A&O Shearman hires leading life sciences transactions partner Matthew Karlyn in Boston

“Licensing and collaboration remain central to innovation and growth in life sciences, and Boston's position as a global hub for biotechnology and pharmaceuticals means the city is where much of this critical transactional activity originates. Matt is one of a small group of U.S. lawyers who combines deep experience in life sciences deal-making with fluency in technology transactions, and his established relationships across Boston's biotech and pharma community are a tremendous asset. We are excited to welcome him to our firm and to add his knowledge and expertise to our strong and expanding team in the U.S.,” said Jim Ford, global co-head of Digital, Data, IP and Technology and Life Sciences sector lead at A&O Shearman.

“A&O Shearman has built a strong transatlantic platform in transactional IP, with deep life sciences and technology capability across the world,” said Matt Karlyn. “Boston sits at the heart of global life sciences, and the relationships I have built here over nearly three decades position me to connect clients with the firm’s integrated, cross-border offering. As licensing, collaboration, and technology-driven transactions in life sciences become more complex and global, this platform is exactly what clients need. I look forward to working with colleagues across the firm to help clients navigate their most cutting-edge life sciences and technology matters.”

Matt is ranked Band 1 by Chambers USA for Intellectual Property: Licensing in Massachusetts and is widely recognized for his ties to Boston's life sciences community and his role as a trusted adviser to companies across the sector.

Matt’s addition is the latest step in A&O Shearman's sustained investment in U.S. talent across multiple practice areas. In the last 12 months, the firm has welcomed a series of lateral hires that together further build out its U.S. capabilities: Paul Astolfi (Dallas), Katy McNeil (Chicago), who boosted the firm's renewables and energy transition offering and established its new Chicago presence—an office that has recently expanded with the addition of private equity and M&A partner Valentine Bleicher from Kirkland & Ellis.

In New York, the firm has made a series of targeted hires including: Michael Kim (capital markets), former head of Americas capital markets legal at Morgan Stanley; Ned Schodek (restructuring), who returned to the firm from Schulte Roth & Zabel; Jan Sysel (fund finance), who joined from Fried Frank to lead the U.S. fund finance practice; Nick Ramphal (M&A), who rejoined from Cadwalader. Catherine Hein, a former senior U.S. Department of the Treasury official and national security lawyer, joined in Washington, D.C., strengthening the firm's CFIUS offering; and Kathryn Mims, also in Washington, D.C., joined from White & Case to support the firm’s U.S. antitrust practice.