Latham & Watkins LLP recently revealed some key hires for its practices in New York and Washington D.C. Douglas Heitner joined the firm’s New York office as a partner in the Real Estate Practice. Jennifer Bragg and William (Bill) McConagha joined the firm’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice in the Washington, D.C. office.
Douglas Heitner
Heitner advises clients on the full spectrum of real estate transactions, including joint ventures, financings, investment sales and acquisitions, secondary market debt acquisitions and dispositions, developments, leasing, loan workouts, and public and private projects across numerous sectors and asset classes.
Having served as a general counsel and in private practice, Heitner has a unique perspective in real estate and associated market trends and legal developments, particularly with respect to real estate private equity and publicly traded real estate companies. Most recently, he served as Chief Legal Officer at New York-based real estate investment trust (REIT) Safehold, formerly known as iStar, where he was responsible for all legal matters, including asset-level work, securities, and capital markets.
Heitner received his JD from New York University School of Law and his BA from Dartmouth College.
Jennifer Bragg and Bill McConagha
Bragg and McConagha bring a powerful combination of deep government experience and sector knowledge, combined with an impressive track record of advising on complex regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters involving products subject to the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as on strategic transactions throughout the healthcare and life sciences industry.
Bragg counsels companies on compliance and investigations stemming from enforcement actions initiated by the FDA and other governmental authorities, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Office of Inspector General (OIG). And she also advises pharmaceutical, medical device, and other FDA-regulated companies on complex transactional matters. She previously served in the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel as Associate Chief Counsel.
McConagha counsels on the complete lifecycle of FDA-regulated products, ranging from drugs to medical devices, to complex biologics, food products, and novel tobacco products, among others. And his expertise runs the scale from pre-market development and clinical trials to product launch and post-market safety reporting and manufacturing requirements, including cGMP and the Quality System Regulation. He advises clients on compliance matters such as preparing for and managing FDA inspections, responding to FDA 483s and Warning Letters, and developing strategic remediation plans and engagement strategies following FDA inspections. McConagha counsels startups and global life sciences companies on complex regulatory matters, including product launches, product promotion, and post-market legal requirements. McConagha has also served as FDA diligence and regulatory counsel in dozens of corporate transactions involving the sale or commercialization of medical products, foods, and personal care products. McConagha spent 17 years at the FDA in various roles, including as assistant commissioner, senior attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel, and as a Health Policy Advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).
Bragg received a JD with honors and a BA cum laude from the University of Maryland. McConagha received a JD cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center and a BA magna cum laude from Carleton College. Both of these partners join Latham from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
KEY QUOTES:
“Doug is well known in the New York real estate market for his entrepreneurial approach, commercial mindset, and strong relationships with clients and colleagues. We are thrilled to welcome him to the firm. His experience in real estate private equity and leading the legal department of a diverse, publicly traded real estate company — including overseeing numerous major public and private deals in the New York market — adds depth to our market-leading practice both in New York and globally.”
– Marc Jaffe, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins in New York
“Doug’s arrival reinforces our commitment to the continued expansion of our preeminent real estate practice across the globe and further enhances our ability to provide clients with a broadened set of expertise to address all of their evolving needs. Doug’s energy, industry knowledge, and drive are a perfect complement to our existing practice, serving clients in all of their highest stakes and most complex transactions.”
– Michelle Kelban, Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Real Estate Practice
“I’m excited to return to law firm practice and join Latham’s premier real estate team. The integrated global platform and collaborative culture make it a one-stop firm to help clients achieve their business objectives. I look forward to contributing to our clients’ and the firm’s ongoing success.”
– Douglas Heitner
“Jennifer and Bill’s wealth of industry and government experience align with our strategy for growth in the healthcare and life sciences sectors. Their deep knowledge and strong client relationships will enhance our regulatory, compliance, and advisory offerings, and their backgrounds are ideally suited to the intricate corporate deals and critical regulatory issues our clients encounter.”
– Mandy Reeves, Office Managing Partner of Latham & Watkins’ Washington, D.C. office
“We’re delighted to welcome Jennifer and Bill to the firm. Their extensive industry knowledge, FDA compliance and enforcement experience, and ability to help companies navigate complex regulatory issues will enrich the insightful, practical guidance, and sophisticated representation we offer our clients.”
– John Manthei, Global Chair of the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice
“Jennifer and Bill are remarkable new members of our team and will undoubtedly serve as valuable advisers to our clients. They bolster our capacity to offer the business-oriented and sophisticated insights required in the dynamic landscape of the modern healthcare and life sciences industry. Their history in government and experience providing advice at the cutting edge of issues confronting the industry will surely add to our collective skills, and we are excited to bring them on board.”
– Ben Haas, Global Vice Chair of the Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice
“Latham’s premier market position and broad life sciences infrastructure, coupled with its strategic focus on private capital, attracted me to the firm. I am thrilled to join this sophisticated team, and look forward to helping our clients navigate the constantly evolving healthcare regulatory and enforcement environment.”
– Jennifer Bragg
“Latham’s commitment to its market-leading healthcare and life sciences practice, and esteemed client base, drew me in. Renowned for handling highly intricate and groundbreaking matters, Latham’s exceptional standing is widely recognized. I am excited to contribute to expanding Latham’s footprint in the ever-changing healthcare and life sciences industry.”
– Bill McConagha
