William Fry is recognised as a leading Irish law firm for Life Sciences, offering advice to some of the world's leading Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Medical Device companies located in Ireland. As a full service law firm, we provide expert advice on a range of issues including patent infringement litigation, intellectual property licensing, corporate and regulatory issues.
We represent clients across the spectrum, from multi-national, globally established firms to indigenous start-ups in every phase of the growth cycle. We understand the Life Sciences sector and actively engage with the sector through our involvement with industry associations.
William Fry provides access to specialists with industry knowledge in contentious and non-contentious Life Sciences matters. Our Life Sciences team combines our top-ranking intellectual property and litigation lawyers with our highly regarded corporate and regulatory specialists.
Areas of Expertise Include:
- Advice on patent law including infringement and invalidity
- Licensing of intellectual property
- Product liability
- Regulatory advice
- Commercial agreements
- Corporate structuring
- Inward investment
- Funding raising and grants
- IPOs
- Environmental law, waste management and health & safety
We provide on going advices on a confidential basis to some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and healthcare providers. Our experience includes advices to:
BioMarin Pharmaceuticals Inc on its agreement to buy a bulk biologics manufacturing plant from Pfizer for US$48.5m.
The Sodexo Group on the purchase of a majority interest in Zehnacker Ireland Holdings Limited which will trade as Sodexo Zehnecker Healthcare.
Helix Health Group Limited on the €5m investment by the Diageo Ulster Bank Equity Fund Limited Partnership.
BiancaMed on its sale to ResMed.
Olympus Corporation in the sale of its worldwide diagnostic systems business to biomedical test products maker, Beckman Coulter Inc, for a consideration of approximately €630 million. This was a multi-jurisdictional transaction that involved a complex pre-sale hive down restructuring
Labcoat Limited, a development-stage drug-eluting stent technology company located in Galway, in relation to the acquisition of it by Boston Scientific Limited
Medfiq Healthcare Corporation in the acquisition of Medisize Medical (a division of the Swiss based Medisize Holding AG) a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of dental consumables for a purchase price of €65 million
Ovation Pharmaceuticals Inc as Irish counsel in relation to its acquisition by H. Lundbeck A/S for consideration of up to US$900m
Millipore Corporation on winding up its approved profit sharing scheme for Irish employees in connection with its global takeover by the Merck KGaA.
Millipore Corporation and Integra Life Sciences as lead Irish counsel advising each of them on all aspects of their legal requirements including corporate restructuring, licensing, commercial, intellectual property and tax advice
EirGen Pharma Limited in respect of ongoing commercial and intellectual property advice
Crospon Limited on an innovative mix of high tech and biotech to produce an industry first skin patch that acts as a “smart” drug delivery device. This transaction between a smaller Irish medical device company and an IT industry giant has attracted significant international industry and media interest
Pfizer (Warner Lambert, a wholly-owned company of Pfizer) in its successful defence of its Lipitor patent, blocking generic production of its product. Lipitor is the world’s largest selling anti-cholesterol drug, which generates annual worldwide sales of €7.7bn.
The State Claims Agency, the Health Insurance Authority and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board;
William Fry is ranked Tier 1 for Life Sciences by Legal 500 EMEA.
The 'communicative' David Carthy.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Corporate and Commercial.
“William Fry substantially expanded its client base in 2007. It won mandates from new clients such as Cordis Corporation, Integra LifeSciences and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Carol Plunkett is highly respected on the contentious side and [represented] Pfizer on the Irish aspects of its worldwide battle against Ranbaxy.”
- Most recent Legal 500 Life Sciences rankings
“Since EirGen Pharma was founded in 2005, we have worked very closely with David Carthy and his Life Sciences and Healthcare teams at William Fry. Most recently, William Fry have provided expert advice on company taxation planning coupled with advice on protection and use of EirGen’s intellectual property. Overall the service, delivery and knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector has been extremely beneficial to us in best protecting our interests and supporting our growth throughout all stages of EirGen’s evolution. I would thoroughly recommend David Carthy and the team at William Fry to any company in the Life Sciences sector and most especially to those entrepreneurs considering forming their own companies in this sector.”
- Tom Brennan, Technical Director & Co-Founder, EirGen Pharma Limited
William Fry boasts ‘invaluable expertise in patent litigation’, ‘speedy reaction times’ and ‘excellent commercial care’. Team head Carol Plunkett is considered a ‘go-to-lawyer’ for IP work because ‘her relaxed approach sets her apart; she secures results in a seemingly stress-free way’, and non-contentious specialist David Cullen is praised as ‘equally outstanding’.
Legal 500 EMEA, 2010 - Intellectual Property
“William Fry fields an “all-round IP specialist” in contentious expert Carol Plunkett with clients also highlighting David Cullen as "excellent". Highlights for this “communicative” and “responsive” team include advising ... Astra Zeneca.”
Legal 500 EMEA, 2009 - Intellectual Property