Janet Grove, KC
Partner, Canadian Head of Life Sciences and Healthcare
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
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Biography
Janet Grove is the Canadian head of our life sciences and healthcare sector.
Building on her experience and knowledge from years spent in corporate development and legal roles within industry, Janet helps clients in the technology and health sciences sectors – IT, health sciences, telecommunications and clean-tech. She is sought out for her expertise and business approach to structuring and negotiating both merger and acquisition transactions and complex commercial relationships to develop, commercialize and acquire technology. This includes assisting with a variety of research and development, supply and licensing arrangements and developing and advising on novel programs and collaborations involving technology.
Janet's client base includes a wide range of organizations from early-stage technology and biotechnology clients, to large public and private companies, educational institutions, healthcare authorities, hospitals and research institutions throughout Canada.
She has advised on some of BC's most significant technology transactions and brings a depth of understanding to complex transactions that clients find invaluable. Having worked for eight years in-house at a global biopharmaceutical company then listed on the TSX and NASDAQ, she also appreciates the ever-expanding role of corporate counsel and how best to support clients in those roles. During her years in industry, she held the position of vice-president and corporate counsel, corporate secretary and business ethics officer, providing legal advice to the board and management on all aspects of the business, including corporate and technology acquisitions and divestures, issues related to research, clinical and pharmaceutical manufacturing projects and agreements.
Janet is the former managing partner of our Vancouver office.
Professional experience
Collapse allDirectors College, Stanford Law School, 2005
LL.B., University of Victoria, 1992
B.Sc. (Hons.), Biochemistry, University of Victoria, 1989
- British Columbia 1993
Janet has acted in the following matters:
- Counsel to Vanrx Pharmasytems Inc., a developer and manufacturer of aseptic robotic pharmaceutical filling systems, in its sale in January 2021 to Danaher Corporation. Prior to its sale, was external general counsel to Vanrx assisting with all aspects of its business.
- Counsel to Evonik Corporation of its 2020 acquisition of the Lactel Absorbable Polymer product line from Durect Corporation and its 2019 acquisition of the of the Endexo surface modification business of Interface Biologics.
- Counsel to ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd., including in connection with its NASDAQ up-listing in 2020 and public stock offering in February 2021.
- Counsel to Zucara Therapeutics Inc. on its US$21M Series A Financing led by the Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund.
- Counsel on numerous biotechnology in-licensing and out-licensing arrangements for both industry and major research institutions, including non-dilutive research collaboration agreements.
- Counsel to Accel-Rx Health Sciences Accelerator Society, the first Canadian federally funded organization focused on maximizing new health sciences company creation in Canada, in connection with its formation, investments and ultimate sale in 2020 to AdMare BioInnovations.
- Counsel to Energizer Holdings, Inc. on a number of M&A transactions, including:
- October 2020 acquisition of FDK Indonesia;
- January 2020 sale of the European-based Varta® consumer battery business in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions to German-based VARTA Aktiengesellschaft with a total transaction value of approximately US$300M including sale price and third party payments; and
- Ex-US M&A counsel to Energizer Holdings, Inc. on its US$1.25B acquisition of Spectrum Brands' global auto care business and US$2B acquisition of Spectrum Brands' battery and portable lighting business, which transactions closed at separate times in January 2019.
- Canadian Counsel to Vivonet Inc. an industry leader in cloud-based hospitality solutions in its 2019 sale to Infor, a leading provider of industry-specific cloud applications.
- Acted as Canadian counsel for QLT Inc. (now Novelion Therapeutics Inc.) in the 2016 merger agreement with Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and concurrent equity financing, the 2015 a merger agreement with InSite Vision, 2013 sale of its punctal plug technology to Mati Therapeutics, 2012 sale of its commercial ocular pharmaceutical product, Visudyne, to Valeant (now Bausch Health) and 2010 sale of certain of its dermatology portfolio to Valocor Therapeutics (later acquired by Dermira).
- Acted as external general counsel to leading automotive hydrogen fuel cell developer AFCC Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperative Corp., a joint venture established by Daimler AG and Ford Motor Company, including advising on numerous research and development collaborations.
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Corporate Law, 2013-2025; Intellectual Property Law, 2015-2025; Biotechnology and Life Sciences Practice, 2016-2025; Privacy and Data Security Law, Technology Law, 2018-2025; Information Technology Law, 2022-2025
- Chambers Canada, British Columbia: Corporate/Commercial, Chambers and Partners, 2024-2025
- Chambers Canada, Nationwide: Life Sciences: Corporate/Commercial, Chambers and Partners, 2025
- Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers, 2022-2024
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2020-2024: recommended in Life Sciences & Health; 2022, 2023-2024: recommended in Corporate Commercial Law; Technology Transactions; 2023-2024: recommended in Computer & IT Law
- Acritas Stars 2020, 2021 – Designated as an "Independently rated lawyer"
- BTI Client Service All-Star, The BTI Consulting Group, Inc., 2020
- Canada's Most Powerful Women: WXN Top 100 Awards, 2017
- British Columbia Bar Association
- Cabinet Committee, United Way Campaign, Vancouver
- Former member of the board of directors of STX Marine Inc. (now Vard Marine Inc.)
- Licensing Executives Society
- LifeSciences BC
- Former director, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility
- Former chairman and director, St. John Ambulance, Vancouver branch
- Current board member of Canada's Auditing and Assurance Standards Oversight Council
- Current board member of Genome BC
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