Ranking tables

Life Sciences | Global

Global: Multi-Jurisdictional

Chambers’ Global-wide Life Sciences research includes international law firms that handle a broad spectrum of matters relating to the life sciences and pharmaceutical industry. The firms featured may handle certain elements of, or all stages of a product’s life-cycle. Transactional work covered in this section includes M&A involving life sciences entities, licensing and collaboration agreements, capital raising and IPO’s. A wide range of regulatory mandates are also covered, such as those relating to clinical trials, labelling and market authorisations. Contentious proceedings relating to the life sciences space are also covered in this section, including disputes relating to product liability and medical devices. A number of the firms that feature also offer intellectual property and patent litigation capabilities. The section incorporates the representation of big pharma, early stage companies, medical device manufacturers and biotech clients.

All Departments profiles

1

Band 1

  1. 1
    Covington & Burling LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked

    Covington & Burling offers clients outstanding international expertise in the life sciences sphere. Its global practice incorporates leading teams across the USA, the UK, continental Europe and Asia. The law firm offers:      

    • Market-leading regulatory expertise relating to food, drugs and medical devices.       

    • Support on corporate transactions in the life sciences space.      

    • Pre-eminent life sciences litigation and investigations expertise.

  2. Hogan Lovells
    1
    Hogan Lovells
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 1 | 4 Years Ranked

    Hogan Lovells has long been viewed as a market-leading firm for global life sciences work. The law firm's impressive network offers clients dedicated life sciences expertise throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America and the USA. Its key areas of focus include:

    • Cross-border life sciences transactions.

    • Full-scale regulatory support.

    • Intellectual property and patent litigation.

    • Product liability and other life sciences-related disputes.

2

Band 2

  1. 2
    Arnold & Porter
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked

    Arnold & Porter is recognised as a strong global force in the life sciences space. The law firm offers clients outstanding expertise in the USA, Europe and China. Its mains areas of focus include:

    • Providing support on complex and international regulatory mandates.

    • Comprehensive support on product liability litigation.

    • Assistance with cross-border corporate transactions.

  2. Sidley Austin LLP
    2
    Sidley Austin LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 2 | 4 Years Ranked

    Sidley Austin's life sciences practice is highly regarded on an international level. Clients seeking global support will benefit from the firm's highly-rated teams across Europe, Asia and the USA. The law firm's primary areas of focus include:

    • Cross-border transactions.

    • Regulatory compliance matters.

    • Patent litigation.

    • Clinical trial matters.

    • Product liability litigation.

  3. Cooley LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 2
3

Band 3

  1. Baker McKenzie
    3
    Baker McKenzie
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked

    Baker McKenzie's expansive global network is well equipped to advise on complex matters relating to the life sciences space. With highly rated and dedicated life sciences groups across Asia, Europe and Latin America, the law firm performs highly on international mandates. Its main areas of focus are:

    • Cross-border corporate transactions.

    • Regulatory and IP mandates.

    • Product licensing.

    • Market authorisations and clinical trials.

  2. Bird & Bird
    3
    Bird & Bird
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked

    Bird & Bird maintains an excellent reputation for its global life sciences work. The law firm's international platform is particularly strong in the UK, continental Europe and Asia. Its key areas of focus include:

    • Sophisticated regulatory issues.

    • Corporate transactions in the life sciences space.

    • Pharmaceutical patent litigation.

    • Product liability litigation.

  3. Goodwin
    3
    Goodwin
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 1 Years Ranked

    Goodwin has an impressive global life sciences team that has strong capabilities in the US and the UK. The law firm offers:

    • Robust advice on complex transactional matters.

    • Competency on PTAB post-grant reviews.

    • Support on patent litigation.

  4. Latham & Watkins LLP
    3
    Latham & Watkins LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked

    Latham & Watkins' outstanding US life sciences practice is further enhanced by high-quality teams based in the UK, Germany and China. The law firm's main areas of focus in the sector include:

    • Multi-jurisdictional transactions.

    • Licensing and commercialisation agreements.

    • IP-related litigation.

    • Biotechnology and medical devices.

  5. Ropes & Gray LLP
    3
    Ropes & Gray LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked

    Ropes & Gray is highly regarded for its life sciences practice, which spans the USA and the Asia-Pacific region. The law firm's main areas of focus include:

    • Licensing and collaboration agreements.

    • Mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

    • Regulatory matters relating to market access and product marketing.

    • Contentious proceedings before the FDA.

  6. Simmons & Simmons LLP
    3
    Simmons & Simmons LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 3 | 4 Years Ranked

    Simmons & Simmons stands out for its European life sciences practice, and clients will benefit from particularly strong teams situated in the UK, France and Belgium. The law firm's main areas of focus include:

    • Patent litigation.

    • Product liability.

    • Product development and pricing.

    • Transactional and regulatory mandates.

4

Band 4

  1. A&O Shearman
    4
    A&O Shearman
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked

    A&O Shearman's international life sciences practice combines expertise in the UK, continental Europe and Asia. The law firm's well-regarded global practice encompasses:

    • Complex corporate transactions and life sciences M&A.

    • Contentious and non-contentious IP issues.

    • Regulatory mandates.

    • Dispute resolution.

  2. CMS
    4
    CMS
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked

    CMS offers client dedicated life sciences expertise throughout its impressive European network, as well as a high-performing team based in China. The law firm's primary areas of focus include:

    • Acquisitions and joint ventures relating to the life sciences sphere.

    • Patent litigation and trade mark infringement matters.

    • Licensing and other regulatory mandates.

  3. Jones Day
    4
    Jones Day
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked

    Jones Day's global life sciences platform comprises high-performing practices in the USA, Asia and Europe. The law firm's key areas of focus include:

    • Cross-border life sciences transactions.

    • IP support, including portfolio management and patent litigation.

    • Regulatory compliance mandates including labelling and clinical trials.

    • Licensing matters.

  4. Morrison Foerster
    4
    Morrison Foerster
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 4 | 4 Years Ranked

    Morrison Foerster's global life sciences practice comprises highly-rated teams based in the USA, Japan and China. The law firm's main areas of focus include:

    • Cross-border M&A.

    • Regulatory matters such as quality assurance and product recalls.

    • Patent infringements and enforcement proceedings.

  5. Kirkland & Ellis
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 4
5

Band 5

  1. Clifford Chance LLP
    5
    Clifford Chance LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 4 Years Ranked

    Clifford Chance offers clients impressive life sciences expertise throughout its European network. The law firm has particularly strong teams based in Germany, Russia and Spain. Its main areas of focus include:

    • Complex cross-border transactions.

    • Regulatory compliance mandates.

    • Licensing and collaboration agreements.

    • Product liability and patent litigation.

  2. Dechert LLP
    5
    Dechert LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 3 Years Ranked

    Dechert has a robust life sciences practice that is propelled by teams in the USA and France. The law firm offers:

    • Patent litigation expertise.

    • Strong capabilities in transactional matters.

    • Experience in licensing and collaboration agreements.

  3. DLA Piper LLP
    5
    DLA Piper LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 4 Years Ranked

    DLA Piper's life sciences expertise makes up an important part of the firm's strength globally. With high-quality teams based in the Asia-Pacific region, the USA, Italy and France, the law firm's main focus areas include:

    • Acquisitions, collaborations and licensing agreements.

    • Regulatory compliance, investigations and market authorisations.

    • Advice on biosimilars and medical devices.

  4. Freshfields
    5
    Freshfields
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 1 Years Ranked

    Freshfields is an international law firm with strong capabilities in the life sciences space. With teams based in the UK and Germany, the law firm offers:

    • Strong advice on complex transactional matters.

    • Teams with experience in patent litigation.

    • An ability to handle regulatory issues.

  5. Herbert Smith Freehills
    5
    Herbert Smith Freehills
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 1 Years Ranked

    Herbert Smith Freehills` global life sciences team is able to handle an array of complex mandates. With teams based in the UK and Australia, the law firm offers:

    • Expert advice on patent disputes.

    • Experience in handling complex life sciences transactions.

    • Expertise on regulatory concerns.

  6. 5
    Norton Rose Fulbright
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5 | 3 Years Ranked

    Norton Rose Fulbright`s life sciences offering is led by strong teams in China and Canada. The firm's main focus areas include:

    • Contentious mandates including patent litigation.

    • Commercial transactions.

    • Regulatory compliance.

  7. McDermott Will & Emery LLP
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5
  8. Mintz
    Life Sciences
    2025 | Band 5