Pharma, Biotech, Medtech, and Digital Health Solicitors

Pharma, Biotech, Medtech, and Digital Health
We work closely with clients in life sciences sectors – pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health – helping them to achieve their most ambitious goals, both nationally and internationally.


“Shepherd and Wedderburn has a noted practice in the healthcare arena advising clients on an array of matters, including property investment, project development and commercialisation of healthcare technology. The team also has an active presence assisting healthcare groups with operational and regulatory issues affecting care homes. The firm’s clients include care home operators, developers, private contractors and investors.”

Chambers (2025)


The work done in the pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital healthcare sectors is not just life-enhancing but often life-saving. So their importance extends beyond their considerable economic impact.

We are active participants: over time we have developed deep knowledge of these sectors, and built strong relationships of trust with our clients. They include publicly listed companies, SMEs, start-ups and universities, among others; we advise them on a very wide range of critical matters, at every stage from concept through to production at scale. The business landscape is ever-changing, in many ways, including the regulatory regime and technological advances such as the convergence of AI and digital tech. So all businesses in these sectors need to balance risks and opportunities.

Our team includes experts in intellectual property, technology, data, corporate, commercial, employment and immigration law, all with broad experience in the sector. When international advice is required, we call on the resources available in the wider firm, and use our strong relationships in the World Services Group – a global network of 130 firms operating across 145 jurisdictions, of which we were a founder member.

Our depth of practical experience enables us to add another dimension to the advice we provide: anticipating possible future problems and ensuring that the legal arrangements we put in place minimise those risks.

Our expertise includes:

  • Fundraising and financing
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Collaborations, joint ventures and strategic partnering arrangements
  • Research and Development (both academic and industrial)
  • Clinical trial and study agreements
  • Protection, acquisition and licensing intellectual property
  • Manufacturing, supply, distribution and agency agreements
  • Employment, immigration and employee incentive schemes
  • Competition and regulation
  • Advertising and promotion under regulated conditions
  • Data protection including direct marketing, data usage and security breaches
  • Exports and sanctions
  • Inwards investment and international transactions

Joanna Boag-Thomson

Partner

Madeleine Gill

Solicitor

Cameron Kane

Associate

Cath Macrae

Senior Associate

Stephen Trombala

Partner

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Related articles and insights: Pharma, Biotech, Medtech, and Digital Health

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26 November 2025

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A look into the changes to Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) employee share option plans is in the Autumn 2025 Budget.

28 October 2025

A world of opportunity

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Scotland’s first ever Global Investment Summit saw senior people from business, politics and finance come together to address the nation’s need for investment and growth.

23 September 2021

Bitter pill for the ICO to swallow as fine on pharmacy reduced

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A recent appeal by a pharmacy Doorstep Dispensaree Limited was successful in reducing a Monetary Penalty Notice issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office by approximately two thirds. Ruairidh Leishman, solicitor in our commercial disptues team, explains why.

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