Christopher Hazuka > Latham & Watkins LLP > Silicon Valley, United States > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP
140 SCOTT DRIVE
MENLO PARK
CA 94025
CALIFORNIA
United States

Position

Dr. Christopher (Chris) Hazuka advises life sciences companies on the agreements and transactions that are essential to their success at all stages of their life cycle, drawing on his experience as a scientist and former in-house counsel.

Chris, based in both San Diego and the Bay Area, brings clients a scientist’s sensibility, a passion for creating synergies to bring innovation to market, and a pragmatic understanding of the full complement of business and legal issues clients face. In particular, he helps established and emerging life sciences companies by providing problem-solving advice to structure, negotiate, and execute a myriad of transactions, such as:

    • Complex collaborations
    • Intellectual property and technology licenses
    • Relationships to assist in developing drug candidates and innovative technologies
    • Manufacturing and quality agreements
    • Commercial agreements, including profit sharing and co-promotion agreements
    • University licenses
    • Clinical trial agreements

In the context of strategic transactions, he advises on:

    • Due diligence and disclosure matters
    • Venture financings, public offerings, and M&A transactions

Chris earned a PhD at Stanford University in the Neurosciences Program for his work in Dr. Richard Scheller’s laboratory on the molecular mechanisms of neurotransmission. He later served as in-house counsel for Orexigen Therapeutics, an emerging company that successfully developed and commercialized a drug to treat obesity. At the La Jolla, California-based company, Chris assisted with challenging issues across the company’s full range of legal matters.

He also clerked for Judge Jeremy Fogel of the United States District Court of Northern California, assisting on several high-stakes technology patent litigation matters.

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Intellectual property > Patents: licensing

Latham & Watkins LLP is well-known in the market for handling complex IP transactions, including cross-licensing, collaboration, and joint agreements, as well as due diligence relating to the licensing of IP. The team chiefly handles licenses relating to the life sciences and technology sectors, fielding dedicated teams maintaining close relationships with clients in these spaces. Key members of the team are Christopher Hazuka in San Diego, who advises life sciences companies on agreements and transactions, Aaron Gardner in New York, who focuses on the biotech and nutrition spaces, and Jengeun Jekkie Kim in the Bay Area, who handles licensing and commercial transactions in connection with digital health products and medical devices. Judith Hasko has left the firm.