DibbsBarker appoints life science and healthcare expert

Law firm DibbsBarker has announced the appointment of Andrew Rankine as a new special counsel in the company’s Sydney office. Armed with honours degrees in medicine and biological science, as well as five years as a practising clinician before moving into law, the intellectual property law specialist is set to strengthen DibbsBarker’s life sciences and healthcare offering.

Andrew has intimate knowledge of Australia’s regulatory regime in the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology spheres, underpinned by his experience working in the Office of General Counsel at the Australian Government Solicitor. He is experienced in conducting opposition proceedings before the Australian Patent Office and providing strategic advice on freedom to operate, patent validity and patent term extensions.

Rankine has acted for major players over many years, representing both generic pharmaceutical companies, such as Apotex, Actavis and Sandoz, and originator companies, including Wyeth (before its merger with Pfizer) and Sanofi-Aventis. His intellectual property litigation experience encompasses copyright infringement, trademark infringement, misleading and deceptive conduct, passing off and trade secrets cases in the Federal Court and Federal Circuit Court.

“Andrew is a triple threat — he is a technically excellent lawyer on both the litigation and advisory sides of the coin, and he has unrivalled industry insight with his background in the healthcare sector,” said Melissa McGrath, head of DibbsBarker’s Intellectual Property, Technology & Competition team. “Andrew will be an invaluable member of DibbsBarker’s Life Sciences & Healthcare industry group, which has been moving from strength to strength.”

“What attracted me most to DibbsBarker was the firm’s clear focus on life sciences and health care,” Rankine added. “The firm’s existing client base is truly outstanding, which I think is a testament to the breadth and depth of expertise on offer. DibbsBarker is genuinely well placed across the board to provide a full suite of services to clients in these industries. I think that’s unusual, and I am excited to be on board.”