Our counsel in the specific area of technology transfer is a core component of our overall technology commercialization capabilities. We provide experienced technology transfer support to two broad groups:
- Universities, hospitals and research institutions seeking to monetize or otherwise develop technology assets; and
- Entrepreneurs, venture capital firms and larger companies seeking to identify and generate returns from these assets.
Our services are designed to meet both strategic and transactional needs, including guidance and support on research transactions, technology licensing, joint ventures, equity transactions, and – for institutional clients – building and improving technology transfer operations.
Institutional clients range from entities with limited research technology portfolios and licensing experience to large institutions with established in-house technology transfer teams. Our strength is in our ability to support clients at any point in the spectrum:
- For clients with limited technology transfer experience, we act as an extension of in-house counsel, helping them to understand the risks and opportunities of different approaches to commercialization, and structuring and negotiating transactions on their behalf
- For clients with more significant technology transfer experience, we provide experienced transactional support to the in-house team on key projects, and are frequently called on to help technology transfer teams improve operational effectiveness and efficiency
Our entrepreneur and investor clients seek our assistance in structuring and negotiating research collaborations and licensing transactions, which often involve equity components.
Chris Wright leads our work in technology transfer, with support from other attorneys in our business and tax service areas.