Life sciences

Name: Bristows
Price range: $$$

Bristows is a leading life sciences law firm. Our dedicated life sciences lawyers and patent litigators combine legal expertise with deep technical knowledge in chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, physics, engineering, pharmaceuticals and digital health, advising pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech organisations of all sizes across the global life sciences industry.

Our life sciences expertise Life sciences insights Life sciences recordings Key contacts

“Truly excellent – top of the field. Wonderful people skills here and the congenial atmosphere within the firm brings real results because of a free approach to discussing difficult technical and legal matters at all levels. And real strength in depth, from associates up to partners.”
Legal 500 2027

“The team has shown a strong ability to balance legal analysis with practical commercial considerations, which is essential in the pharmaceutical patent enforcement context where settlement and negotiation are often the preferred outcome.”
Legal 500 2027

“Across the board, the Bristows team has been highly responsive to requests and tight timelines. Whether it is turning around settlement drafts, preparing enforcement letters, or providing strategic advice on short notice, the team consistently delivers…”
Legal 500 2027

“Bristows consistently demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the complex pharmaceutical science underpinning our patent portfolio. The team engages with the technical detail at a level that inspires confidence and enables effective advocacy…”
Legal 500 2027

“Bristows is one of the top UK IP patent practices. The size and breadth of the team are excellent, particularly the quality of the talent…”
Legal 500 2027

How our life sciences lawyers can help

As one of the UK's leading life sciences law firms, our team of over 90 life sciences lawyers, solicitors and patent attorneys supports pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech organisations across the global life sciences industry. We provide specialist advice on:

Intellectual property in life sciences
Patents, trade marks, designs, licensing and IP strategy.

Regulatory
Approvals, labelling, clinical trials and compliance across medicines, devices and diagnostics

Competition and transactional law
Mergers, acquisitions and collaborations across the life sciences sector.

Dispute resolution and life sciences patent litigation
In the UK and across borders.

Data protection, privacy and ESG
For life sciences businesses

Our life sciences lawyers combine deep legal expertise with strong technical backgrounds in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, biotechnology, physics, and engineering. This blend allows us to advise on cutting-edge innovations, from pharmaceuticals and biotech to medical devices, digital health, and nanotechnology.

We work with a broad client base that includes pharmaceutical companies, medtech innovators, biotech start-ups, specialist investors, universities, and government bodies. By drawing on diverse perspectives and a fully integrated practice, we provide clear, commercially focused advice that helps clients navigate today’s challenges while preparing for the future of life sciences.

Life sciences litigation & patent litigation

Our market-leading life sciences patent litigation team represents the world's leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies in complex patent disputes, enforcing and defending valuable patent portfolios while coordinating cross-border litigation with support from our regulatory and competition specialists.

We are uniquely positioned to support clients in contentious regulatory matters, including judicial reviews of decisions taken by regulators and other public bodies. By combining specialist life sciences regulatory expertise with litigation capabilities, we help clients challenge decisions that have significant commercial and market access implications.

Life sciences and healthcare - Tier 1

Life Sciences: IP/Patent Litigation - Band 1

Life Sciences: Regulatory – Band 2

Life Sciences (Europe)

Life Sciences & Pharmaceutical Sector (International & Cross-Border) (UK)

Life Sciences: Transactional - Band 2

Life Sciences and Healthcare - Tier 1

Life Sciences: Transactional – Band 2

Life Sciences (Europe wide)

Life Sciences & Pharmaceutical Sector (International & Cross-Border)

Life Sciences (Europe wide)

Areas of expertise in life sciences law

Explore how Bristows’ life sciences lawyers advise clients across some of the most innovative and fast-moving areas of the life sciences sector:

Cell & Gene Therapies

Advising on regulatory approvals, IP, and commercialisation challenges.

Devices & Healthtech

Advising on devices, instruments and equipment, health apps, healthcare data, software and technologies.

Digital
health

Supporting tech companies, pharma companies, medical device firms and public health bodies.

Life sciences regulatory

Advising on the development and commercialisation of medicinal products, devices, in vitro diagnostics and digital health technologies.

Pharma &
Biotech

Supporting the world’s leading pharmaceutical and biotech companies.

Women's health
& innovation

Supporting companies and investors address the unmet needs in women's health.

Inquisitive Minds: Life sciences insights

Views on matters shaping life sciences. Explore the latest analysis from our life sciences lawyers on pharma, biotech, medtech, regulatory and patent developments.

Loading posts…

View all life sciences insights

Life sciences recordings and publications:

Watch and read our latest life sciences recordings and publications, including our Life Sciences Expert Series, the Biotech Review of the Year and Patents: Review of the Year

Our Life Sciences Expert Series explores the science and the legal considerations behind cutting-edge technologies. Session one led by Claire Phipps-Jones, Louisa Jacobs and Jamie Hatzel covers ADCs and radiopharmaceuticals, while session two with Louisa Jacobs, Erik Müürsepp and Katie Cambrook examines oncolytic viruses and therapeutic cancer vaccines.

Session 1: ADCs and radiopharmaceuticals

Session two: Cancer vaccines and oncolytic viruses

Early-stage biotech companies

A three-part "Spotlight On" article series covering key legal points including corporate, employment, intellectual property and tax

Patents: Review of the Year

This publication attempts to summarise the most important decisions on a topic-by-topic basis.

Biotech Review of the Year

Now in its 12th year, this annual publication an overview of some of the recent key developments in the sector. We take a look at market trends and the issues critical to those in the biotech industry.

Life Sciences Summit 2023

Subscribe to our life sciences insights

Stay ahead of the legal and regulatory developments shaping pharma, biotech and medtech. Subscribe to receive Bristows' life sciences insights straight to your inbox.

Subscribe(opens in new tab)

Meet our life sciences lawyers

The depth of our expertise in the life sciences sector is matched by its breadth. Our life sciences lawyers and patent litigators work across regulatory, IP, transactional and corporate matters. Contact our team to discuss your matter.