Spencer W. Vaughan is an associate in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s New York office.
Spencer received his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 2023. At Harvard, Spencer was a J.D./Ph.D. student, with the Ph.D. program being in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at Harvard University. In lieu of pursuing a thesis, he paused the Ph.D. after completing Year 1 in good academic standing to pursue a J.D. at Harvard Law School. Spencer has contributed as a co-author to several scientific research articles relating to biological pathways underlying neurological diseases and immunological disorders. These articles have been published in Nature Neuroscience, Nature Genetics, Nature Communications, etc.
Spencer received his Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Molecular Biology, summa cum laude, from the University of Arizona in 2017. Prior to attending law school, Spencer was a biological research scientist working in the areas of neuroscience and immunology.
Spencer has litigated in federal District Courts and the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (PTO). Spencer has experience in pre-suit diligence, Rule 12 motions, fact discovery, deposition preparation, expert discovery, claim construction, dispositive motions and hearings, bench trials, and pre- and post-trial briefing.
Spencer is admitted to practice in the State of New York.
Representative Matters:
- Represented Cassava Sciences in the Western District of Texas in a securities class action suit.
- Represented Cassava Sciences in SEC and DOJ investigations.
- Represented Novartis in the District of Delaware against generic manufacturers of a leading drug indicated for acute myeloid leukemia.
- Represented Novartis in the District of Delaware against generic manufacturers of a leading drug indicated for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
- Represented Novartis in trade secret litigation in the District of Delaware regarding leading drug indicated for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.
- Represented Vifor (International) AG and American Regent in multiple suits in the District of New Jersey and District of Delaware against generic manufacturers of a leading drug indicated for iron deficiency anemia.
- Represented NeoGenomics in the PTO regarding methods for monitoring cancer using cell-free DNA.
Publications:
- Co-Author, "Mutations disrupting neuritogenesis genes confer risk for cerebral palsy," Nature Genetics (September 28, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Opposing peripheral fates of tissue-restricted self antigen-specific conventional and regulatory CD4+ T cells," European Journal of Immunology (October 3, 2019)
- Co-Author, "TSC2-deficient tumors have evidence of T cell exhaustion and respond to anti–PD-1/anti–CTLA-4 immunotherapy," JCI Insight (April 19, 2018)
- Co-Author, "Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery, Principles and Evidence-Based Practice, Ch. 28, Indications for and benefits of lumbar spinal hardware removal," JP Medical Publishers (February 1, 2018)
- Co-Author, "TDP-43 pathology disrupts nuclear pore complexes and nucleocytoplasmic transport in ALS/FTD," Nature Neuroscience (January 8, 2018)
- Co-Author, "Endocytosis regulates TDP-43 toxicity and turnover," Nature Communications (December 12, 2017)
Capabilities
- Intellectual Property
- Antitrust and Competition
- Class Actions
- FDA and Health Care
- Life Sciences
- Litigation
- Securities Litigation
- Technology Litigation
- Trials
Credentials
Education:
- Harvard University - 2023 Juris Doctor
- University of Arizona - 2017 Bachelor of Science
Admissions:
- New York Bar