Envisage Law Taps Former HHS Deputy General Counsel and FDA Chief Counsel to Lead Health Care and Life Sciences Practice

Envisage Law, a full-service business law firm, today announced the hire of James Lawrence to lead the firm’s Health Care and Life Sciences Practice.  Lawrence joins Envisage after serving as a Deputy General Counsel in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and as Chief Counsel of the Food and Drug Administration.

The Research Triangle is a global hub for the health care and life sciences industries and is home to multiple world-class universities and hundreds of innovative companies. There is a significant need for counsel on regulatory, intellectual property, and commercial agreements.

“We are pleased to welcome James back from the Beltway to his hometown of Raleigh,” said Envisage Partner William Pinna.  “We are building a law firm of the future grounded in the traditions of the past.  James’ experience will help us meet our clients’ needs and those of emerging and established health care and life sciences businesses in North Carolina.”

“James and I have worked together for many years, on matters ranging from fighting international counterfeiting, to closing deals of various kinds, to taking cases to trial and up on appeal,” added Envisage Partner Anthony Biller.  “James shares our belief that technology is primed to fundamentally change the practice of law, and that lawyers can harness these forces to deliver greater value to their clients and the profession we serve.”

Prior to serving in the federal government, Lawrence was a partner at an AmLaw 200 law firm.  Before that, he served as general counsel of a drug company.  Lawrence earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, where he served as an Articles Editor on the North Carolina Law Review.  He graduated from North Carolina State University, magna cum laude, with a degree in Biomedical Engineering, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and the Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society.