Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has hired life sciences and intellectual property licensing expert Adam Golden from Hogan Lovells to lead its US life sciences transactions practice.  

Golden joins the firm as a partner after seven years as Hogan Lovells’ New York corporate head, where he handled license and collaboration deals, M&A, financings and commercial transactions in the life sciences sector. Notable high-profile deals he has worked on include Novartis’ $8.7bn acquisition of AveXis and Celgene’s 9$bn acquisition of Juno Therapeutics.  

The firm said Golden’s hire reflected its commitment to building out its US-based life sciences business amid rising client demand and high levels of activity in the sector, which has been on a steady increase since the start of the pandemic. 

Jennifer Bethlehem, partner and global head of Freshfields’ healthcare practice, said: “Adam brings a wealth of experience and skill in critical areas for our life sciences clients. His work lies at the heart of what life sciences companies are doing every day to advance their business strategies, making him a valuable resource for our clients and an important member of our team.”  

Prior to joining Hogan Lovells in 2014, Golden spent the bulk of his career at New York-based firm Kaye Scholer, where he served as a partner and co-chair of the firm’s corporate department.  

Golden’s dual corporate and intellectual property skillset complement Freshfields’ existing life sciences offering, which primarily advises pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices and pharmaceutical distribution companies as well as healthcare providers, regulatory authorities and academic institutions.  

John Fisher, leader of Freshfields' life sciences and technology M&A practice in the US and co-founder of the firm’s Silicon Valley office, said: “Adam is an outstanding and well-known practitioner in the life sciences space who adds further depth to our team and will serve as a key resource for our clients at all stages of growth across the country.”  

Freshfields has been making a significant push in the US of late, in line with a drive by the UK’s Magic Circle firms to secure stronger footholds in the lucrative US legal market.  

Last year, Freshfields opened in Silicon Valley, becoming the first magic circle firm to enter the West Coast market since Clifford Chance exited the region in 2007. It made a slew of lateral hires from US rivals as part of the California launch, taking on senior lawyers from Davis Polk, Latham & Watkins, Sidley Austin and Wilson Sonsini to assemble what US head of corporate and M&A Ethan Klingsberg described as a “dream team”.  

In March, Allen & Overy followed suit by opening an office in Los Angeles, anchored by a six-partner US project finance and renewables team from Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld.  

UK rival Linklaters has also been active in New York this week, launching a data solutions, cyber and privacy practice following the arrival of Prudential Financial’s former chief counsel for cybersecurity and privacy Erez Liebermann.

Also this week, Cooley launched in Chicago to tap into the Midwest’s venture capital scene and growing tech and life sciences industry.