Information Technology and Intellectual Property Transactions
Increasingly, our clients' success in global markets is dependent upon the effectiveness of their information technology systems and the optimization of their intellectual property rights. Dewey & LeBoeuf's Information Technology and Intellectual Property (IT and IP) Transactions Practice Group utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to support and enhance our clients' strategic relationships and IT and IP assets. We work with companies of all sizes and stages of development in the acquisition, maintenance, protection, enforcement, and licensing of business-critical IT and IP assets.
Our practice spans critical aspects of IT and IP transactions and counseling, including procurement and protection of IT and IP, enterprise licensing, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and other corporate transactions involving IP and IT assets. We also provide advice on outsourcing (including restructuring existing arrangements), offshoring and legal compliance related to data, online communications and other IT assets.
As part of our counseling, we advise clients on traditional areas of IP (including copyrights, patents, trademarks and trade secrets), as well as emerging areas of IT (including privacy, security, document retention and new media issues).
Our clients range from emerging growth to Fortune 100 companies in the financial services, insurance, media, data services, entertainment, computer (hardware, software and semiconductor), life sciences (pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical devices) and healthcare, telecommunications and wireless communications, consumer products, natural resources, and traditional and alternative energy sectors.
Our specific areas of practice are:
- Brand and Trademark Management
- E-Discovery and Document Management
- Global IT/IP Strategies
- Internet, E-Commerce and Web 2.0
- Life Sciences
- Media and Integrated Marketing
- Outsourcing and Offshoring
- Privacy and Information Security
- Technology Transactions and Licensing
- Telecommunications
Our Strategic Approach
We help clients identify the IT and IP they own and can protect and fulfill their corporate governance requirements regarding the reporting of the value and integrity of such assets in their financial statements, as well as how to establish proper data controls. We have assisted our clients with securitization of IP and IT assets, providing yet another means to explore and monetize. We conduct audits to evaluate clients' IP portfolios and to identify clients' rights in and ownership of existing IP. We help clients enlarge their portfolios through strategic acquisitions and licensing to meet future business needs, and we provide brand management services to help develop and preserve business reputations and goodwill in the marketplace. We also advise our clients on securing protection with governmental authorities through registration and prosecution, strategic licensing and enforcement programs.
Data security and privacy compliance issues are serious concerns for global enterprises and are becoming increasingly complicated as new and sometimes conflicting regulatory regimes are established around the world. We frequently advise our clients on the ownership and licensing of personal data, as well as compliance in cross-border personal data transfers arising from complex transactions (such as corporate reorganizations or the creation of new financial business products in non-US jurisdictions).
Our lawyers regularly provide counseling on record retention and electronic discovery, including issues arising out of discovery of multinational corporations and the effects of privacy and blocking statutes. We provide related advice on establishing defensible record retention programs and on ways to minimize the costs and risks involved in electronic discovery.
Our lawyers stay informed about emerging marketing technologies (for example, Web 2.0) and identify innovative ways our clients can take advantage of these new technologies. We serve as integrated marketing counsel to a number of consumer product companies and help them develop cutting-edge advertising across multiple platforms in both traditional and new media.
Integrated Capabilities and Industry Experience
The agreements our lawyers negotiate and prepare often cross over traditional practice area disciplines. As a full-service law firm, Dewey & LeBoeuf is able to offer our clients the integrated experience of lawyers in a variety of practice areas, such as M&A, capital markets, private equity, investment management, bankruptcy, tax, antitrust, international trade and regulatory affairs, securitization, media and litigation. We tailor each client engagement team to meet the unique transactional and counseling needs of the client and to provide comprehensive and cost-effective representation.