healthcare and FDA practice, and life sciences industry group co-chair. In his individual practice, Kalb focuses on regulatory enforcement involving the FDA, and white-collar defense as it relates to fraud and abuse claims and off-label promotion. Additional standouts in the government investigations practice are DC-based partners Mark Hopson and Kristin Koehler.

International law firm Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom is noted by peers as having a “first-tier” life sciences mergers and acquisitions practice. The firm, which was recognized as the 2020 M&A Firm of the Year, is highly regarded for representing a number of high profile pharmaceutical and medical device companies, as well as emerging life sciences entities.

Graham Robinson is head of the firm’s Boston mergers and acquisitions group and is noted for representing both public and private companies in a number of transactions. Among his recent matters, Robinson, who one peer describes as a “great lawyer,” led the Skadden team advising Array BioPharma in its $11.4 billion acquisition by Pfizer, as well as Gilead Sciences in its $5.1 billion transaction with Galapagos NV.

In New York, the firm has perennial stars Marie Gibson and Paul Schnell. Gibson recently represented Foamix Pharmaceuticals in its merger with Menlo Therapeutics while Schnell was part of a team that advised Pfizer in two separate notes offerings which totaled $5.25 billion.

Tucker Ellis is a full-service law firm operating in seven locations across the country. The firm has a number of litigators, many of whom are based in the Midwest, with extensive experience representing clients in the life sciences industry.

Chicago-based Sherry Knutson is a new addition to this year's stars list. She has over 20 years of experience defending pharmaceutical and medical device companies in product liability cases. Among her recent matters, Knutson successfully defended a pharmaceutical client in West Virginia involving the company's diabetes drug. Another new member of the LMG Life Sciences stars list is Knight Anderson. Anderson, who is based in the firm's offices in Cleveland, focuses his practice on product liability, toxic tort, and mass tort litigation. Recently, Anderson defended a client in the life sciences space in a case alleging work with the company's product resulted in plaintiff's mesothelioma.

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.

White & Case is an international firm with over 40 offices and 1,800 attorneys worldwide. The firm is able to draw on its global presence to assist a variety of clients in the life sciences space with antitrust litigation, white-collar defense and government investigations.

Glenn Kurtz is global chair of the firm's commercial litigation practice. He recently led the firm's representation of Anthem in obtaining the dismissal of a putative ERISA class action that challenged Anthem's pharmacy drug pricing practices. Another star in the life sciences space is Heather McDevitt, who serves as head of the firm's global pharmaceuticals and healthcare group. One peer notes her leading role at the firm, commenting: "White & Case has really upped its game in the life sciences arena, and Heather McDevitt is largely the coordinator of that area." McDevitt recently represented Forest Laboratories in a New York state antitrust investigation related to marketing and sale of the company's Namenda product.

Along with Kurtz and McDevitt in the New York office is Robert Milne, who previously served as an antitrust trial attorney with the US Department of Justice. He inspired one industry competitor to describe him as "a fine lawyer – someone that is very active in his practice and someone who has lived up to his promise as a young lawyer." Another practitioner describes Milne as "someone who offers his clients a unique set of skills," adding that "he has the ability to handle things most attorneys are not able to."

In Washington, DC, the firm has a number of attorneys well versed in antitrust matters and government investigations, which include Mark Gidley, Christopher Curran, Pete Carney, and Eric Grannon.

As a purely litigation-based shop, Washington DC's Williams & Connolly is routinely engaged on the front lines of virtually any litigation matter. A recent client praised the firm’s work on a litigation, saying: “Williams & Connolly's work on this matter has been exceptionally excellent in all areas, [including] strategy, brief writing, oral advocacy, and client relations, to name a few.” While the firm's individual and collective trial prowess extends well beyond the life sciences industry, Williams & Connolly has seen some particularly noteworthy successes in this arena.

In the product liability capacity, widely championed trial lawyers Heidi Hubbard and Joseph Petrosinelli continue to garner nearly unanimous plaudits from their peers in the pharmaceutical and medical device arena. Hubbard was recently active as appellate and legal strategy counsel for GlaxoSmithKline in connection with pending claims made against the client’s Zofran product. The firm also got a significant augmentation in the appellate capacity when Lisa Blatt rejoined the firm after the lengthy stint at Arnold & Porter. "Lisa Blatt really has a 'hot hand' in those appeals for pharma industry players," observes a peer. Enu Mainigi, a noted white-collar and enforcement and antitrust partner, has doubled down on her dedication to the life sciences field through her representation of Cardinal Health in the massive and unprecedented opioid litigation. She was shortlisted in two areas for the 2020 LMG Life Sciences Awards, including Government Investigations Attorney of the Year and Non-IP Trial Lawyer of the Year.

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.