DLA Piper advises Arlington Capital Partners and Everest Clinical Research on acquisition of Firma Clinical Research unit

DLA Piper advised Arlington Capital Partners and Everest Clinical Research (Everest), a leading full-service contract research organization with expertise in biostatistics and statistical programming, in their acquisition of the Biometrics and Data Services business unit of Firma Clinical Research (Firma DS).

Firma DS provides biometrics and clinical data services to biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic companies, delivering high-quality support across the clinical development lifecycle. The business unit has supported more than 1,000 clinical studies and over 60 New Drug Application (NDA) submissions across complex therapeutic areas including oncology, neurology, rare disease, hepatology, and nephrology.

“The acquisition of Firma DS expands Everest’s global biometrics and clinical data science capabilities, strengthening its ability to support increasingly complex clinical development programs,” said Jeffrey Houle, Chair of DLA Piper’s Aerospace, Defense and Government Services Transactional practice. “This transaction reflects the strength of our team, including the integral contributions of Thomas Pilkerton and Paul Nolle, and the comprehensive counsel we provided to Arlington and Everest at every stage of the acquisition.”

More information about the deal can be found on Arlington Capital Partners and Everest Clinical Research’s websites.

The deal team that advised Arlington Capital Partners and Everest was led by Houle, as well as Partners Pilkerton (Baltimore) and Nolle (Short Hills). It included Partner Russel Drew (Toronto) and Associate Donato Rosati (Toronto) in Canada, as well as Partners Nathaniel McKitterick (Palo Alto), William Bartow, Jae Kim (both Philadelphia), C. Kevin Kobbe (Baltimore), Julia Kovacs, Tracy Weir (both Washington, DC), James Rusert (Atlanta), and Sue Zabloudil (Miami), Senior Attorney Cara Hupprich (Reston), Attorney Xana Connelly (San Juan), and Associate Traneke Hamrick (Washington, DC).

DLA Piper’s Aerospace and Defense practice offers a multidisciplinary international team with deep experience across the defense contracting lifecycle, from bid preparation and regulatory compliance to contract performance and dispute resolution. Our integrated team of government contracts specialists and corporate attorneys adeptly manage complex transactions — including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships — essential for success in this rigorously regulated sector. Drawing upon extensive experience with federal acquisition regulations and national security mandates, we provide comprehensive legal counsel that safeguards compliance while facilitating clients’ strategic growth within the aerospace and defense industry.

With more than 1,000 corporate lawyers globally, DLA Piper helps clients execute complex transactions seamlessly while supporting clients across all stages of development. The firm has been ranked number one in global M&A volume for 16 consecutive years by Mergermarket.