Perfect Pivots? How Firms Manage Life Sciences Workflow

Dechert intellectual property (IP) partner Katherine A. Helm, Ph.D. is featured in Managing IP, discussing how firms manage life sciences workflow. Dr. Helm notes that while life sciences offer significant opportunities, firms must strategically structure their practices to handle fluctuating IP work. She mentions that life sciences patent litigation tends to be less cyclical compared to other dispute areas. "It's generally pretty steady."

To manage workflow, firms diversify their client base to navigate economic downturns. Firms also encourage professionals to pivot between technologies and practice areas.

Dr. Helm points out that life sciences patent litigation often involves global assets, requiring litigators to handle regulatory and contractual issues alongside patent matters. "Any heavily regulated industry has legal problems aplenty. But it's very important for U.S. life sciences litigators to start thinking about patent-adjacent matters, as well as strict patent litigation matters," she says. "Our in-house attorneys do not live in the silo of exclusive patent litigation matters all the time. They are constantly confronted with other issues from the business."