Justin J. Watkins

Transaction Counsel

Justin represents public and private companies in mergers and acquisitions, venture capital and private equity investments, divestitures, debt financing, joint ventures and other strategic transactions. He assists strategic and financial investors in acquiring high-value assets. Justin is especially experienced in venture investing matters, helping venture arms of large companies establish stakes in emerging and developing companies, and assisting venture funds as they channel assets into private companies. He also represents private equity funds with respect to their investments in portfolio companies, including acquisition, debt financing and capital structure matters.

Representative Experience

• A privately-held manufacturer of household appliances in its $90 million acquisition of a power cell company
• A publicly traded healthcare solutions company in its $225 million acquisition of a specialty pharmaceutical company
• A private equity fund in its $104 million acquisition of a provider of engineering solutions and high-precision manufacturing capabilities
• A private equity fund in its acquisitions of a number of medical tubing extruding companies for aggregate consideration of over $29 million
• A privately-held manufacturer of household appliances in its $17 million Series C investment in a power cell company
• A biotechnology venture fund in its $6 million Series AA investment in a privately held pharmaceutical company
• A private equity fund in connection with several investments in portfolio companies, including acquisition, debt financing and capital structure matters
• The venture arm of a Fortune 50 pharmaceutical company in connection with a $17 million convertible preferred stock investment in a healthcare IT company

Health and Life Sciences

Justin’s work on behalf of publicly traded and private companies in the health and life sciences sector results in strong and strategic partnerships among the parties. He helps companies establish joint ventures covering research and development, intellectual property licensing, and product manufacture and supply. He also negotiates clinical trial agreements for pharmaceutical companies.

Representative Experience

• A publicly traded healthcare solutions company in a strategic partnering transaction with a publicly-traded biotechnology company, which included components of research and development, intellectual property licensing, and product manufacture and supply
• A publicly traded pharmaceutical company in its negotiation of all clinical trial agreements in the U.S. in connection with a Phase III clinical trial for a novel small molecule therapeutic

Previous Experience

Prior to beginning his legal career, Justin was the associate director of Intellectual Property at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Technology Transfer. He also worked as a research scientist at Taylor Technology, Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey and as a senior research assistant in the Department of Physiology at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in San Diego, California.