Goodwin > Boston, United States > Firm Profile

Goodwin > The Legal 500 Rankings

Industry focus > Cannabis Tier 1

Recommended for ‘great service, knowledgeable staff‘, Goodwin‘s experienced team is co-led by Boston-based David Apfel, Bill Growney in Silicon Valley, Brett Schuman and Jennifer Fisher, who are both in San Francisco. The core pillars of the firm’s cannabis practice are litigation, transactions and regulatory advice to industry players. Intellectual property is another stand out discipline for the team, with one client praising the firm’s ‘unique perspective as they have executed some of the only multi-state IP licensing deals for infused product manufacturers’. Another name to note in the space is San Francisco-based associate Nicholas Costanza, who works across the area on litigation, regulatory and IP matters.

Intellectual property > Patents: licensing Tier 1

Goodwin‘s practice continues to attract attention in the market, especially for its prowess in complex licensing agreements for a solid technology and life sciences client base. Its bench of skilled attorneys, which was further reinforced in November 2021 with the arrival of a new California-based partner Beni Surpin, who joined from Foley & Lardner LLP, is led by technology expert James Riley, and Catherine McCarty, whose main expertise falls within the life sciences sector. They co-steer the team from Silicon Valley and Boston respectively. The group assists clients through all stages of growth, by evaluating, structuring, drafting and negotiating licenses, collaborations and other strategic technology transfer transactions across a variety of technologies. It is also well known for handling the licensing aspects of financings, including public offerings, and M&A transactions. Additional expertise in the biotechnology market is brought in by Kingsley Taft, who operates from the Boston office, where technology, data and IP expert Stephen Charkoudian is also based. Washington DC’s Noelle Dubiansky, who represents biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and other life science companies in a wide range of mandates, is another name to note.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies Tier 1

Goodwin has an excellent track record for representing companies and investors throughout all stages of the venture life cycle. The firm’s Boston team is especially noted for its support to clients in the life sciences sector, where it is ‘one of the most respected, most experienced, best staffed, and best equipped‘ firms in the market. This is complemented by good credentials in the technology space which has seen growth in mobility tech, robotics, edtech and blockchain-related work, and where partners such as John Egan and Kenneth Gordon in Boston, and Anthony McCusker in Silicon Valley hold sway. Boston-based partners Mitchell Bloom and Kingsley Taft co-chair the life sciences side of the practice, which benefits from the expertise of partners such as William Collins and the versatile and ‘highly knowledgeable‘ William Schnoor, who is ‘one of the most experienced venture/ biotech lawyers in the industry‘ and also handles technology-related matters.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 1

Goodwin has a ‘phenomenal‘ technology transactions practice, noted for its ‘exceptionally talented lawyers‘ and for being ‘extremely helpful across the board‘. The firm offers an impressive platform that supports clients through all stages of the lifecycle, including strategic and corporate finance issues as well as domestic and cross-border licensing, collaboration and joint venture agreements. The cross-practice group also advises on related data privacy and cyber-security issues. At the top end of the scale, it has an extremely good track record on major M&As, SPAC mergers and equity and debt capital markets listings. The team boasts an deep bench of lawyers and is co-chaired by ‘stand out‘ corporate partner Anthony McCusker  in Silicon Valley, and Boston-based partners Kenneth Gordon and John Egan. Other key individuals include IP transactional expert Stephen Charkoudian, corporate finance partner Joseph Theis,  Silicon Valley’s ‘exceptional‘ capital markets partner Bradley Weber, and the ‘invaluable‘ Jacob Osborn in Washington DC, who is experienced in digital currency and blockchain. All partners based in Boston unless otherwise stated.

Real estate > Real estate investment trusts (REITs) Tier 1

Goodwin maintains an active REITS practice and is considered the ‘go-to’ for many public and private REITS and investment banks in top-end transactional mandates. Jointly managed by Gil Menna and Ettore Santucci , who also co-chair the firm’s real estate M&A practice, the group handles equity and debt offerings, IPO’s and joint venture investments. Key contacts include Scott Chase who is active in securities matters, and transactional lawyer Mark Opper who advises private real estate investment funds. In a representative matter, the team represented a syndicate of three multinational investment banks as lead underwriters in an IPO of Philips Edison & Company. Another key name is counsel Christopher Versfelt who is recommended for SEC compliance and corporate governance matters. In New York, Yoel Kranz has over two decades of experience advising corporate clients in M&A, as well as REITS. Lawyers are in Boston unless otherwise stated.

Dispute resolution > M&A litigation: defense Tier 2

Goodwin is heavily involved in engage in deal-related litigation in state and federal courts across the US, as well as having a strong record of success in heavyweight matters in the Delaware Court of Chancery. The firm also arbitrates M&A disputes domestically and in international arbitration tribunals. It has a unique focus on key industry verticals, notably life sciences, technology and real estate, in which it frequently handles high-stakes matters. Deborah Birnbach leads the practice from Boston and specialises in M&A and securities litigation. Michael Jones, who splits his time between Boston and Silicon Valley, is a key adviser to technology, life sciences and REIT clients. He successfully obtained dismissals of lawsuits in four federal courts for Myokardia, in which plaintiffs alleged violations of Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with the company’s $13.1bn sale to BMS. Boston's Caroline Bullerjahn is also recommended for M&A matters and post-closing disputes.

Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 2

At Goodwin, the lawyers are praised by clients as ‘top-flight, responsive and knowledgable‘, demonstrating ‘extensive knowledge, responsiveness and profound understanding of the material‘ in its standout work on securities class actions for companies in the life sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as the defense of financial institutions. It has also developed a strong presence in SEC investigations and enforcement actions, and securities class action litigation for companies and individuals in the blockchain and digital currency industry. Deborah Birnbach and James McGarry in Boston lead the practice. Birnbach secured the dismissal of a securities class action against biopharmaceutical company Alkermes plc, in which plaintiffs alleged misstatements and omissions regarding the development program for a clinical stage drug for major depressive disorder. Brian Pastuszenski is a highly respected litigator who continued his impressive track record working with fellow New York partner Daniel Roeser in defending two syndicates of investment banks that underwrote over $158m in secondary offerings of common stock of Axogen, Inc. alleging that that the company misrepresented the size of the market for its products.

Finance > Capital markets: equity offerings

Goodwin‘s longstanding status as one of the leading equity capital markets practices in the US has afforded it consistently active practice in IPOs, PIPEs, private placements and other equity offerings. The firm has benefitted from its commitment to buoyant sectors such as tech, life sciences, healthcare and real estate, and achieved substantial growth in 2021 by deal count. Its market-leading life sciences practice provides the basis for a steady pipeline of IPO and other equity offering engagements. The capital markets team also has a dedicated SPAC group, committed to SPAC offerings and de-SPAC transactions. Edwin O’Connor has an outstanding record in life sciences sector offerings, while Siavosh Salimi is rated for both tech and life sciences transactions. Silicon Valley partner Bradley Weber has played a pivotal role in booting the firm’s standing in the tech space, as has Boston partner Joseph Theis in tech and healthcare.

Healthcare > Life sciences Tier 2

Well known for the strength of its global  life sciences practice, Goodwin offers US clients advice on financing transactions and regulatory approvals. The team has been strongly involved in capital markets advising on multimillion-dollar IPOs and a number of follow-on financings. Its M&A capacity is also strong with Boston-based Stuart Cable and co-head Mitchell Bloom advising Myokardia on its $13.1bn sale to Bristol Meyers Squibb. The FDA team, meanwhile, advises on pre and post-market matters,  with a recently established late-stage drug division established. It also has expanded its patent litigation offering with the hiring of Los Angeles-based Kristin Havranek from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in August 2021. San Francisco-based Can Cui joined from Morrison Foerster in March 2021, with a practice advising on regulatory and transactional matters in the Chinese market. Kingsley Taft co-leads the team from Boston, advising on licensing and collaborations with Robert Puopolo. Also noteworthy are Washington DC-based Hatch-Waxman expert Alexander Varond, and Boston-based emerging companies expert Danielle Lauzon.

Industry focus > Education Tier 2

Based in Boston, the multidisciplinary higher education practice at Goodwin is frequently instructed by leading schools and colleges on the full range of matters, with strength in investigations. The team is noted for its strong litigation background and includes key names such as Jennifer Chunias who holds various education instructions and private healthcare companies as key clients. On the white-collar defense side, Joseph Savage  is the main contact, specializing in complex civil litigation for individuals. The team has sector strength across IP and has bolstered its cyber security and privacy offering with the arrival of partner Boris Segalis from Cooley LLP in early 2021.

Investment fund formation and management > Mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds Tier 2

Goodwin‘s ‘practitioners have high profiles in the industry‘, making the firm a leading choice for a broad range of service providers in the funds space, including major custodian banks, transfer agents, retirement plan service organizations and securities lending agents, as well as fund complexes and independent directors. The practice is distinguished by its standout strength in the contentious space, and its proven track record of successfully handling litigation, investigations, and enforcement actions involving participants in the registered fund industry. Another area of expertise for the group is the representation of companies which issue and sell variable life and variable annuity insurance products, and the mutual funds which serve as the funding vehicles for those insurance products. The core team comprises Washington DC-based attorneys Christopher Palmer, Marco Adelfio and Paul Delligatti – they are praised by one client for their ability to ‘nurture associates and get them engaged with the client, providing comfort of continuity and growth‘.

Labor and employment > ERISA litigation Tier 2

Goodwin continues to demonstrate its expertise through work with clients such as the New York Life Insurance Company and Natixis Investment Managers. The firm pursues a client partnership model, working in close collaboration with clients across contentious proceedings and broader strategy. The firm includes Boston-based practice head James Fleckner and Alison Douglass, as well as Boston-based partner Dave Rosenberg and Washington DC-based partners Matthew Riffee and DeMario Carswell.

M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market ($500m-999m) Tier 2

A team which combines regulatory and transactional expertise, Goodwin advises on a wide range of corporate deals, calling upon the firm’s antitrust and competition knowhow to provide early regulatory planning advice. The practice is chaired from Boston by Lisa Haddad , Deborah Birnbach , John Haggerty and Stuart Cable , a specialist in the life sciences sector. Over on the West Coast, Alessandra Simons serves as co-chair of the technology practice and is carving out a prominent reputation for deals within the sector.

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 2

Goodwin‘s data, privacy and cybersecurity team is known for assisting clients in the design and implementation of data-driven products and the protection of privacy rights, and during transactions and related agreements. Incident preparedness and response are also at the center of the offering, as are litigation and investigation matters. In October 2021, former vice president and chief knowledge officer at the IAPP Omer Tene joined the firm as partner and is now the firm’s Boston-based practice head alongside his New York counterpart Boris Segalis. In the same locations are, respectively, David Kantrowitz and Jacqueline Klosek, former counsels both promoted to partner in October 2021. Kantowitz received praise for being ‘patient and effective at delivering both good and bad news’ and was described as ‘a top-notch strategic thinker.’ 

Media, technology and telecoms > Fintech Tier 2

Goodwin has one of the leading technology practices in the market, and this expertise extends to the fintech market where it represents a wide range of start-ups and established providers. These include leading companies in the payments, wealth management, alternative lending, insurtech, and digital currencies and blockchain space. In addition to corporate finance and high-end transactional matters, the firm provides strong support on partnership agreements with banks and financial services companies, as well as contentious and non-contentious regulatory, privacy and cybersecurity advice. Fintech co-chairs Mitzi Chang and Scott Joachim, who respectively lead the team out of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, are both highly active on the corporate transactional side, representing investment funds and public and emerging companies. Key partners in the financial services regulatory practice, which is praised for its ‘amazing bench and great practitioners with years of experience in government service and advising clients‘ include Mike Whalen in Washington DC and the ‘fantastic expert‘ Kimberly Monty Holzel in Boston.

Antitrust > Merger control Tier 3

Goodwin updated its practice with the April 2021 arrival of practice co-heads Andrew Lacy and Arman Oruc from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and an in-house position respectively, based out of the firm’s Washington DC and Los Angeles offices. This bolsters a team that combines a prolific record in HSR filings and merger review processes for M&A and private equity investments with a strong record in more contentious merger clearances, including DOJ challenges and most notably FTC Second Requests. The firm retains a strong specialism in tech and life sciences deals, with standout involvements during 2021 including its role as a co-counsel to Slack in its $27.7bn sale to Salesforce, and its representation of Nimbus Therapeutics in Second Request proceedings. DC’s Paul Jin  is another key name in the team, handling a wide range of transactions, alongside risk advisory work and support in contentious merger proceedings. Also in DC, Kara Kuritz specialized in HSR filings in a previous role at the DOJ, and continues to advise clients on notifications, both pre-merger and throughout the process.

Dispute resolution > Appellate: courts of appeals / Appellate: supreme courts (states and federal)

Goodwin‘s appellate practice is active across the US, making routine appearances before the US Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals and state appellate courts. The wider firm’s weight in the IP, technology and life sciences spheres translates into a prominent record in IP and pharmaceutical-related cases. The team also brings to bear strong expertise in regulatory litigation and ERISA class actions, where Washington DC-based Jaime Santos recently defended the dismissal of an ERISA class action in the Second Circuit against General Electric. In a high-profile Supreme Court victory, Boston-based David Zimmer successfully cleared the way for Augusto Niz-Chavez to apply for immigration relief that would allow him to remain in the US with his family. Department co-chair William Jay, based in Washington DC, has argued 17 cases in the Supreme Court, as well as handling cases in every US Court of Appeals. Brian Burgess, an ‘excellent written and verbal communicator‘, is also noted in Washington DC. In Boston, group co-chair Kevin Martin is recommended for his strength in appellate matters and civil and administrative litigation. Boston-based Gerard Cedrone is a talented associate.

Dispute resolution > Corporate investigations and white-collar criminal defense

The complex litigation and dispute resolution department at Goodwin is headed out of Boston by Deborah Birnbach and James McGarry. It acts for large multinational companies and senior executives in relation to white-collar crime, enforcement and investigation matters with a focus on the financial services, technology, life sciences and healthcare industries. New York’s Richard Strassberg is a key white-collar defence practitioner and is well versed in FCPA matters, SEC enforcement proceedings and internal investigations. Silicon Valley-based Grant Fondo has notable expertise in digital currencies and blockchain-related matters. Andrew Lacy and Arman Oruc both recently joined from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in Washington DC and Los Angeles, respectively.

Dispute resolution > E-discovery Tier 3

Goodwin ‘leverages great technology and platforms to execute great results for its clients’, using its expertise in e-discovery technologies and data analytics to drive cost savings by developing workflows that can be applied to litigation. An example of this is the firm’s work for Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, which involved developing a discovery strategy for a manufacturing dispute. Litigation partner Michelle Treadwell Briggs, promoted to partner in October 2021, is ‘truly elite in her detailed understanding of e-discovery tools’ , and leads the team from Boston, which is also home to ‘standout star’ Danielle Panetta.

Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation Tier 3

Goodwin‘s financial services litigation team handles a range of disputes in the consumer lending space, including acting in investigations by federal and state regulators. The team is particularly active in the mortgage space, where it represents clients facing allegations of violating the Fair Housing Act, the False Claims Act and CFPB regulations. Key figures in the practice include Thomas Hefferon, who has deep experience in this space, and Brooks Brown, who works on a wide variety of consumer finance matters including alleged breaches of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The team was bolstered in January 2021 by the addition of Allison Schoenthal from Hogan Lovells US LLP. Schoenthal now leads the consumer finance practice in New York and acts for a number of prominent banks in this space, with a focus on mortgage-related cases. Schoenthal and Hefferon co-lead the team alongside James McGarry and Matthew Sheldon, who has a sizeable client base of mortgage lenders. Hefferon, Brown and Sheldon are based in Washington DC, while Schoenthal and McGarry are based in New York and Boston, respectively.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 3

Goodwin has a notable understanding of the underlying technology, science, and law associated with product liability claims deriving from alleged damage caused by consumer products, manufacturing processes, asbestos and hi-tech products. The products litigation and counselling team, which spans both the East and West Coast, has experience acting as national counsel and trial counsel in major litigation, as well as providing an effective risk management service to prevent future litigation. New York-based team head Joanne Gray  is particularly well-known for her expertise at handling recall issues and litigation impacting food and supplement companies. Nilda Isidro and Glenn Kerner  left the firm in November 2021.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 3

Goodwin‘s geographically diverse product liability offering, which includes strong coverage on both coasts, regularly handles disputes for pharma and medical devices manufacturers. As well as acting as trial counsel in a multitude of individual actions, the firm often acts as national counsel, responsible for formulating nationwide defense strategies and developing large stables of medical, scientific and regulatory experts. New York-based team head Joanne Gray  has niche expertise advising food and supplement companies on compliance, recall and litigation; she continues to represent Herbalife International in all product liability cases pending in state and federal courts throughout the US. Richard Oetheimer  in Boston has a strong track record litigating product liability cases in the sector including before juries in federal and state courts, as well as at appellate level, where notably he served as lead counsel in the Supreme Court case that established federal pre-emption of generic drug failure to warn lawsuits. Glenn Kerner  and Nilda Isidro left the firm in November 2021.  

Finance > Capital markets: debt offerings

Goodwin is at the forefront of convertible debt offerings in the life sciences and tech sectors; this includes for US clients and non-US clients that are listed on Nasdaq. This flourishing side of the practice is complemented by an impressive flow of broader investment grade and high-yield debt engagements. REITs and financial services are also important sectors for the team. Boston partners James Barri and Ettore Santucci co-head the debt capital markets practice, with the former noted for life sciences and tech deals, and the latter recognised for his experience in REIT transactions. New York’s John Servidio provides additional support with his background in derivatives and structured products, and his experience in the digital currency and blockchain field.

Finance > Commercial lending Tier 3

Though active on both sides of transactions, it is borrower representation that is Goodwin's specialty. The firm client base spans private companies and private equity sponsors, which it advises on acquisition financing, subscription-secured financing and asset-based transactions. The group has a presence in many of the firm’s network of US offices, and recently expanded into California in a bit to develop the team’s profile. Kristopher Ring now operates from the Santa Monica office, and represents public, family-owned, and private equity-backed companies. Jennifer Bralower continues to lead the team from New York and counts syndicated credit facilities and junior capital among her specialisms. In September 2021, Milena Tantcheva departed the firm to take up an in-house role.

Intellectual property > Patents: litigation (full coverage) Tier 3

Bringing to bear his expertise as a life sciences patent litigator with particular experience in acting for plaintiffs and defendants in Hatch-Waxman litigation, the Boston-based Daryl Wiesen heads the IP litigation practice at Goodwin. The practice also enjoys a solid reputation handling technology-related disputes and has a well-known IP appellate team which has recently secured victories in significant Federal Circuit and Supreme Court cases. ITC investigations are another area of strength. Key contacts include Mark Abate, Naomi Birbach and Calvin Wingfield in New York; Boston’s Elaine Blais, Srikanth Reddy, Douglas Kline, and Robert Frederickson; and Patrick McCarthy in Washington DC.

Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 3

Goodwin’s trade secret, employee mobility, and non-competes group represents a broad cross-section of employers and employees in high-stakes litigious actions. In addition to its wide-ranging tech sector practice, the team is also capable in proceedings related to education, health, financial services, and consumer goods. In San Francisco, Koray Bulut is an experienced litigator at both the state and federal courts representing both startups and established companies, while trial counsel Brett Schuman ’s recent engagements include bet-the-company cases for major software developers. In Silicon Valley, Neel Chatterjee is reputed for his focus on entrepreneurs and disruptive tech companies, handling litigations in a number of court settings, while Andrew Ong’s broad experience in tech matters encompasses network devices and semiconductors.

Investment fund formation and management > Private equity funds (including venture capital) Tier 3

2021 was a year marked by significant growth for Goodwin, with a multitude of specialized partners arriving in a number of key locations. The New York office – which also fields practice co-head Mandee Gruen – welcomed Runjhun Kudalsya from Paul Hastings LLP, Adam Sussman from Proskauer Rose LLP, David Wagner from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Michael Aluko from Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Karen Chao from Sidley Austin LLP. Gruen’s counterpart in Washington DC, Paul Verbesey, was joined by Greg Larkin, formerly of Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Finally, Zee Ahmedani, formerly of Morrison Foerster was a new addition to the Los Angeles office, cementing the firm’s funds presence there. The group continues to provide expert advice across the range of matters in this space, including venture capital, real estate, infrastructure, debt, responsible investing and emerging market funds; large-scale GP led liquidity events; restructurings; separate managed accounts; secondaries; and complex incentive arrangements.

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: transactional Tier 3

Counting IPOs, M&A and fund structuring mandates in its workload, Goodwin acts for public and private clients across the technology, life sciences, private equity and food and beverages sectors. In Washington DC, Patrick Menasco jointly leads the team alongside Boston-based James Mattus, both of whom have experience in ERISA Title 1 matters. In the firm’s Silicon Valley office, Lynda Galligan’s expertise is demonstrated by her advice to Slack on the executive compensation aspects of its $27.7bn sale to Salesforce. The team welcomed Silicon Valley-based Cisco Palao-Ricketts in May 2021, who previously led the employee benefits and executive compensation practice at DLA Piper LLP (US), and San Fransisco-based Heather Brookfield from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in June 2021.

Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling Tier 3

Goodwin maintains a broad and active employment counseling practice, advising on hiring and disciplinary actions, union-related work, and internal workplace investigations. Employment litigation is another strength. The practice is led by Robert Hale in Boston; he deals with matters concerning non-competition, discrimination and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) litigation, among other areas. San Francisco-based Koray Bulut leads the California branch of the employment practice, working primarily with technology companies.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Corporate governance Tier 3

M&A/corporate and commercial > Shareholder activism Tier 3

Goodwin excels in devising defense strategies against activists of all sizes and from industries such as life sciences, technology and real estate. The 'solid, highly responsive and extremely hard-working' team has extensive experience of proxy contests and conducts annual board self-assessments and education sessions for clients. Practising from both Boston and New York, Andrew Goodman contributes to the team’s corporate governance offering in the life sciences and technology sectors. Joseph Johnson III  and Sean Donohue are also recommended.

Real estate Tier 3

Goodwin's real estate department has a strong focus on representation of institutional investors, REITs and private equity funds in acquisitions, leasing and developments, as well as in complex financings and joint venture formation. Based in Los Angeles, practice chair Dean Pappas is highly regarded in the local market for his acquisition and disposition work. Jennifer Sung, acting in the same office, is invested in the firms’ emerging PropTech Initiative, a practice at the intersection of real estate and technology, led by co-head Minta Kay in Boston. Also on the east coast, Andy Sucoff in Boston focuses on UPREIT and downREIT contribution transactions, distressed and recapitalization on retail, office, multifamily and life sciences real estate.  

Labor and employment > Employee benefits, executive compensation and retirement plans: design Tier 4

Goodwin has demonstrable capability in handling a range of executive compensation mandates, and also advises its roster of clients on employee benefits issues. In the firm’s Washington DC and Boston office, respectively, practice co-leader Patrick Menasco, who focuses on ERISA Title 1 matters, and Rachel Faye Smith, who handles qualified plans, are praised for providing ‘correct and timely answers to the most complicated matters’. In Silicon Valley, Lynda Galligan acts for public and private companies in the technology and life sciences sectors on equity-based arrangements, and Boston-based practice co-leader James Mattus is another key member of the team.

M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts Tier 4

Goodwin is active in the mid-market, with coverage on both coasts, and advises a wide range of funds, target companies, and other investors, with a particular specialism in tech and early-stage transactions. The team handles buyouts, investments, re-financings, and exits, and also offers in-house tax, antitrust, and regulatory expertise, as well as being able to service cross-border deals in key jurisdictions across Europe and Asia. The team is led by Boston-based John LeClaire , whose expertise includes advising funds with healthcare portfolio companies, as well as working on growth company investments in tech, and consumer products, alongside the San Francisco-based duo of Andrew Weidhaas and Michael Kendall , who both handle private equity and venture capital investments in a wide range of industries, and represent clients in both small-scale and bulge bracket deals. New York’s Stuart Rosenthal  takes the lead on healthcare verticals, while Boston’s Jon Herzog focuses on private equity and technology transactions, encompassing growth investments and investor-side M&A.

Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 4

Goodwin is well regarded for its capabilities in life sciences representation, working with both fast-growth companies and market stalwarts on acquisitions, sales, and equity structuring matters. Private investment fund formations are also a core competency for the team. Practice chair Neal Sandford advises on the full scope of REIT work, while the highly experienced Howard Cubell focuses on the recapitalizing of portfolio assets by private equity sponsors. Edward Glazer leverages his expertise in real estate capital markets, handling securitization and collective investment vehicle structuring. Karen Turk focuses on REITs, while San Francisco-based Kelsey LeMaster is recommended for experience with private equity and venture capital funds. All named lawyers are based in Boston unless stated otherwise.

Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 5

Richard Strassberg - Goodwin  

Healthcare > Service providers Tier 5

Goodwin‘s service providers team acts alongside its well-regarded life sciences team to offer excellent transactional services to health providers and systems. That connection leaves the team ‘uniquely suited’ to offer services to health tech providers. It can also provide dedicated health regulatory support, with a particular emphasis on womens’ healthcare providers. The team is co-led by Chris Wilson and David Cappillo in Boston and James Gatta in New York. Also New York-based, Delphine Park O’Rourke is known for her women’s health provider expertise.  

Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 6

Goodwin provides clients with a one-stop-shop, advising on the full spectrum of restructuring matters including insolvency litigation, creditors’ right litigation, out-of-court restructurings, bankruptcy proceedings and intercreditor disputes. It advises borrowers, lenders, acquirers and committees of creditors across the globe. The practice is led from New York by Michael Goldstein , who has a breadth of restructuring expertise spanning across sectors such as chemicals, consumer goods, healthcare, retail and technology. The practice saw the departure of Nathan Schultz and Gregory Fox, in addition to the retirement of William Weintraub  during 2021.

Dispute resolution > General commercial disputes