Dr. Chris Boyle

DR. CHRIS BOYLE is a life sciences lawyer and qualified veterinarian who advises and litigates in the highly regulated fields of human and veterinary medicinal products, medical devices, biocides, chemicals, food, and feed. In addition to his advisory and litigation work, Chris coordinates multi-jurisdictional compliance projects and supports complex life sciences corporate transactions and private equity deals by providing valuable legal and industry insights and specialist due diligence.

“Chris Boyle is a dual-qualified vet and lawyer. Scientific knowledge is flawless. He is very measured and his composure feeds into his clients. A game-changer.”
Legal 500 UK 2026

“Chris is highly responsive and someone who is able to simplify complex regulations for clients.”
Chambers UK 2026

 

For animal health clients, Chris provides advice across the entire lifecycle of veterinary medicines from pre-authorization to commercialization. This includes development, licensing, co-marketing and commercial agreements, clinical trials, manufacturing, regulatory approval and market access, novel therapies, regulatory data protection, supplementary protection certificates (SPCs), advertising and promotional campaigns, product recalls, suspension of marketing authorizations, off-label prescribing issues, and import and export issues. Chris additionally advises clients in relation to animal devices, diagnostics, feed, and feed supplements. When providing his advice, Chris recognizes the crucial interaction between animal health and human and environmental health and advises companies adopting a “One Health” approach. Chris founded and chairs the Sidley Animal Health Legal Forum (AHLF), a network for animal health professionals, regulatory affairs colleagues, and investors who meet regularly to share best practices and to discuss legal and regulatory issues the animal health industry is facing.

Chris is “a specialist in animal health” and “is recognised for his expertise in regulatory life sciences issues and ‘flawless’ scientific knowledge.”

“Chris Boyle is a vet as well as lawyer, so he understands the animal health industry first hand and speaks our language! Chris has instigated an Animal Health Legal Forum, bringing together others in the industry, which is a great innovation.”
Legal 500 UK 2026

 

For biopharma and pharma clients, Chris advises and litigates across a broad spectrum of regulatory frameworks. This includes guiding companies on obtaining regulatory approvals, defending product approvals before MHRA, and advising on valuable IP regulatory rights such as orphan-drug market exclusivity, pediatric rewards, SPCs, and regulatory data protection rights. On market access issues, Chris assists clients from pre-marketing authorization through to commercialization phases. For instance, Chris helps guide clients through the legal and regulatory requirements in Health Technology Assessments to present the best value to payors, including the utilization of Real World Evidence (RWE) to address gaps in clinical trial data. Chris has successfully supported clients in challenging unfavorable decisions of regulatory bodies such as the EMA, MHRA and UK Home Office, and health technology authorities, such as NICE, and in enforcing regulatory exclusivities in the courts. Chris is also actively involved in the development of the new EU Pharmaceutical Law Package, IP Package, Critical Medicines Act and the Biotech Act.

“Chris has strong knowledge of the UK pharma environment and key industry challenges”
Chambers UK 2026

“Chris provides excellent client service, is very quick to respond to our needs and always keeps us updated on unplanned challenges. He is thoughtful and proactive in his presentations. ”
Chambers UK 2026

 

In the MedTech sector, Chris advises clients on regulatory strategies to get MedTech products to market and provides guidance on evolving regulatory frameworks under the medical device regulations (MDR and IVDR) and advertising regulations. Chris helps clients obtain CE and UKCA marking certification for MDR and IVDR, including software as a medical device (SaMD) leveraging AI. Chris represents clients before the MHRA in defending product approvals, and he advises on the many classification and borderline issues that arise as the legal frameworks try to keep pace with technology, companion diagnostics, wearables, RWE, and AI.

“Chris is an outstanding individual. He is highly professional in listening and reflecting back his understanding of the evidence and his life science background is helpful.”
Chambers UK 2025

“Chris is a real stellar performer and a future shining light in regulatory life sciences work.”
Chambers UK 2025

Chris advises companies on novel food authorizations, human and animal supplements, food and feed claims. Chris guides companies on interactions with UK regulators such as the FSA, MHRA, and VMD,; helps companies respond to enforcement notices,; and where necessary, guides companies on food and feed incidents, product withdrawals, and recalls.

Chris is a solicitor-advocate, experienced in representing clients before the UK and EU courts and before UK regulators. He is acting for a pharmaceutical company in high-value, follow-on damages proceedings in the UK concerning the intersection of competition, regulatory, and patent law. Chris has acted in award-winning appeals before the UK Supreme Court, multiple Court of Appeal Hearings, and advises companies on judicial review strategies.

Chris has received further acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides:

Chambers UK 2026, Ranked in Life Sciences, Regulatory, Legal 500 UK 2026 – Named for Life Sciences and Healthcare, Legal 500 UK 2025 – Named for Life Sciences and Healthcare, Legal 500 UK 2024 – Named as “Rising Star” for Life Sciences and Healthcare, where clients comment: “Chris Boyle has a very reassuring presence, and is calm and reflective, and always appreciates the priority of the client. His advice is concise and always provided with the realities of the business environment in mind.” Legal 500 UK 2023 – Named as “Rising Star” for Life Sciences and Healthcare, where clients noted that “Chris Boyle is an absolute superstar as a Senior Managing Associate. He is tremendously clever, prodigiously hard working and would be at the top of my list of people to have on any team. He also has a strong scientific background in life sciences, which is invaluable.” “Chris Boyle is a qualified veterinarian and life-sciences lawyer who uses his scientific background to great effect when advising his clients. Great practical advice.”

Chris was named in the inaugural Pro Bono Recognition List of England and Wales.

Chris speaks regularly on hot topics in regulatory life- sciences at international conferences.

Recent experience includes advising: 

• GE HealthCare’s on the regulatory aspects of its US$2.3 billion acquisition of Intelerad, a leading medical imaging software company specializing in medical imaging and enterprise workflow solutions.
• Les Laboratoires Servier in UK parallel proceedings brought by the health authorities in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland who are seeking damages for an alleged over-spend on medicine as a result of an alleged breach of competition rules.
• KKR on its acquisition of Argenta, a leading animal pharmaceutical research and manufacturing company.
• Archer Daniels Midland on its acquisition of Probiotics International Limited, a UK-based provider of probiotic supplements for human, pet, and production-animal use.