Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Matthew Ferry as a partner in the firm’s Life Sciences Transactions + Licensing and Technology Transactions Groups, based in San Diego. Ferry brings more than a decade of combined technology transactions, life sciences transactions, and licensing experience to Morrison Foerster. Ferry joins the firm from Perkins Coie LLP.

Ferry’s addition highlights the continued expansion of the firm’s global Life Sciences and Technology Transactions team in key markets on both the East and West Coasts in recent years. This includes the notable arrivals of Technology Transactions and Life Sciences Transactions + Licensing partner Matt Karlyn in Boston, FDA Regulatory + Life Sciences Compliance Group chair Stacy Cline Amin in Washington, D.C., and Patent Strategy + Prosecution partner Hogene Choi in Palo Alto. Ferry’s arrival also underscores the continued growth of the firm’s California capabilities; he is the eighth partner to join the firm on the West Coast since the start of the year. Ferry’s arrival also follows the addition of Investigations + White Collar Defense partner Adam Braverman to the San Diego office in 2021.

Ferry joins Morrison Foerster from another leading international law firm, where he advised clients on life sciences, pharmaceutical, strategic IP, technology, data, and information-related transactions. He works with emerging growth, privately held, and publicly traded companies across the life sciences sector, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, and medical devices. Ferry advises clients on a variety of transactions, from early-stage startup issues to commercial agreements supporting company operations, to supporting venture capital and private equity clients in their investments in technology and life sciences companies, to supporting corporate teams in a variety of exits.

“Matt is a tremendous strategic addition to our global Life Sciences + Healthcare and Technology Transactions Groups at a time of increasing demand within the ever-growing global life sciences industry. In addition to bringing an excellent technical background and extensive experience in commercial life sciences and licensing transactions to the firm, Matt’s presence further expands our offerings on the ground in San Diego and across California, as well as in other key geographies nationally and globally,” said Michael Ward, global head of Morrison Foerster’s Life Sciences + Healthcare Group.

Ferry draws on his hard science technical background and previous patent prosecution and IP litigation experience to counsel clients in a number of areas including commercial contracts at all stages of technology and product development, patent and technology license agreements, IP and commercial contract matters, and IP hygiene related to startup companies.

“Morrison Foerster is a well-known global life sciences and technology leader with exceptional life sciences and transactional capabilities and highly skilled attorneys,” said Ferry. “I am thrilled to work with my new colleagues in the firm’s Life Sciences + Healthcare and Technology Transactions practices to help our clients navigate the rapidly growing area of transactions and licensing in the national and global life sciences sector, while growing my practice on the ground in San Diego,” said Ferry.

Prior to his most recent role, Ferry spent six years at another leading global firm focusing on both IP litigation and technology transactions. Earlier in his career, he served as a patent agent at a respected patent boutique firm. Ferry earned his J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where he served as comments editor and senior articles editor of the Journal of Law and Technology. He earned his M.S. in Physics from the California Institute of Technology, and his B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, in Physics and Astrophysics from the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to his practice-focused work, Ferry also maintains an active pro bono practice, including representing small business owners and nonprofits in their commercial agreements. He is admitted to practice in California.