GOLDEN GATE’S BACKBONE
Attorneys-at-law | Legal Advisors
We are a network of experienced attorneys specialized in life sciences.
The backbone of the network consists of its founders: Francesca Belli Novak, Hanneke Later Nijland, Monika Hupfauf and Maria-Luise Plank, who have been focusing their entire career on the biotech, pharma and broader life sciences industry. Therefore, they are able to properly understand, advise and assist clients in their diverse and specialized needs.
About Francesca Belli Novak
Francesca is a qualified attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the biotech and medical sector, both as an external counsel and in-house.
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She started her legal career in the Life Sciences team of a prestigious boutique law firm based in Milan (Italy), and then moved to two leading global biopharma companies, where she managed various legal issues and projects across multiple jurisdictions, mainly in the European region but also in Latin America and the US.
She has exceptional creativity and a global and open mindset, as well as extensive expertise in fields like Research and Development, Commercial, Regulatory, Corporate Compliance and Governance, and Data Privacy.
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Francesca is a member of the BAR of Milan (Italy), and Vienna (Austria). She is currently a mentor at Health Hub Vienna, a platform for open innovation, managed by INiTS, Vienna’s high-tech incubator.
About Hanneke Later Nijland
Hanneke is the only lawyer-pharmacist, ex-inspector for Healthcare holding a PhD, in the Netherlands - perhaps in the whole of the European Union. Therefore, she is a lawyer with an extraordinary, atypical background. Hanneke specialises in EU and national regulatory life sciences law. She holds a PhD in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
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This rare background gives her a unique perspective and understanding of the life sciences sector.
In her practice, Hanneke advises life sciences and biotech clients and litigates on a wide range of issues. Areas of expertise cover marketing authorisations, compliance, pharmacovigilance, advertising issues, product liability, issues on the interface of IP and regulatory, opioids and —finally — regulatory assistance in transactions.
Hanneke is a university lecturer in Leiden and she regularly speaks at international conferences, on regulatory life sciences issues, such as new European legislation and the impact of recent judgments in the sector.
About Monika Hupfauf
Monika is a highly qualified lawyer with extensive experience and expertise in the fields of IP and life sciences with a strong focus on research, innovation and technology transfer, including medical device and drug development.
With more than 20 years of professional experience and detailed industry knowledge in the fields of life sciences, technology, and IT, Monika is used to advise life sciences companies from different backgrounds and countries.
Monika holds a doctorate in law from the University of Innsbruck, a diploma from Cardiff Law School and a diploma in business mediation from Falk Business Mediation. She is also a registered mediator at WIPO and a member of several professional associations, such as the Vienna Bar Association, the IP Dispute Resolution Forum Munich, and the International Bar Association. She has published several books and articles and is the co-publisher of the Austrian commentary on medical device law and the new edition of the Austrian drug law commentary. She regularly gives lectures and presentations on topics related to her areas of expertise at various events and universities.
About Maria-Luise Plank
Maria-Luise is an expert in pharmaceutical law, medical law, data protection, and market access and reimbursement. Her extensive professional experience includes practical roles from a payer's perspective as Deputy Head of the Health and Economics Department in the umbrella organization of the Austrian Sick Funds (Social Security System) and as Senior Market Access Manager at a leading international pharmaceutical company. She later founded a boutique law firm in Vienna, Austria.
Maria-Luise leverages her expertise in consulting, litigation, and lecturing. She advises renowned pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers in Europe. In addition to her work in intellectual property law, she supports the development of launch (market access) and pricing strategies for Europe. To achieve this, she collaborates with a network of selected European market access experts. Her goal is to provide tailored solutions for each client, offering personalized, direct advice with a strong sense of commitment.
She is the author of numerous publications in the field of pharmaceutical and medical law and serves as a lecturer at the University of Vienna and other institutions. Maria-Luise actively engages with the scientific community, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas.
Our network
The Golden Gate network works with a solid team of carefully selected qualified lawyers (and if needed: other professionals), based in the various European countries, who stand out for their proficiency in life sciences as well as their modern and international mindset.
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WIth a view to collaborate seamlessly yet informally with our selected lawyers, and for you as client to have the most optimal experience, we are aligned as to reporting (style), communication with the client and fee structure.