Mr Brett Schuman > Goodwin > San Francisco, United States > Lawyer Profile

Goodwin assists clients in cannabis acquisitions, significant capital raises and disputes, as well as transactions. The department also represents private equity, venture capital funds and investors in cannabis investments and regulatory approvals. Joint team heads Jennifer Fisher and Brett Schuman are both located in San Francisco, with the former possessing extensive knowledge of cannabis regulatory and litigation mandates and frequently representing cannabis industry operators. Bill Growney is located in Silicon Valley and assists investors in cannabis related transactions, while Boston based David Apfel represents a diversity of clients in corporate, litigation and regulatory mandates.

Goodwin has a presence on both coasts, with San Francisco-based Koray Bulut, Silicon Valley-based Andrew Ong, New York-based Albert Solecki and Boston-based Mark Tully leading the interdisciplinary team, which is able to handle the full spectrum of trade secret matters, including those involving employment, cybersecurity and criminal litigation. It is adept at advising clients ranging from well-known companies and start-ups to individual employees, particularly on mobility cases. Silicon Valley-based partner Neel Chatterjee has particular expertise in high-stakes technology work while San Francisco’s Brett Schuman is noted particularly for his work representing Rivian Automotive, Inc against Tesla. Counsel Jeremy Lateiner, also in San Francisco, is one to watch, developing his specialism in the field of employee mobility and competitor disputes.

The intellectual property litigation team at Goodwin frequently represents innovators and creators of generics in pharma and biotech-related litigation, seeing success in significant federal circuit and Supreme Court cases. In addition to pharma-related expertise, the tech industry is another area of strength, with the firm regularly involved in high-profile, innovative cases within the space. The strength of the practice is clearly demonstrated through a client list, including Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals all on the life sciences side, and IBM, CommScope, and Samsung displaying strong tech expertise. Brett Schuman leads the team out of San Francisco, alongside Daryl Wiesen based in the firm’s Boston office. Noted practitioners within the team include Elaine Blais, with experience across all stages of patent litigation, and PJ McCarthy with specialist knowledge in complex tech related disputes, particularly within computer, electronics, and mechanical arts. Naomi Birbach, with extensive experience in Hatch-Waxman linked generic drug litigation, is also integral to the team.