Ropes & Gray Adds Chambers Band 1 Partner Alison Dennis to its London Office

Ropes & Gray has added Alison Dennis as a partner in its life sciences regulatory practice based in London, the firm announced today. One of the few practitioners in the market who works across both regulatory and transactional matters, Alison joins with an unbroken record in contested regulatory proceedings, having persuaded regulators and notified bodies to reverse their decisions on every occasion she has tried.

Alison brings more than 30 years of experience advising pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers across the UK and EU in negotiations with competent authorities, notified bodies, and industry bodies. Her work extends to the transactions that depend on that regulatory insight, including due diligence for major corporate transactions and listings, IP licensing, and compliance with anti-bribery laws and industry codes.

Alison’s hire deepens Ropes & Gray's European life sciences practice, which advises pharmaceutical and medical device companies at every stage of the product life cycle, including clinical development, market access and post-market compliance.

Alison will work alongside Lincoln Tsang, head of the firm's European life sciences practice. Together they give clients access to two Band 1-ranked life sciences regulatory practitioners in London, delivering the science and policy expertise along with the regulatory and transactional depth that the firm’s clients require.

The firm’s wider global life sciences regulatory and compliance team includes lawyers with experience at the FDA, in senior in-house roles, and in the legislative branch. The group works closely with the firm's corporate, intellectual property, antitrust, and litigation teams, among others, to provide integrated support across life sciences transactions, enforcement actions, and investigations.

Alison's arrival comes as life sciences companies confront significant regulatory change across the UK and EU. The MDR and IVDR transition deadlines, the reform of EU pharmaceutical legislation agreed in late 2025, and the UK's evolving post-Brexit path are driving unprecedented demand for lawyers who can advise on both regulatory and transactional questions.

“Alison is one of the most respected regulatory voices in European life sciences, and her instinct for where the science, the regulator and the deal meet is exactly what our clients in this market rely on," said Greg Levine, head of the life sciences regulatory and compliance practice group. “Her arrival is a statement of our ambitions for London, and a signal to clients of the strength we are building here."

Alison is ranked Band 1 for Life Sciences (Regulatory) by Chambers UK 2026, where sources describe her as having "exceptional understanding of regulatory impacts on the UK industry" and praise her ability "to find solutions and mitigate risk." She is also one of only ten lawyers recognised as a "Global Elite Thought Leader in Regulatory Life Sciences" by Who's Who Legal in Europe.

“What drew me to Ropes & Gray is its combination of an incredible global platform and a genuinely collaborative culture, with outstanding colleagues in life sciences, M&A and across the firm to whom I can turn on any client issue,” said Alison Dennis. “This team is the undisputed life sciences powerhouse, in London and around the world. I’m excited to join."

Alison, who is qualified in England and Wales and the Republic of Ireland, joins Ropes & Gray from another international law firm, where she served as partner and international co-head of its life sciences and health care team.

Alison's arrival is the latest in a series of senior hires to Ropes & Gray's European practice in 2026, and reflects continued investment in the firm's life sciences and broader platform across London, Milan, and Paris.