Wood & Lee works extensively with the private and public financing communities on leading life sciences deals, including representation of major funds investing in the life sciences. We provide legal guidance on all aspects of business and intellectual property strategy and development. We counsel companies on corporate and securities law at each stage of development from initial financings to the IPO to mergers and acquisitions. Our lawyers help structure, negotiate and draft all types of strategic alliances, collaborations, manufacturing and supply agreements and clinical trial agreements with companies all over the world. We guide clients through their dealings with regulators and administrative agencies. Our industry-experienced litigators vigorously protect and defend patents, trademarks and other intellectual property.
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Biotechnology
The life sciences industry depends on innovation, creativity and the ability to successfully commercialise new products. Wood & Lee advises publicly traded and privately held companies at every stage of their growth and product development, by providing constant assistance through timely legal advice as well as by sharing with them our unparalleled network of contacts.
We represent a wide range of clients in the life sciences sector, such as:
- research laboratories and clinical research organisations
- start-ups and mid-size companies
- hospitals and medical centres
- universities
- companies
- venture capitalists and angel investors
- hedge funds
Our Capabilities
Our lawyers provide advice in connection with:
- Intellectual property – protection and enforcement of IP rights; patent and trade-mark preparation, prosecution and licensing; technology transfers; patentability, infringement, validity and freedom to operate opinions; non-disclosure agreements.
- Litigation – IP litigation, product liability litigation, class actions, medical device litigation.
- Marketing and advertising – co-marketing, co-promotion and distribution agreements; advertising campaigns and promotional programs for life sciences products; commercialisation strategies.
- Regulatory law – regulatory approvals to bring products to market; due diligence audits; health and safety measurement audits; analysis and monitoring of the most recent guidelines and regulations enacted by government agencies and departments.
- Government relations – preparation and filing of applications; access to government funding; preparation of strategies on important policy and regulatory issues; involvement in policy debates.
- Competition/antitrust and foreign investment – antitrust patent-pooling and cross-licensing arrangements; monitoring of competitors operations (joint ventures, strategic alliances, market share); foreign direct investment in life sciences sector; internal and government investigations and enforcement proceedings; abuse of dominance and unfair competition issues; price discrimination schemes; non-competition and proprietary rights agreements.
- Tax, trusts and estates – estate and trust planning, tax credits, investment trusts/funds, business succession plans, transfer pricing and cross-border investments, gift planning and charitable planning, personal wealth planning for physicians and other life sciences professionals.
- Labour and employment law – recruiting and retention policies, confidentiality and non-competition agreements, employee benefit programs, compensation packages, immigration matters, collective bargaining.
- Corporate and commercial – drafting and negotiation of various commercial transactions, including clinical research agreements, complex financings and venture capital investments, mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and licensing agreements; management buy-outs and buy-ins; due diligence and disclosures; corporate governance; directors’ and officers’ duties and liabilities; business planning and structuring; formation of business entities; good manufacturing practices
Scientific knowledge and legal expertise
Wood & Lee draws upon the skills of lawyers who understand our clients’ businesses and provide value-added legal advice to help them respond quickly to the new competitive demands in the life sciences sector. We work closely with patent professionals and scientific advisors, many of whom hold Ph.Ds. and other advanced degrees in key areas of the life sciences, engineering, biotechnology, biology and chemistry.
