Life science lawyer Amy Baker Mandragouras joins Cooley from Nelson Mullins

Life science lawyer Amy Baker Mandragouras joins Cooley from Nelson Mullins

Mandragouras and her team would help build Cooley's presence in East Coast and focus on life sciences patient counselling

The Silicon Valley-based international law firm Cooley in its serious bid to expand its presence on the East Coast has hired life sciences lawyer Amy Baker Mandragouras.

She joins as a partner along with her team from Nelson Mullins and would be based in the firm's Boston office. Mandragouras' team include experienced lawyers and technical specialists who are essentially involved in life sciences patent counselling and prosecution practice in Boston.

"Amy is a well-known and respected practitioner across the Boston legal market, and her arrival will prove instrumental in strengthening our life sciences-focused patent work in the Northeast and across the globe. We are excited to add her depth and experience to our team, as more and more game-changing life sciences companies continue to call Boston home," Ivor Elrifi, chair of Cooley's global patent counselling and prosecution practice group, said.

Mandragouras was head of Nelson Mullins's life sciences patent practice. She has over 30 years of experience advising biotech and pharma companies on patent and IP matters. She spent more than a decade at Nelson Mullins, holding some leadership positions including as managing partner of its Boston office and chair of the Boston office's diversity, equity and inclusion committee.

Before getting associated with Nelson Mullins, Mandragouras had spent nearly two decades with Lahive & Cockfield. She had risen from the ranks to become the first woman chair of its executive committee, before the firm combined with Nelson Mullins in 2010.

"I've enjoyed collaborating closely with Cooley partner Heidi Erlacher for clients over many years and am thrilled to combine my team with such a talented life sciences IP group," Mandragouras said.

Mandragouras' practice focuses on IP strategy and other patent counselling matters that include helping clients build strong patent portfolios and advising on the IP aspects of collaborations, acquisitions and licensing deals.