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In Vault's Practice Area Resource Centers, among other things, we highlight Q&As from various attorneys employed at law firms who have ranked for prestige in the relevant practice area. In this series, we will highlight some answers from attorneys at ranked firms regarding what their typical day is like working in a given practice area. Today, we feature some answers from our Health Law Practice Area Resource Center.
Marissa Hill Daley, Associate & Marshall E. Jackson, Jr., Partner—McDermott, Will & Schulte:
Marshall: I love that every day is different. In the morning, I may be advising a startup healthtech company on a complex regulatory question that can mean boom or bust for the company. At lunch, I may be negotiating transaction agreements and supporting diligence on a client’s acquisition. Before day’s end, I may be helping a private equity-backed physician practice affiliate with a new hospital partner. In between, I am meeting with clients, training and supporting other attorneys, and keeping up on industry, policy, and regulatory developments.
Marissa: No two days look the same, but most involve balancing client work with team coordination. Sometimes regulatory emergencies (e.g., a medical device recall) pop up, and the game plan goes out the window. Being flexible helps you roll with surprises and keep things moving without increased stress. I think it’s important to take care of yourself first, so I make time to move my body every day.
On the regulatory side, I may be advising on FDA compliance issues. On the transactions side, I may be managing the regulatory aspects of private equity-related transactions, meaning reviewing FDA-related diligence materials, participating in diligence calls with the target company, and drafting the FDA portion of a diligence memo to summarize findings about the client’s target. Keeping deals on track is a big part of my role.
Laura Koman, Associate—Jones Day: One thing that I enjoy about this practice is that every day looks a little bit different. Nearly every day involves some sort of legal research, typically looking at federal or state statutes and regulations and related agency guidance to advise clients on questions that often do not have a clear-cut answer. I also do a good amount of drafting, whether it’s a formal memo containing a regulatory analysis, helping clients draft documents to set up appropriate corporate and regulatory-oriented structures for their healthcare arrangements, or drafting and advising on commercial agreements. No matter what I am working on, it usually involves close collaboration and communication with clients and with others at the firm. I am frequently collaborating with Health Care and Life Sciences lawyers in other offices (we have a presence in nearly every U.S. office, as well as globally) and with lawyers in other practice groups. Jones Day’s commitment to client service means that we bring in the right lawyers with the right experience to deliver the best work product for our clients, regardless of practice designation or office location. This is great for associates, who get the chance to work with a lot of different people and see how a big project comes together.
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