Helena Nilsson - Life Sciences Group Member

Member Voices

Helena Nilsson, Partner at Setterwalls
Member of WLG Life Sciences Group

1) Tell us about your practice.
Setterwalls has one of the leading Life Sciences teams in Sweden, which brings us exciting and challenging projects from industry and innovation leading companies. I assist companies in the Life Sciences sector in a wide variety of issues, often with a regulatory connection. I have a background in pharmaceutical legislation at the Swedish Government Offices, which provides valuable insights to this work. My daily work includes various types of permits, pricing, reimbursement and substitution issues, marketing and ethical issues in the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors and other regulated industries such as foodstuffs and cosmetics. In these types of matters, I also represent our clients in cases against national agencies before the Swedish courts. I also assist in contract negotiations and advice regarding clinical trials, technology transfer, GMP manufacturing agreements as well as research and development agreements. As I also am a trained judge, my work also includes commercial disputes in both court and arbitration.

2) What is a helpful introduction you've had to a WLG colleague?
Being a part of the WLG network gives me the chance to assist our clients globally, with the local knowledge and expertise. Understanding the complex regulatory landscape is important for example for a pharma company that is considering launching a new product in various countries, which is often the case. Knowing where you can find this competence in the relevant countries is of great value. At the same time the network gives me referrals from other jurisdictions.

3) What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to cook (and eat!) food. And I also love to travel, my last trip was to Bolzano, Italy, and skiing in Fiss, Austria, will make an excellent start to this new decade!