Life Sciences | Europe

Clifford Chance has a standout life sciences team boasting an impressive roster of leading pharmaceutical and medical technology companies among its client base. It is noted for its strong capability in large cross-border transactions as well as the handling of regulatory advisory and litigation mandates regarding reimbursement, advertising, market access and distribution. The team offers additional expertise in healthtech and the digitalisation sectors. It also acts for legislative bodies, trade associations and start-ups in the sector and is able to draw on expertise in data protection, IT and IP law to assist with projects involving the commercial exploitation of healthcare data.

Hogan Lovells boasts a prestigious life sciences practice that combines excellence in all industry branches and areas of expertise to provide clients with a full service. The department plays pioneering roles in pharmaceutical patent litigation cases. It also offers experience in product liability and advertising cases and has an impressive track record advising on regulatory, compliance and data protection matters. It furthermore assists clients with transactions and unfair competition mandates as well as licensing, collaboration and distribution agreements. Clients include globally active pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Baker McKenzie has a well-regarded team advising companies from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical devices fields on transactions, investments and regulatory issues. The team often advises on data privacy and demonstrates further strength across supply contracts, licensing agreements, strategic collaborations, distribution, advertising and marketing. It also has noteworthy expertise in statutory health insurance issues and public procurement law, including in connected representation before social courts.

CMS has a well-regarded life sciences practice recognised for its abilities in product liability mandates, including assistance with product recall matters and disputes. It additionally advises on a range of commercial contracts, including marketing, research and licensing agreements, both on a national and international scale. The team mainly works for pharmaceutical and medical device corporations. It also handles drug classification issues as well as regulatory issues in the healthtech sector and offers knowledge on reimbursement matters.

D+B Rechtsanwälte is an outstanding healthcare boutique boasting a renowned reputation for regulatory affairs, with additional strength in life sciences mandates. It offers notable expertise in market access, patient data protection issues and healthcare transactions, and often acts for hospitals, doctors, pharmacists and pharmaceutical companies. The team's experience also covers litigation and insurance.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has a strong focus on cross-border transactions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. In addition to product portfolio deals it assists with the drafting of collaboration, research and development agreements. The department also handles the regulatory aspects of transactions and is active on data protection, market access and medical device issues. It offers further strength in patent-related mandates, including enforcement and ownership cases, as well as product liability litigation.

Gleiss Lutz is a full-service firm offering expertise in both healthcare and life sciences, capably covering contractual, compliance and regulatory matters. It is recognised for its strength in statutory health insurance issues and public procurement. The department's expertise also covers authorisations and approval proceedings. It has an impressive track record for large transactions in both the healthcare and life sciences sectors, including private equity investments, venture capital financing rounds as well as large strategic M&A deals. Lawyers at the firm additionally assist with disputes concerning advertising and unfair competition. Its comprehensive client base includes statutory health insurers, medical device companies, research institutions, private equity investors and public sector clients.

Preu Bohlig & Partner has a compact life sciences practice with a following of long-standing clients in the pharmaceutical sector. It represents clients in injunction and enforcement proceedings. The team has further experience in handling liability disputes. It offers assistance with advertising and product classifications. In addition to being recognised for its regulatory knowledge, the practice is also known for covering patent protection and disputes in the life sciences sector.

Taylor Wessing offers a well-known practice that is active in both the healthcare and life sciences industries, with notable strength in transactions and related due diligence matters. It advises clients on contracts and data protection issues. The team is recommended for healthcare and pharmaceutical regulatory and compliance as well as intellectual property advice. It offers additional experience in distribution, drug and device advertising, device regulation and product liability disputes. Its lawyers act on behalf of private equity investors, pharmaceuticals companies, care home businesses, private hospital companies and specialist clinics.

Bird & Bird represents both domestic and international clients in the pharmaceutical and medical devices fields in patent infringement and nullity proceedings. It has notable strength in cross-border unfair competition and product advertising disputes and also assists with data protection and procurement matters in the healthtech sector. The law firm additionally has a number of German and European patent attorneys specialising in the area of life sciences and medical devices.

Dentons is active in a range of healthcare-related mandates, including acquisitions and restructurings as well as procurement matters. The law firm additionally offers expertise in the life sciences area, advising on data protection issues, as well as licensing agreements and venture investments, with a stand-out focus on medical cannabis and CBD product regulation and distribution. The team utilises its broad international network to assist with cross-border transactions and matters pertaining to multi-jurisdictional product recalls.

Jones Day has a noteworthy practice advising clients from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and research fields on sector-specific regulatory aspects of sizeable M&A transactions. It offers experience handling clinical trial contracts, distribution matters and strategic partnerships. The team boasts considerable patent strength covering infringement and opposition proceedings as well as enforcement. It also represents clients in life sciences litigation, such as in disputes around product labelling and misleading advertising.

Latham & Watkins is an experienced practice with a strong focus on transactions in the healthcare sector. This includes acting for private equity firms and municipalities on hospital investments and related disputes as well as advising pharmaceutical and medical device companies on product portfolio acquisitions. The team additionally handles mergers and joint ventures while also assisting with regulatory issues and procurement mandates.

McDermott Will & Emery's standout healthcare practice offers expertise in the full scope of mandates, from reimbursement and market entry to healthcare transactions, including joint ventures and acquisitions of hospitals. It is also active in the life sciences sector, assisting clients with regulatory compliance including clinical trials and licensing agreements as well as market entry. The team is experienced in advising telemedicine and digital health service providers on the laws regulating digital apps and healthcare systems.