International law firm McDermott Will & Emery welcomes a new five lawyer US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) team to its Healthcare Practice Group. Joining from Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the team includes Partners James “Jamie” Ravitz and Paul Gadiock and provides strategic counsel to FDA-regulated life sciences, digital health and healthcare services companies and their investors, including private equity. The group also provides critical FDA-related transactional support, leads FDA and healthcare investigations and government enforcement actions, provides FDA and healthcare regulatory general counsel services, and brings novel technologies and products through the FDA regulatory process.

“We have long sought to expand and bolster our existing FDA team by adding industry-leading practitioners like Jamie and Paul,” said Jerry Sokol, global head of Healthcare at McDermott. “FDA regulation is a pressing concern for a rapidly increasing number of our health and life sciences and investor clients, and we’re well positioned to meet all areas of critical need in the FDA space. Their decision to join McDermott reflects our status as a destination for top-tier healthcare lawyers.”

Jamie, who led the FDA, healthcare and consumer products compliance practice at his prior firm, works with clients across the entire spectrum of life sciences and healthcare space, including providing regulatory counsel, enforcement defense, and litigation and compliance guidance. He is particularly focused on FDA and healthcare regulatory counseling and works in partnership with companies and investors to help them achieve their business goals across the complete ecosystem of FDA-regulated products. He has consistently been recognized as a leading lawyer in healthcare and life sciences by publications including Chambers USA, LMG Life Sciences and U.S. News & World Report – Best Lawyers.

“McDermott is a leader in the healthcare space. I’m thrilled to join the Firm and have access to its deep resources and diverse client base to help drive growth for the FDA practice,” Jamie said.

As a former member of senior leadership at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Paul leverages his firsthand experience at the agency to counsel life sciences, healthcare and other FDA-regulated companies at every phase of the product lifecycle. He is based in San Francisco.

Paul said, “McDermott’s market reputation speaks for itself, and I’m excited to collaborate with new colleagues across the country on medical and consumer product matters.”

Jamie and Paul’s team will include seasoned FDA and healthcare lawyers with significant experience in enforcement and litigation matters, and former US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General lawyers.

McDermott is the nation’s leading healthcare law firm and the only healthcare practice to receive top national rankings from U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms,” Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US and Law360. The practice was also recognized by Chambers as “Healthcare Team of the Year” in 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2022. McDermott has also repeatedly held the top spot in PitchBook’s League Tables as the most active firm for healthcare private equity.

“As a regulatory quarterback, Jamie will be a great addition to our team. And adding Paul in San Francisco allows us to extend our already robust FDA practice coast to coast,” said Doug Carsten, global head of McDermott’s global Life Sciences Practice Group. “I’m looking forward to working with this group to solve some of the most important challenges our clients face.”

McDermott Will & Emery partners with leaders around the world to fuel missions, knock down barriers and shape markets. Our team works seamlessly across practices and industries to deliver highly effective solutions that propel success. More than 1,400 lawyers strong, we bring our personal passion and legal prowess to bear in every matter for our clients and the people they serve.