Orrick Adds Life Sciences and Tech Transactions Partner David Sharrow

• David joins the firm’s life sciences and tech transactions team as a partner.
• He brings 25+ years of experience guiding premier life sciences and tech companies in shaping intellectual property strategies and facilitating crucial collaboration, partnering, and licensing agreements for strategic success.
• Most recently leading Gunderson Dettmer’s Licensing, Strategic Partnering, and Commercial Transactions group, he will be based in Boston and will also spend time in New York.
• David is the second market-leading life sciences partner to join the firm this year, following first chair IP litigator Tim Carroll, and the 34th over the past 3 years. He is also the 26th partner to join the firm’s East Coast tech and life sciences platform since the beginning of 2021.

Matthew Gemello, leader of Orrick’s Corporate Business Unit, said: “Serial entrepreneurs turn to David again and again as a trusted advisor on both business design and execution – from the earliest stage of business structuring through exit by sale or IPO. He will be an enormous asset to our clients in tech, life sciences and at the intersection and we could not be more excited to welcome him to our team.”

Tech Transactions practice leader Sarah Schaedler added: “Technology transactions are at the heart of our clients’ businesses and David is the kind of advisor who operates at the strategic level, but also rolls his sleeves up to help companies at all stages with complex IP and technology related questions. That’s the way we love to practice and he’s going to help take our team to the next level.”

David advises companies in a diverse spectrum of cutting-edge technologies, covering life sciences (biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, digital health, genomic technology), fintech, artificial intelligence, information technology (including hardware, software, SaaS, and database solutions), edtech, renewable energy and sustainable technologies, AR/VR and cybersecurity. His practice focuses on helping clients navigate the complexities of these dynamic fields – and ensuring clients are well-positioned to develop, protect, and commercialize their innovative ideas and strategic assets.

“Orrick's forward-thinking strategy, centered on a globally connected platform dedicated to the tech and life sciences sectors, providing scalable transactional, litigation, and regulatory solutions, aligns perfectly with the needs of today's innovative companies. With an exceptional team of talent at its core, the firm offers incredible opportunities to collaborate with colleagues worldwide to create something extraordinary for our clients,” David added.

David has served as a visiting or guest lecturer at Tulane, Yale, Princeton, NYU, Columbia, Cornell, Fordham and other major institutions.

Orrick advises 4,500 high-growth tech companies, including 350+ venture-backed life sciences, wellness and other healthtech companies as well as investors, and 11 of the top 20 U.S. biotech and pharmaceutical companies by market cap. The firm also counsels over 50% of the top 25 largest public tech companies by market cap, as well as more than 10% of U.S. unicorn technology companies. In 2023, Orrick closed 775+ venture capital deals including 300+ in Europe where the firm is the #1 most active, a position held for the last 7 years.