Johanna Harelimana
Bird & BirdEmmanuelle Porte and Anne-Charlotte Le Bihan jointly lead the team at Bird & Bird, which stands out due to its strong focus on both contentious and non-contentious IP work within the medtech and pharma industries, in addition to its strong capabilities in handling tender offers. The team is particularly adept at advising venture capital funds and innovation-focused companies on their fundraising activities. Porte regularly advises on venture capital issues and M&A, assisting medtech, healthcare, and biotech clients, and Le Bihan is well known for her strength in patent litigation within the pharma industry, often coordinating pan-European litigation. Ariane Mole is an expert in data protection, often appearing before the French Data Protection Authority. Alexandre Vuchot often assists with commercial contractual issues, namely distribution and procurement arrangements, while Johanna Harelimana is noted for her broad regulatory experience, particularly in relation to market access and product qualification issues.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team's special feature is its professionalism. Its ability to advise and negotiate with third parties is remarkable. The team is also very responsive.’
‘What makes Bird & Bird unique is their comprehensive understanding of the medical device sector, particularly in the context of French regulations. The team has a deep understanding of the medical device industry and regulatory landscape, ensuring that our company receives informed and relevant advice tailored to our specific needs.’
‘The team prioritises understanding the unique needs of our company, ensuring tailored solutions that align with our specific business goals. They are not afraid to think outside the box, offering innovative solutions that address both current and future challenges.'
'Alexandre Vuchot brings extensive knowledge and experience in the medical device sector. His pragmatic approach and quick problem-solving skills are particularly noteworthy. Alexandre’s ability to distil complex regulatory issues into clear, actionable advice has been instrumental in navigating challenging situations.'
'Caroline Arrighi-Savoie’s attention to detail and deep knowledge of the life sciences sector are remarkable. Her professionalism and thorough understanding of regulatory requirements ensure that every aspect of a case is meticulously handled. Caroline’s ability to foresee potential issues and address them proactively has been a significant asset.’
‘We have been working with the B&B team for years, so they know our needs, our expectations and know how to enlighten us accordingly. The team are available and responsive, serious in their work.’
‘Bird & Bird has a multidisciplinary team capable of responding to numerous cross-cutting legal issues for start-ups: fundraising, commercial contracts, supplier contracts, business consulting, etc. Monitoring is carried out regularly and the teams are available when we need them.’
Key clients
- NovAliX
- Novo Nordisk
- CorWave
- Sparing Vision
- Edwards Lifesciences
- Dexcom
- Moon Surgical
- Implanet
- LEEM
- IQVIA
- Doctolib
- Novocure
- Biosency
- Shoebox
- Adalvo
- Orphalan
- Pixium Vision
- Eligo Bioscience
- Juvisé Pharmaceuticals
- Tilak Healthcare
- Lesaffre
- Advicenne
- Enterome
Work highlights
- Advising Juvisé Pharmaceuticals on the acquisition of the worldwide commercial rights (excluding the US/Canada) of Ponvory ® (ponesimod) from Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.
- Advised Eligo Bioscience on a new $30 million (€27.5 million) Series B round, led by Sanofi Ventures and supported by Bpifrance via its InnoBio 2 fund, as well as its historical investors Khosla Ventures and Seventure Partners (with Health For Life Capital™).
- Representing Edwards Lifesciences in a major patent dispute implying the infringement of five European patents covering a transcatheter heart valve.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Emmanuelle Porte, Anne-Charlotte Le Bihan