Barnstable-Brown_Christopher

Christopher D. Barnstable-Brown

Barnstable-Brown_Christopher

Christopher D. Barnstable-Brown

Partner

  • Vice Chair, Corporate Practice
  • Co-Chair, Mergers and Acquisitions Practice
New York + 1 212 295 6834

Chris Barnstable-Brown, vice chair of WilmerHale’s Corporate Practice and co-chair of the M&A Practice, focuses his nationally recognized practice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and financing transactions, with particular emphasis on the technology and life sciences industries. Client sources in Chambers USA (Corporate/M&A) said, “Chris gives practical, actionable advice. He has a great disposition and is a great business person,” adding that “he has excellent awareness of client priorities and is very effective at negotiating constructively to find solutions to difficult issues,” and that “it’s a pleasure to work with him.”

Chris advises a diverse array of clients, including public and private companies, venture capital funds and private equity sponsors, and financial institutions. He regularly advises on bet-the-company M&A and strategic transactions across industries, as well as a range of corporate governance, financing, public company and emerging company matters. Chris has particular expertise working with technology, life sciences, fintech and AI-focused companies, investors and sponsors.

Chris has been repeatedly recognized as a leading lawyer for Corporate/M&A by, among others, Chambers USA (New York), The Legal 500, The M&A Advisor and New York Super Lawyers. Chris is a frequent speaker and author on corporate and M&A matters, and he has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Law and Law360. Chris has recently led transactions for Medtronic, Google Ventures, Biogen, Blue Apron, RA Capital, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Climb Bio, Solid Biosciences, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Revvity (f/k/a PerkinElmer), EquityZen, Mersana, Marley Spoon, Bluestone Equity Partners, IVERIC Bio, Leerink Partners and Goldman Sachs.

Before joining WilmerHale, Chris was a corporate associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Boyce F. Martin, Jr. of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Chris was born in Louisville, Kentucky.

Work Highlights

    • Medtronic plc on numerous M&A and strategic transactions, including its acquisitions of Avenu Medical and Visionsense, its strategic transaction with Cosmo Pharmaceuticals to pursue artificial intelligence driven medtech devices, and $337 million product funding arrangements with Blackstone 
    • Blue Apron in numerous transactions, including its “asset-light” asset sale transaction with FreshRealm and subsequent sale to Wonder Group, founded by Marc Lore
    • Various investment funds on numerous transactions, including: Google Ventures’ investments in various private companies; RA Capital in PIPE investments in Vor Biopharma, Inhibrx, UroGen and SAB BIO; and Bluestone Equity’s investments in Qloo and Rhombus
    • Telix Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition of QSAM Biosciences
    • Revvity (f/k/a PerkinElmer) in its acquisition of Oxford Immunotec for $591 million
    • Climb Bio in its acquisition of Tenet Medicines, and concurrent PIPE financing
    • Durata Therapeutics in its sale to Allergan for $675 million plus CVRs of up to $155 million 
    • Amplitude Healthcare Acquisition Corporation in its $550 million deSPAC business combination with Jasper Therapeutics
    • Solid Biosciences in its acquisition of AavantiBio, and concurrent PIPE financing
    • PTC Therapeutics in its acquisition of Agilis Biotherapeutics
    • CARISMA Therapeutics in its merger with Sesen Bio, and concurrent PIPE financing
    • WeWork in numerous acquisition and sale transactions, including in respect of Teem Technologies, Prolific Interactive, SpaceIQ and Conductor
    • Private equity firm Lindsay Goldberg in its acquisition of the Applied Technology Division of Computer Sciences Corporation
    • Archer Daniels Midland Company in its agreement to acquire GrainCorp Ltd. of Australia for $3.5 billion
    • ZebiAI Therapeutics in its acquisition by Relay Therapeutics
    • Leerink Partners as financial advisor in connection with the merger between ARS Pharmaceuticals and Silverback Therapeutics
    • Acquco in its $160 million Series A financing
    • XLMedia plc in its acquisition of the CBWG sports media, gaming and betting business
    • Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals in its merger with AcelRx Pharmaceuticals and its later agreement to be acquired by Melinta Therapeutics

Recognition

  • Ranked in the 2025 edition of Chambers USA Guide in the area of Corporate/M&A
  • Recognized as a "Leading Partner" in the 2025–2026 editions and a "Leading Lawyer" in the 2023–2024 editions of The Legal 500 United States and recognized as a "Next Generation Lawyer" in the 2020–2022 editions for M&A
  • Named a winner of The M&A Advisor's Emerging Leaders Award
  • Recognized by Super Lawyers as a New York Rising Star for his mergers and acquisitions practice

Insights & News

  • Client News
June 22, 2026

WilmerHale Advises Biogen in Acquisition of RayThera

On June 17, 2026, Biogen Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire RayThera Inc., a private biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of small molecule therapies in immunology.
  • Recognition
June 10, 2026

The Legal 500 United States 2026 Recognizes WilmerHale Lawyers and Practice Areas

WilmerHale has been recognized in the Legal 500 United States 2026 guide, with rankings across 42 practice areas and 35+ lawyers highlighted for their market-leading work.
  • Recognition
June 4, 2026

WilmerHale Lawyers and Practices Recognized in 2026 Edition of Chambers USA

Chambers and Partners has once again recognized WilmerHale’s national strength, ranking the firm in 72 practice areas and honoring 110 lawyers for excellence in the 2026 Chambers USA guide.
View all of Christopher's insights & news

Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, Boston University School of Law

      magna cum laude

    • BS, Management, Purdue University

  • Admissions

    • New York

  • Clerkships

    • The Hon. Boyce F. Martin, Jr., US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Credentials

Notice

Unless you are an existing client, before communicating with WilmerHale by e-mail (or otherwise), please read the Disclaimer referenced by this link. (The Disclaimer is also accessible from the opening of this website). As noted therein, until you have received from us a written statement that we represent you in a particular manner (an "engagement letter") you should not send to us any confidential information about any such matter. After we have undertaken representation of you concerning a matter, you will be our client, and we may thereafter exchange confidential information freely.

Thank you for your interest in WilmerHale.

I Accept Cancel