Sectors

Pharma and Life Sciences

Ireland boasts Europe’s leading cluster of pharma, life sciences and medical technology companies, and they operate under high levels of regulatory scrutiny. We help many of them to navigate their way through their most complex legal challenges, with clarity and certainty.

Our life sciences expertise

With a deep understanding of the complex and evolving challenges facing the life sciences sector, our dedicated team brings together expertise in corporate, competition, regulatory, dispute resolution, and intellectual property law, underpinned by deep sectoral insight.

As one of the most active advisers to companies across the pharma and life sciences sector, we guide clients on a wide range of matters, including contentious, transactional, regulatory, product liability, IP, and commercial disputes. Our team has played a leading role in some of the most significant and high-profile cases in recent Irish legal history.

We are also recognised for our strength in transactional and regulatory work, with a strong track record of guiding clients through complex deals and evolving compliance landscapes.

‘‘McCann FitzGerald LLP has a major presence in contentious, transactional and regulatory aspects of life sciences and healthcare. It continues to be noted for product liability and has acted for clients in many of the largest cases in recent Irish history.’’

The Legal 500, 2024

‘‘McCann FitzGerald LLP has a wide ranging healthcare and life sciences practice, with particular strengths in IP litigation, product liability and corporate transactions. The firm is also active in regulatory matters, IT and commercial agreements. It has an impressive client list of life sciences businesses and healthcare providers.’’

The Legal 500, 2024

‘‘… the team at McCanns are super responsive and client friendly. They have excellent industry sector knowledge and apply the law in a commercial, pragmatic way enabling clients to understand their advice and apply it within their companies. In my experience, their client service standards are first class and exceed those of most other comparable firms.’’

The Legal 500, 2023

‘‘McCann has in depth expertise of the pharmaceutical sector and depth of expertise in handling pharma litigation. This knowledge has been of key importance in preparing evidence for preliminary injunction applications.’’

The Legal 500, 2023

‘‘What is really helpful and which can be overlooked is the ability to be able to speak to non-lawyers and explain complex legal matters in a way that doesn’t have to be amended.’’

The Legal 500, 2023

Awards and recognition

Ireland Patent Disputes Firm of the Year, Managing IP Awards EMEA 2025.
The Europe Cross-Border Patent Litigation Team of the Year, Managing IP Awards EMEA 2024.
Patent & Regulatory Team of the Year, Managing IP Awards EMEA 2024
Fiona O’Beirne – Practitioner of the Year, Managing IP Awards EMEA 2024

Clients we've supported

Boston Scientific: Ongoing corporate, employment, equality, and industrial relations advice for Irish operations.
GSK: Broad counsel including IP, product liability, regulatory, and commercial arrangements.
Inflection Biosciences: Intellectual property strategy and protection in oncology.
Maynooth University: IP protection, exploitation, and licensing.
Pfizer: Complex corporate and regulatory matters, including marketing authorisations and patent litigation.
Science Foundation Ireland: Agreements for R&D collaborations with Pfizer in Irish universities.