SILICON VALLEY (December 2, 2009) — LawFuel.com – McDermott Will & Emery LLP is pleased to welcome Paul De Stefano, one of the nation’s elite attorneys in the biotech industry, to its Silicon Valley office. Mr. De Stefano will join the Firm’s Health Industry Advisory Practice Group, and Life Sciences & Medical Devices Practice Group as a partner. In this role, he will engage in strategic planning and legal representation in the formation, financing, and operations of companies in the biopharma sector.
“We are thrilled to welcome Paul to McDermott,” said Stephen Bernstein, leader of McDermott’s Health Industry Advisory Practice Group. “His deep understanding of the operational and business aspects of life science companies, including product development and associated licensing, and dispositions of company assets, will be of great benefit to our clients, only serving to bolster our reputation as a prominent force in the life sciences industry.”
Throughout his distinguished legal career, Mr. De Stefano has represented 250 biotech companies and about 75 investor groups worldwide, and he has been involved as counsel in more than 50 IPOs. He was previously the chief legal officer of the pioneering biotech company Genentech, Inc. for six years, two of which he served as a member of the company’s Management Committee. Through his work with Genentech, he successfully raised $300 million in strategic alliances and more than $200 million in R&D limited partnerships. Prior to McDermott, Mr. De Stefano was a Principal at Fish & Richardson P.C.
“The depth and breadth of Paul’s background in the biotech industry will be a tremendous asset to our continuously growing practice,” said William Gaede, co-head of the Firm’s Life Sciences & Medical Devices Practice Group and resident in the Silicon Valley office. “Moreover, his strong international life sciences network – through which he has served on behalf of Japanese, German, and French entities in their investments – will help our practice expand its already solid international footprint.”
“Paul’s proficiency in transactional matters and business issues affecting the biotech industry adds another dimension to the broad range of services we offer to our clients in Silicon Valley and around the world,” said Anthony de Alcuaz, partner-in-charge of the Firm’s Silicon Valley office.
“I look forward to joining McDermott’s highly respected life science team,” said Paul De Stefano. “The Firm’s international client base will provide opportunities to continue to expand my work abroad, and its dual strengths in both the life sciences and intellectually property fields will complement and enhance my practice.”
Mr. De Stefano is a highly sought after speaker and writer on legal and technology issues, particularly with respect to biological sciences. He has a degree from the University of Vienna Conservatory of Music, a Bachelors degree in philosophy from Dickinson College, a J.D. from the University of Southern California, and a Masters degree in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University.
McDermott’s Life Sciences & Medical Devices Practice Group provides fully integrated, multidisciplinary legal services to the life sciences industry. Our group of 135+ lawyers, patent agents and scientific advisors provides the full range of legal services required by life sciences companies, regardless of their stage of development. We understand the specific needs of companies in this industry and can significantly support in-house counsel through various stages of their products and services life cycle. Our Life Sciences & Medical Devices practice is nationally ranked by Chambers USA.
McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Rome, San Diego, Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. Extending our reach to Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.
