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Philip P. Crowley

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Philip P. Crowley
“I am passionate about working with mid-sized and emerging technology companies who are focused on creating products and services that save lives, reduce suffering and increase quality of life.”

Philip P. Crowley

Founder & Managing Partner

Philip P. Crowley Esq. is the founder and Managing Partner at Crowley Law LLC, a boutique corporate law firm focused on helping emerging tech and life sciences startups launch and reach their full potential. Phil guides clients in forming and structuring new business entities including mergers and acquisitions. As a trusted advisor, he guides entrepreneurs in strategic business initiatives including contract review and negotiation, licensing, IP planning and protection, and founders and key employee arrangements. Phil’s main objectives are to help startup businesses proactively avoid costly mistakes while laying a solid foundation for business growth and success. In addition to providing an analysis of and planning strategy for protection against liabilities, Phil provides ongoing proactive counseling services for clients without in-house counsel.

Prior to launching the firm, Phil served as a Corporate Counsel for Johnson & Johnson. In this role, Phil was a valuable partner for Johnson & Johnson’s diversified businesses and provided strategic legal guidance in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, finance & commercial law, FDA regulations and environmental compliance.

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More About Philip P. Crowley

Admitted to Practice
  • New York
  • New Jersey
Education
  • Columbia Law School, J.D.
    • Editor-in-Chief, Columbia Journal of Transactional Law
  • Harvard University, MS, Experimental Physics
    • National Science Foundation Traineeship
  • Stevens Institute of Technology, BS, Physics, with High Honor & Valedictorian
    • Tau Beta Pi (engineering honor society)
    • Sigma Xi (scientific research honor society)
Prior Work Experience​
  • Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ
      • Assistant General Counsel, 1995 – 2015
      • Primary Legal Liaison to Boards of Significant Subsidiaries of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), 1982 – 2005
    • Founder & Director, Johnson & Johnson Law Department Online Compliance Training Portal, 2005 – 2015
    • General Attorney, 1982 – 1995
  • Regulatory Counsel for Environmental Law Matters – 2008 – 2015
  • Founder & Co-Chairman, Pharmaceutical Product Stewardship Working Group – a group of 200 pharmaceutical companies creating industry-wide responses to government initiatives on disposal of unwanted and unused prescription drugs
  • Associate, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, New York, NY, 1978 – 1982
  • Associate, White & Case, New York, NY, 1976 – 1978
  • Senior Research Scientist, Corning Inc., Corning, NY 1972 – 1973
Professional and Trade Affiliations​
  • New Jersey State Bar Association,
    • Chairman, Venture Capital, Angel Investor and Emerging Growth Technology Company Committee, 2019 – 2024
    • Solo & Small Law Firm Section
    • Business Law Section
  • New York State Bar Association
    • Member, Business Law Section
  • New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association, Board of Directors, 2001 – 2014
  • Association of Corporate Counsel, Board of Directors, Washington, D.C. 2007 – 2013
  • Brightflag (Ireland), Member Board of Directors, a SaaS company using Artificial Intelligence to help corporate law departments analyze, control and reduce outside counsel costs, 2015 – 2019
  • NJ Institute of Technology Enterprise Development Center, Executive in Residence, 2015 – 2018
  • Stevens Venture Center, Advisory Board, 2017 – 2019
  • Stevens Institute of Technology, Board of Trustees, 1993 – Present
    • Member and Former Chairman, Research Enterprise & Technology Commercialization Committee
    • Former Member and Former Chairman, Audit Committee
    • Chairman, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
  • Weill Cornell Medical College, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center & Rockefeller University, Bench to Bedside Initiative and Weill Cornell Bioventure eLab Life Sciences Incubator, Mentor, 2016 – Present
  • Biotechnology Innovation Organization, Washington, D.C., 1987 – 1993
    • Chair, Law Committee
Honors & Awards
  • “Man of the Year” Hope Through Education – A Fund for Better Futures, 2022
  • Stevens Outstanding Contributor Award, 2019
  • Listed in Super Lawyers®, Business Law, 2019-2022
  • Stevens Alumni Award, 2002
  • Certificate of Appreciation, FDA, Joint FDA-Industry Workshop on Software as a Medical Device, 1997

AWARDS DISCLAIMER

Publications
  • “Tips and Insights: Law Department Management, Association of Corporate Counsel Docket”, 2007
  • “Online Compliance Training:  A Primer”, Association of Corporate Counsel Docket, 2004
  • “Simulated Motion of Flux Tubes”, Cryogenics Vol. 12, No. 2, 1972
Community Involvement
  • Stevens Institute of Technology Board of Trustees, 1993 – Present
    • Chairman, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee
  • Pro Bono Partnership in New Jersey, 1998 – 2014
  • Hope Through Education – A Fund for Better Futures Inc., an organization focused on providing scholarships on a non-sectarian basis to children in K through 12 seeking better schools, Founding Board Member and Secretary, 2018 – 2019
  • Stevens Alumni Association
    • Board of Trustees, 2018 – 2020
    • Board of Trustees and President, 1992 – 1994
  • Mendham Township, New Jersey Zoning Board of Adjustment, 2018

Guiding Tech & Life Sciences Innovators

Phil is a Trustee of Stevens Institute of Technology, a member of the Board of Directors of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and former Mentor to the Florida Atlantic University TechLaunch program. Phil leverages his connectivity to these organizations to help tech innovators seize opportunities. As a current Mentor to life sciences incubators at Weill Cornell Medical College, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center & Rockefeller University in NYC, Phil is uniquely qualified to help emerging life sciences companies at every stage in their life cycles.

Recent Blog Posts

READ MORE
How to Leverage Licensing to Grow Your Life Sciences or Tech Startup

Identify and Structure Licensing Opportunities That Support Startup Growth Too often, early-stage founders overlook licensing because it seems like something only the big players do....

READ MORE
How Legal Strategy Shapes Startup Growth, Funding and Risk Management

Acting as Legal Counsel and Strategic Legal Advisor to Support Startup Growth Founders make dozens of legal and strategic decisions in the first year, many...

READ MORE
How to Build a Legally Sound Growth Plan for Your Startup

Build a Legal Foundation That Supports Long-Term Growth A promising idea might open doors, but it takes more than a good pitch to get through...

Recommendations

Phil brings decades of big company executive experience combined with an entrepreneurial ability to think outside the box.
Tom SchollEntrepreneur, Technology Innovator and Investor, Professional Venture Capitalist
Tom Scholl
Phil responded to me quickly, identifying a variety of risk scenarios to consider and he turned over his recommended red-lined contract in a matter of hours. Ever since then, I rely on him as a consummate legal resource and trusted advisor.
Leigh Ann SoltysiakSilverleaf Consulting, Commercialization Strategy Consultant, Consumer Tech & Health Wellness
Leigh Ann Soltysiak
Phil has been of tremendous legal help to the progress of our early-stage biotech start-up. He is very experienced and conducts his work in a time and cost efficient manner. Great counsel!
Joanna Stanicka
Joanna Stanicka
Phil Crowley has been extremely helpful in providing quick and thoughtful counsel regarding our business needs. Highly recommend his services.
Tor AldenPrincipal, high technology design engineering firm
Tor Alden
Phil has been a trusted advisor to our company as we have expanded into the US market. His extensive legal and business experience has proven invaluable to the company. A great sounding board for practical, strategic advice, Phil is always one of the first people we turn to.
Alex KellyPresident and Co-Founder of Ireland-based software-as-a-service company
Alex Kelly
Phil has been a great partner in my consulting business. He is responsive and practical and he focuses on the key areas that need attention… I recommend him highly.
Clinical and FDA regulatory Affairs Expert
Clinical and FDA regulatory Affairs Expert
Phil helped me assess and modify a complex Master Services Agreement from a client. I found Phil to be very thorough and pragmatic, and the MSA was agreed to quickly.
Lori LonczakPresident, Strategic Marketing, Bio & Health Tech Products
Lori Lonczak
We are one of the leading accelerators of tech companies in NYC. Phil has helped a number of our startup companies with a combination of legal skills, familiarity with technology and use of his experience as a strategic thinker on business issues. We’re happy to have him help us bring our young companies to the next level of success.
Murat AktihanogluCo-founder & Managing Partner at ERA and ERA Global
Murat Aktihanoglu

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