Sarah Cooleybeck

Practice Areas

With 25 years of experience in the life sciences industry and deep knowledge of intellectual property law, Sarah Cooleybeck helps her clients protect their IP and achieve business goals in their patent and technology licenses, strategic collaborations, and a full range of research, development, manufacturing, and services agreements.

Sarah offers practical, business-focused advice to companies developing and commercializing pharmaceuticals, biologics, medical devices, drug-device combinations, drug delivery platforms, diagnostics, artificial intelligence, digital therapeutics, gene therapy, vaccines, synthetic biology, and other technology.

For companies spinning out from or partnering with academic institutions, Sarah negotiates options, sponsored research agreements, material transfer agreements, subawards, and licenses. Once emerging companies have a product ready to take into development, she efficiently manages the agreements necessary to get into the clinic and to market, including evaluation, development, master services (MSA), CDMO/process development, CRO, clinical trial, supply, quality, commercialization, and distribution agreements. When a company is entering into a strategic partnership, her extensive experience and attention to detail ensure that complex IP, financial, and liability terms align with the client’s goals.

Sarah stays abreast of current market terms and proposes creative solutions when business goals require “outside the box” thinking. Her business advice benefits from her familiarity with the regulatory environment in which life sciences companies operate, and from her prior experience litigating patent infringement and licensing disputes. She is transparent about costs and timing, using regular status calls, budget updates, and other project management tools to make sure legal work meets expectations.

Education: Harvard Law School, J.D.; University of Michigan, A.B.