Overview
Gary Howes has nearly 25 years of experience advising clients in the life sciences sector on the myriad legal issues that affect this key industry. Gary advises clients on industry specific commercial contracts, patent licensing agreements, alliances, collaborations and technology transfers, IP and regulatory matters and product acquisitions and disposals.
Gary’s clients include private and public biotech companies and pharmaceuticals ranging in size and scope from start-ups to established, multinational corporations. He also represents academic and research institutions and serves as a trusted advisor to in-house general counsel and senior executives.
Gary draws on his extensive background to help life sciences clients develop and implement strategies that balance industry-specific laws, competitive pressures and best practices with broader legal, regulatory and market developments. Gary speaks regularly at prominent industry events, having served as a presenter, panelist and moderator at conferences and symposia across Europe and North America.
Gary also advises on intellectual property, including copyright and designs, know-how, inventions and patents, and trade marks, in industries such as publishing, retail, architecture, sportswear, IT, and life sciences.
He counsels clients on protection (such as existence and retention of rights, analysis of “chain of title”, contractual arrangements to perfect and maintain ownership, etc.) and exploitation (licencing, and assignment, as well as analysis of non-infringing behaviour/action).
Prior to joining McDermott, Gary was a Partner at an international law firm, where he founded the firm’s life sciences industry group.
Results
- Representing a major global pharma company on various clinical and commercial arrangements
- Representing an oncology focused autologous cell therapy company in its commercial and clinical arrangements
- Representing an oncology focused biotechnology company on all its licensing and commercial agreements, including a global alliance with a major global pharma company which when completed was among the most significant of its kind
- Representing a neuroscience focused biotechnology company on its c$250 million development agreement with a privately held US pharma company
- Advising a global CRO on its long-term Master Services Agreement with a major global pharma company
- Advising an infection focused biotech company on its collaboration and license agreement with a major global pharma company to discover, develop and commercialize novel macrolides
- Advising specialty pharma companies on their acquisition of various product portfolios, and on the commercial aspects of their corporate acquisitions
- Advising a European respiratory company on its development, marketing and distribution arrangements for its lead product
- Advising numerous life sciences companies on the commercial aspects of their IPOs/admissions to AIM
- Advising life sciences companies on their regulatory compliance, and their interactions with the EMA and MHRA (and predecessor agencies)
Recognitions
- Chambers UK 2021 to 2023, ranked within Life Sciences: Transactional and described as “very personable” and an “insightful lawyer who is very knowledgeable about the biotech sector.“
- Chambers UK 2009 to 2016, listed as ‘Leader in their field’ within Life Sciences: Transactional and Life Sciences: Commercial/Corporate and described as a “marvel in commercial agreements” and noted for “his incisive intellectual ability to reduce problems” and “ability to communicate well with laymen in non-legal terms“
- The Legal 500 UK 2022, Recommended in Life Sciences and Healthcare
- The Best Lawyers in the United Kingdom, Life Sciences Law, 2009 – 2024
- Who’s Who Legal: Life Sciences 2021, Transactional
- The Legal 500 UK 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, TMT – Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
- The Legal 500 UK 2017 recommended in Corporate and Commercial: M&A – mid-market & Private Equity mid-cap
- Global Counsel, highly recommended for his work in patent, commercial IP and protection issues
- European Counsel Life Sciences Industry Report, included in its ‘Super League for Intellectual Property’
- Who’s Who Legal 100 2010, 2011, 2014, Life Sciences
- IAM Patent 1000: The World’s Leading Patent Practitioners, 2012 and 2014, praised for being “bright, experienced and able to home in on the most important aspects of a deal”
- International Who’s Who of Life Sciences Lawyers 2013, listed as one of the world’s leading ‘Transactional’ lawyers
- Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Magazine, recognized as one of the top 250 patent and technology licensing lawyers worldwide. Clients cite him as “exceedingly knowledgeable” and praise him for concentrating “on the practical issues” and finding “effective solutions“
Community
- Bio Industry Association
Credentials
Education
University of Auckland, LLB, 1986
Admissions
England and Wales, 1992
New Zealand, 1987
