Legal issues that surround healthcare services are notoriously varied and fluid. The wealth of experience of our firm marks it out as one of the country’s most sure-footed in this increasingly complex area. Clients find that the team led by Sarah Johnson strikes a perfect balance balance between providing imaginative responses and practical solutions. We have advised the HSE, voluntary hospitals, other health agencies and service providers in relation to administrative, regulatory, corporate and commercial matters.

Our healthcare work is complemented by health promotion advice. Not surprisingly, for many clients in the healthcare and life sciences sectors, from public bodies to multi - national pharmaceutical companies, Philip Lee has now achieved a considerable reputation in:

• Procurement and Hospital development;
• Pharmaceutical Law; and
• Ethics and Codes of Conduct

Procurement and hospital development

We deliver strategic advice across a broad range of works, supplies and services including the procurement of medical supplies, PR services, IT services and ICT projects and recruitment services. We also deliver regular procurement law workshops to our clients. Our team’s acknowledged legislative and contractual expertise also extends to new and existing hospital development.

Pharmaceutical Law

In the pharmaceutical area, the firm’s strong European Law background and Brussels office gives it a head start. As a great majority of Irish legislation now emanates from the European Commission, an authoritative grasp of EU law is essential, particularly when working for pharmaceutical companies who operate in many different legal fields. Leading all island pharmaceutical and Life Sciences expert Anne Bateman heads this specialised team.

Anne and her team regularly advise on parallel imports, retail licences and leases, patents and licensing. For instance, we have undertaken an extensive analysis of the pricing and reimbursement systems for pharmaceuticals of National Health Authorities throughout the EU. This called for comprehensive negotiations with the European Commission and other National Health Authorities. We have also provided detailed advice on the implications of EU internal market law, and in particular EU free movement of goods case-law on the entitlements and obligations of a National Health Authority in relation to pricing and reimbursement of parallel imported pharmaceuticals.

Ethics and Codes of Conduct

Given the extent of our public sector client base, we have considerable experience advising in both of these areas. The majority of public sector clients operate codes of conduct for staff members and codes of business conduct. We have frequently drafted or amended such codes as required, in order to tailor them to the specific nature of our client’s business, or to take cognisance of developments in law.