BOSTON – International law firm Withers has opened a new office in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, which will be staffed by the firm’s growing team of life sciences- and venture capital-focused attorneys.
Opening an office in Boston, one of the US’s leading centers for life science research and commercialization, as well as a major venture capital hub, is a further step in Withers’ growth in servicing the tech and life sciences sectors around the world. The firm entered the Boston market in April with the arrival of three partners and a patent specialist from Burns & Levinson.
Withers partner John Serio, head of the Boston team, comments: “We’re really excited to be opening our doors in Kendall Square. Our practice is very much focused on serving the needs of Boston’s life sciences businesses, so it’s essential that we are located here amongst this biotech center. The importance of Kendall Square as a life science hub is noted by the presence of virtually every major pharmaceutical company in and around this area.”
Kendall Square is regarded as a center for both start-ups and established firms in life sciences and tech, with the rapid expansion within the last several years of lab and office buildings intended for biotech tenants. The biotech sector in Boston continues to be the center for important advances in life science with Moderna receiving emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine late last year and Biogen recently receiving approval for its Alzheimer’s drug.
As investment in Boston-based biopharmaceutical companies continues to grow and foreign pharmaceutical companies take note of the emerging dominance of Boston as a life science center, Withers’ global team is well situated to advise on both domestic and cross-border legal issues. As evidence of foreign interest in the local life science sector, British based AstraZeneca is in the process of acquiring Alexion Pharmaceuticals. Additionally, Boston based venture capital and private equity activity continues to accelerate the choice of Boston by emerging life science companies.
“On behalf of the Breegi Scientific Team, we are thrilled to learn of the launch of a Withers office in Cambridge. We look forward to building upon our solid relationship with John Serio and his team in the US as well as the Withers teams in Europe and Asia.” – Dr. Wisam Breegi, CEO & Founder of Breegi Scientific, Inc.
Withers’ Boston team includes partners John Serio, Dr. Richard Emmons and Dr. Christopher Cowles, along with associate Jennifer Anderson, tax associate Michael Steffany, patent specialist Kristina Scandore and venture capital attorney Andrew Gay. The team represents clients on the FDA regulatory and approval process, IP matters including patent and trademark protection and litigation and the licensing of technology, and venture capital deal structuring. Additionally, the Boston team provides local life science companies with the global capabilities of its life science colleagues in Withers’ European and Asia offices.
