May 13, 2008 (Washington, D.C.-New York) – Ropes & Gray is pleased to announce that Gregory H. Levine and Howard L. Dorfman have joined the firm's Life Sciences Practice. Both will focus on the regulation of pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. Levine joins as a partner and will base his practice in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. Dorfman becomes counsel in the New York office.

"I am delighted to add both Howard and Greg to our Life Science Group, as we continue to expand our FDA and regulatory capabilities to provide a full range of legal services to our pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device clients," said Steven Wilcox, head of Ropes & Gray's Life Sciences Practice.

Alan Bennett, head of Ropes & Gray's FDA practice and managing partner of the D.C. office, also lauds Dorfman's and Levine's arrival. "Their combined background in counseling drug companies in regulatory and compliance matters, in addition to their experience in negotiating complex licensing deals, will immediately benefit our clients," he said. "Greg's presence in our D.C. office will also boost our capabilities in growing a key practice in an important market."

Levine, who is the fourth lateral partner to join the D.C. office since January, comes to Ropes & Gray from Arnold & Porter, where he provided high-end counseling and representation before the FDA and other state and federal regulators on all phases of the product life cycle. This work included determining whether and how a product is regulated, obtaining FDA marketing approvals and clearances, devising appropriate marketing and promotional strategies, and complying with post-approval obligations. He also regularly assisted clients in internal compliance investigations, responding to government investigations and enforcement actions, and healthcare fraud and abuse matters.

Prior to entering private practice, Levine was a legislative staff member in the U.S. House of Representatives and a member of a White House health care reform task force. He graduated magna cum laude from the Georgetown University Law Center and is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Howard Dorfman's practice also focuses on the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. As a former chief legal officer of the pharmaceutical division of Bayer Healthcare LLC, Dorfman was in charge of a 20-person legal department with an annual budget in excess of $38 million. He was responsible for legal oversight relating to the commercial, regulatory and compliance activities of the company's pharmaceutical operations. His major areas of expertise include FDA regulatory law; fraud and abuse; compliance programs; risk management processes; mergers and acquisitions; corporate governance; licensing and antitrust.

Dorfman also worked at Bristol-Myers Squibb for 23 years. First, as counsel for litigation, he oversaw and directed nationwide mass tort litigation involving hormones, antibiotic (tetracyline), and medical device (silicone implant) products. In 1997, he became counsel to the company's U.S. Medicines Group, where he was responsible for the legal functions relating to the two largest prescription pharmaceuticals in the Bristol-Myers cardiovascular franchise. He has lectured and published on a wide range of pharmaceutical product liability and food and drug law regulatory issues, and his articles have appeared in the Food and Drug Law Journal, the Rutgers Law Review, and the Seton Hall Law review, among others.

Mr. Dorfman received his BA (with honors) from Yeshiva University and a JD degree from Brooklyn Law School and is admitted to practice in New York.

Contact:
John D. Tuerck
Director of Communications
t. 617-951-7817

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