gunnercooke grows its life sciences team with new partner hires 

gunnercooke, the leading global revenue-share law firm, has expanded its life sciences offering with the appointment of Thomas Bjorn and Peter Rudd-Clarke as Life Sciences Partners in London.  

Together, the hires add transactional, regulatory and cross-border disputes experience to a team built to support life sciences, healthcare and consumer products clients wherever they operate. 

Thomas originally qualified as an Advokat in Denmark before requalifying as a solicitor in England and Wales. He was Head of Legal at Octapharma AG in Switzerland and later General Counsel and Deputy Director at the UK Health Security Agency and its predecessor bodies, before moving into private practice. His transactional work spans life sciences and technology, including IP licensing, R&D collaborations, clinical trials, manufacturing and distribution agreements and public procurement. He also has considerable experience of cross-border work between the UK, the Nordic countries and India. 

Peter joins from Osborne Clarke, where he was a Partner and specialises in helping businesses navigate regulatory challenges and liability risks, particularly in life sciences, healthcare and consumer products. His clients include medical device companies, software producers, service providers and manufacturers of lifestyle products. He advises on the regulation of medical devices and consumer products, CE/UKCA marking, clinical trials, regulatory investigations and ongoing compliance. He also defends manufacturers of complex products against liability claims, often across multiple jurisdictions. 

Darryl Cooke, Founder of gunnercooke, said: “Life sciences clients operate across borders, and they need lawyers who understand both the regulation and the realities of the business. Thomas and Peter bring exactly that, from senior in-house leadership to product regulation and liability work. With Judith Heimbürger, Life Sciences, IP & Commercial Partner, in Germany, and Anna Zhao, Life Sciences Partner, in the US, we now have a growing team that can support clients and we’re committed to building it further.” 

Thomas Bjorn commented: “Much of the innovation in life sciences now comes from companies working together, whether through licensing, joint research or supply arrangements, and frequently between businesses of different sizes and in different countries. I look forward to helping clients put those relationships on a sound footing, working alongside colleagues in the UK, Germany and the US.” 

Peter Rudd-Clarke added: “Manufacturers, service providers and investors in the life sciences and healthcare sector are experiencing regulatory and societal change that is both exciting and challenging – particularly where technology, innovation and legal developments intersect. I am looking forward to continuing to work closely with clients to help them make the most of the opportunities this creates. gunnercooke provides a great platform to do that.”