Life Sciences & Pharmaceutical Sector (International & Cross-Border) | Global

The firm's offices across the USA play a significant role in international work. Washington, DC hosts the largest proportion of the firm's resources and acts as a key hub for the firm's global practice, particularly in relation to investigations, international trade and compliance. The firm's US-based teams are renowned for their work advising large pharma companies on the development and commercialisation of products worldwide, with cross-border issues involving the USA and China being a particular theme of the firm's recent activity.

The firm's appeal in cross-border work revolves around its expertise and experience in helping start-up companies and venture capital funds expand businesses looking to grow internationally or distribute new products and processes into foreign markets. The firm's recent work has included a mixture of corporate transactions, IP matters and regulatory advice for US companies and funds involved in overseas expansion. The team has also represented growth companies based in the EU and Asia in capital-raising exercises and helping them to list on US stock exchanges.

Morrison Foerster particularly stands out in the market for its grasp of cross-border work between the US and Asian markets, which is driven by the firm's long-standing investment into its technology sector expertise. The firm is an appealing choice for large corporations and established players invested in areas such as electronics and biopharma and has a particularly strong track record in handling inbound and outbound transactions involving the USA, Japan and China, frequently representing clients on both sides of the Pacific.

Ropes & Gray provides an integrated international offering with a strong global focus on financial services, life sciences and pharmaceuticals. The firm's US offices act as its primary driving force for international work, with Boston and New York frequently leading cross-border work, typically coordinating global transactions for major private equity funds and corporations. Key areas of geographic strength include Asian markets, and Ropes & Gray is often considered a popular choice by US and Asian clients for investments from the USA into China and Japan, where the firm can also offer locally based US law-qualified experts. The US team also works in a seamless manner with the firm's London office, particularly for the funds and corporate side of the practice.

Sidley Austin is frequently sought out by international clients for its global-sector expertise, with the firm's focus built around strong relationships with clients in financial service, energy, life sciences and biotechnology. While the firm's US base remains the key central hub of its global operations, Sidley Austin also attracts ample praise for its ability to join up experts across its platform throughout Europe and Asia, with offices in London, Singapore and China among others also playing a vital role in the firm's international appeal. The firm has an impressive ability to handle global transactions, disputes and investigations, enabling it to provide a comprehensive service on sophisticated matters for clients in its key industry groups.

Highly rated for its international work across a broad range of regulated industries, Arnold & Porter frequently acts as global counsel to a host of leading multinational companies in the life sciences sector. The firm is particularly highlighted for its high-end expertise in regulatory issues and product liability cases, coordinating advice on the global development and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical devices across the USA, the EU and Asia.

Hogan Lovells is an internationally oriented firm which combines a well-established presence in the USA and an impressive network of offices in other key jurisdictions throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. The firm's US presence remains an important contributor to its worldwide success and provides a strong transatlantic platform through frequent collaboration with the firm's London office. Washington, DC serves as a key location for the firm's international trade and arbitration practice, while the firm's US-based lawyers also play a significant role in coordinating cross-border advice on regulated industries and M&A transactions.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius offers its clients expertise across a broad range of practice areas from strategically-situated offices in the USA, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. It is sought out to advise on cross-border M&A and financing, international arbitration and regulatory investigations work by a clientele that includes multinational corporations and private equity funds. The US offices are particularly well placed to advise on matters concerning Latin American jurisdictions, and its regulatory expertise makes it a popular choice for clients in the energy, life sciences and technology sectors.