Adia Brantley
Attorney, Sidley Austin LLP
Adia Brantley is a life sciences and technology transactions attorney at Sidley Austin LLP. Adia advises clients across M&A (IP), licensing, and commercial transactions. Adia earned her J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. While at Northwestern, Adia played a pivotal role in developing a legal technology framework to enhance the efficiency of a top 75 Am Law firm. She also served as a legal intern at Settle, a fintech start-up which Forbes spotlighted as one of the “Next Billion Dollar Start-ups” in 2023.
Adia is also committed to social justice through her active pro bono practice, collaborating with the National Immigration Justice Center to support asylees and refugees seeking lawful permanent resident status in the United States.
Andrew Gutierrez
Director, Legal Operations at Pliant Therapeutics
Andrew Gutierrez is a Director and Head of Contracts and Data Privacy at Pliant Therapeutics where he oversees day-to-day contracting from early R&D through Phase 3 Clinical Trials in addition to overseeing all Privacy related matters. Prior to joining Pliant, Andrew was a Vice President and Head of Contract, Compliance and Privacy Officer at Science Exchange where he successfully managed a Legal and Compliance team to support software used by Biopharmaceutical Partners to manage their outsourcing efforts. Andrew is a first generation American, first in his family to graduate from High School, College and Graduate School. As such, Andrew has a passion for helping those that have a similar background to his and helping them achieve their career goals.
Sophia Iams
Attorney, Sidley Austin LLP
Sophia Iams is an attorney at Sidley Austin LLP who focuses her practice on complex intellectual property and commercial transactions for life sciences companies, including strategic collaborations, licensing agreements, and mergers and acquisitions. She leverages her educational background in biology and biotechnology entrepreneurship, as well as her prior professional experience in life sciences consulting, to strategically assist and advise on client transactions. Sophia holds a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, a M.S. in Biotechnology Entrepreneurship from the University of Notre Dame and a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame. In her free time, she enjoys training for triathlons and spending time with her family.
Tricia Mann
Director, Corporate Counsel, Otsuka
Patricia Mann is Director, Corporate Counsel, at Otsuka in the company's Legal Affairs group, where she provides counsel for business development, alliance management and general commercial matters pertaining to the company's US business. Prior to joining Otsuka, Tricia worked as an Associate at Goodwin Procter LLP in the firm’s Technology & Life Sciences group, where she represented biotechnology, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, medical and other life sciences industry clients with regard to intellectual property matters, including in connection with licensing and strategic alliances, M&A and commercial transactions. Prior to Tricia’s time at Goodwin, she was a Senior Manager & Associate Corporate Counsel in the Corporate Legal group at Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated. Tricia clerked for the Honorable Gregory I. Massing at the Massachusetts Court of Appeals. In 2019, Tricia was chosen for membership into the National Black Lawyers – Top 40 Under 40 organization. In Tricia’s spare time, she loves strength training, traveling, and spending time with her closest family and friends.
Osaze Udeagbala
Associate Medical Director, Takeda
Osaze Udeagbala is a results-driven, team-oriented life sciences professional with nearly a decade of hands-on experience across business development, clinical science, management consulting, venture capital, and academic discovery research. Currently serving as Associate Medical Director at Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Osaze oversees efficient study execution for a phase 2 asset in gastrointestinal inflammation. In his prior role as a business development deal lead at Takeda’s Center for External Innovation, Osaze led efforts in sourcing, diligence, and transactions for research collaborations and technology/asset licenses in gastrointestinal inflammation. Osaze holds an MD from New York University, an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, and a Bachelor’s in Engineering, summa cum laude, from The Cooper Union.