Kirkland Withdraws From Novartis Case After Regeneron Challenge

Kirkland & Ellis lawyers withdrew from representing Novartis AG in a lawsuit against Regeneron Inc. a week after the firm was challenged over a potential conflict of interest.

The Kirkland exits include Jim Hurst, a star trial lawyer known for representing pharmaceutical companies in some of their biggest cases. The motions to withdraw provide no reason for their leaving. Spokespeople for Novartis and Kirkland did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The judge in the case in the Southern District of New York never addressed the conflict challenge put forward by a lawyer for Regeneron, according to the ...