Goodwin in US | Best Law Firms

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General Information

Practice Areas

156

Individuals recognized in Best Lawyers

Client Comments

Year founded: 1912

This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.

Overview

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We are in the business of building authentic, long-term relationships with our clients, who are some of the world’s most successful and innovative investors, entrepreneurs and disruptors in the life sciences, private equity, real estate, technology and financial industries, and where they converge. Our immersive understanding of these industries – combined with our expertise across high-stakes litigation and dispute resolution, world-class regulatory compliance and advisory services, and complex transactions – sets us apart.

Rankings

Goodwin is nationally ranked in 44 practice areas and metro ranked in 55 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

"Law Firm of the Year" Awards

2025 "Law Firm of the Year" in Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

National Rankings

Tier 1

Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Metro Rankings

Boston

Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation

Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Construction Law

Firm Leadership

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.

Venture Capital Law

Highly experienced, practical, and reasonable.

Litigation - ERISA

Goodwin has an excellent ERISA litigation team with the expertise to handle complex issues and efficiently and effectively manage all aspects of class action litigation from the pleading stage through trial and appeal. The Goodwin team always does a great job of keeping the bigger picture in mind to achieve successful outcomes without incurring unnecessary expenses. I spend a lot of my time focusing on ERISA-related issues, and Goodwin has been, and will continue to be, one of my go-to firms in the ERISA litigation space. There is a short list of firms that I truly trust in the ERISA space, and Goodwin is on that list.

Richard Nowak – Fidelity

Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Goodwin's mergers and acquisitions team is exceptional. It is important for me to emphasize that what separates Goodwin from the rest is their pragmatism. They are very good at assessing risk and opportunities through the lens of the business and understanding our unique issues.

Jennifer Salinas – Cerence Inc.

Corporate Law

Drawing on a wealth of experience, depth of talent and sharp business acumen, Goodwin is the firm to have on your side in any corporate transaction.

Stephen Harvey – BitSight Technologies, Inc.

Patent Law

All the patent attorneys and agents I work with at Goodwin are excellent. They are all very responsive and provide detailed and thoughtful responses to my questions. They really know the law and the science relevant to our business, and they can execute on the strategy we put in place together. All round, great to work with.

John McKeague – Dragonfly Therapeutics

Corporate Law

Goodwin consistently delivers reliable, actionable advice even in situations of exceptional complexity and uncertainty.

Jonathan Bryant – J&J

Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Goodwin has one of the top rated biotechnology and life sciences practices in the market. From its deep licensing bench to its capital markets team, Goodwin offers its clients complete coverage.

Julie Constable – Blackstone Life Sciences

Litigation - Securities

Goodwin has an effective senior partner team approach, bringing each area of expertise to bear as needed. They are always available for consultation on short notice if required, meet all timelines and are fully communicative throughout the process. Their litigation partners are very experienced with court personnel and their styles. Goodwin is candid and flexible about the cost of long-running litigation. They understand the financial strain such cases can bring and are committed to maintaining the highest level of integrity throughout. I recommend Goodwin for virtually any legal matter.

Stephen Kasnet – Two Harbors Investment Corp.

Corporate Law

The Goodwin team is an integral part of how we run our biotechnology business. Our successful business has operated privately for 15 years and has returned over $4 billion in dividends to our investors who contributed $400 million, a 10x return. That success required combining cutting edge medical sciences with innovative corporate structuring and extensive deal making. Goodwin has advised Nimbus on all general counsel matters, and acts in that role pro tem. From corporate governance, structuring, business development collaborations, investing, risk and people management, tax law advice, litigation matters, and general operations, Goodwin has been Nimbus' key advisor on the successful running of our business. This success stems from the incomparable talents at Goodwin and their incredible approach to teamwork: both inside the firm and with us as a client. They get my highest regards and most sincere thanks.

Jeb Keiper – Nimbus Discovery, Inc.

Mergers and Acquisitions Law

The team at Goodwin has done a brilliant job for our fund on 23 acquisitions and counting. They are not only skilled at structuring the deal documents, but they have proven outstanding working with seller’s counsel to sell our important deal points in a commercial manner to make sure the deal moves forward.

Timothy Bovard – SFA, LLC

Appellate Practice

Goodwin has a truly outstanding appellate practice. They are extraordinarily knowledgeable, timely and cost-effective.

Karin Hessler – Association for Accessible Medicines

Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

I find Goodwin to be excellent, exceptional partners on transactions.

Philip Yates – Bregal Sagemount

Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law

The Goodwin team is excellent counsel in the area of emerging venture funds. They are very responsive, have a deep understanding of issues and highly recommend them!

Ingrid Chen – Basis Set Ventures

Banking and Finance Law

Goodwin is a trusted advisor to our organization. They have advised our firm on ten platform transactions and numerous add-on acquisitions over the past five years. Their team is made up of natural dealmakers who consistently propose creative and innovative solutions to bridge disagreements between buyers and sellers. The Goodwin team has strong commercial instincts that enable them to identify and solve critical issues and expeditiously close transactions. The Goodwin team has a natural ability to provide simple explanations for complex legal topics. They clearly articulate their views to clients and counterparties. The Goodwin team approaches negotiations with a calm and patient demeanor that often de-escalates disagreements with counterparties. Their unique style and approach have helped our firm close multiple transactions on accelerated timelines.

Kyle Guinivan – Nonantum Capital Partners, LLC

Financial Services Regulation Law

I have been with Goodwin since our early stages. They have assisted me with complex consumer lending documents, contracts and much more. I recently retained the investment/ financial services department to assist me with an investor round of funding and they again, have done an amazing job negotiating, drafting documents, and also communicating with opposing counsel. I highly recommend Goodwin, and when I tell people they are my counsel of record, I instantly am looked at as a serious entity.

Russell Bryant – TGUC Financial

Patent Law

Advice from Goodwin is rooted in case law and business trends. It is as thorough as we ask for, tailored for the length and audience of a meeting. Meetings are always pre-planned, with agendas, to keep everything on target and on time. Goodwin also assists in planning ahead, working with our department heads to develop schedules that will minimize costs and redundant work.

Bradley Harris – Envisagenics, Inc.

Employment Law - Management

Goodwin's employment law team is one of the best. In addition to their broad spectrum of expertise, they deliver practical solutions to both the highly complex issues and the day-to-day routine matters. My Human Resource executives value the Goodwin lawyers' advice and counsel.

FDA Law

Goodwin has been a valued and trusted partner in our most critical projects and litigations, and I have also felt that I can have frank and open conversations where the Goodwin team is focused on providing the most efficient and cost-effective, value-add service and advice. I have appreciated their patience and persistence, especially when it's been overwhelming.

Banking and Finance Law

I have worked with the attorneys at Goodwin for over the past 30 years as a bank General Counsel of both a top ten bank and a community bank. I have also been a personal client. The attorneys at the firm have an in-depth command of the law coupled with a keen business sense. This results in having a collaborative partner who helps navigate through legal issues to provide answers and find practical solutions that support me and the business teams. The attorneys’ understanding of business and finance law and regulation have earned the trust of the banks’ leadership. Their efficient use of their time has consistently kept the costs of their services down, thereby contributing to the bottom line. I highly recommend Goodwin.

Rankings

154

United States Rankings

Germany Rankings

"Law Firm of the Year" Awards

2025 "Law Firm of the Year" in Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

National Rankings

Tier 1

Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Construction Law

Tier 1 for Corporate Law

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management

Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law

Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental

Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA

Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property

Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent

Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate

Tier 1 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Tier 1 for Patent Law

Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

Tier 1 for Technology Law

Tier 1 for Venture Capital Law

Tier 2

Tier 2 for Copyright Law

Tier 2 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Tier 2 for Energy Law

Tier 2 for Environmental Law

Tier 2 for Financial Services Regulation Law

Tier 2 for Health Care Law

Tier 2 for Information Technology Law

Tier 2 for Litigation - Antitrust

Tier 2 for Litigation - Bankruptcy

Tier 2 for Litigation - Securities

Tier 2 for Mining Law

Tier 2 for Mutual Funds Law

Tier 2 for Securities / Capital Markets Law

Tier 2 for Tax Law

Tier 2 for Trademark Law

Tier 2 for Trusts and Estates

Tier 3

Tier 3 for FDA Law

Tier 3 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

Regional Rankings

Boston

Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation

Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Construction Law

Tier 1 for Copyright Law

Tier 1 for Corporate Governance Law

Tier 1 for Corporate Law

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Individuals

Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management

Tier 1 for Energy Law

Tier 1 for Environmental Law

Tier 1 for Information Technology Law

Tier 1 for International Trade and Finance Law

Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law

Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Antitrust

Tier 1 for Litigation - Environmental

Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA

Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property

Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Tier 1 for Litigation - Land Use and Zoning

Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent

Tier 1 for Litigation - Real Estate

Tier 1 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)

Tier 1 for Litigation - Securities

Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Tier 1 for Nonprofit / Charities Law

Tier 1 for Patent Law

Tier 1 for Privacy and Data Security Law

Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law

Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

Tier 1 for Tax Law

Tier 1 for Technology Law

Tier 1 for Trademark Law

Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates

Tier 1 for Venture Capital Law

Tier 2 for Arbitration

Tier 2 for Insurance Law

Tier 2 for Securities / Capital Markets Law

Tier 3 for Immigration Law

Los Angeles

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

New York City

Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 1 for Corporate Law

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: General Practice

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Tier 1 for Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - Bankruptcy

Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property

Tier 1 for Litigation - Patent

Tier 1 for Litigation - Securities

Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Tier 1 for Patent Law

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

Tier 2 for Employment Law - Management

Tier 2 for Health Care Law

Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment

Tier 2 for Litigation - Real Estate

Tier 2 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law

Tier 2 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Tier 3 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

Philadelphia

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar

San Francisco

Tier 1 for Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice

Tier 1 for Corporate Law

Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar

Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property

Tier 1 for Patent Law

Tier 1 for Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law

Tier 1 for Real Estate Law

Tier 1 for Technology Law

Tier 1 for Venture Capital Law

Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation

Tier 2 for Copyright Law

Tier 2 for Litigation - Patent

Tier 2 for Litigation - Securities

Tier 3 for Construction Law

Tier 3 for Employment Law - Management

Washington, D.C.

Tier 1 for Appellate Practice

Tier 1 for Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law

Tier 1 for FDA Law

Tier 1 for Financial Services Regulation Law

Tier 1 for Litigation - ERISA

Tier 1 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law

Tier 1 for Mutual Funds Law

Tier 2 for Health Care Law

Tier 2 for Litigation - Environmental

Tier 2 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Tier 2 for Mining Law

Tier 3 for Corporate Governance Law

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.

Admiralty and Maritime Law
Antitrust Law
Banking and Finance Law
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Commercial Litigation
Copyright Law
Corporate Compliance Law
Corporate Governance Law
Corporate Law
Criminal Defense: General Practice
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
Employment Law - Individuals
Employment Law - Management
Environmental Law
FDA Law
Financial Services Regulation Law
International Trade and Finance Law
Land Use and Zoning Law
Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law
Litigation - Antitrust
Litigation - Banking and Finance
Litigation - Environmental
Litigation - ERISA
Litigation - First Amendment
Litigation - Intellectual Property
Litigation - Labor and Employment
Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
Litigation - Patent
Litigation - Real Estate
Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Litigation - Securities
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Mutual Funds Law
Patent Law
Private Funds / Hedge Funds Law
Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Public Finance Law
Real Estate Law
Securities / Capital Markets Law
Securities Regulation
Tax Law
Technology Law
Trademark Law
Trusts and Estates
Venture Capital Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America^®

Goodwin has 156 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America^®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Goodwin eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.

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