Intellectual Property and Technology
PDFProfessionals
- Lucas A. Anderson
- Lani Barnes Baxter
- Adam A. Berkland
- Aneesha Sehgal Bruton
- Stokely G. Caldwell Jr.
- John M. Conley
- Cary B. Davis
- Richard C. Dunn
- Tenley F. Evans
- Charles E. Johnson
- Jonathan C. Krisko
- Kelly Luongo Loving
- Mark W. Merritt
- Lawrence C. Moore III
- Emma W. Perry
- J. Dickson Phillips III
- Preetha Suresh Rini
- D. Blaine Sanders
- Gregory L. Skidmore
- John R. Wester
- Sandra K. Wilburn
- Erik R. Zimmerman
Overview
Robinson Bradshaw's intellectual property and technology practice builds upon our extensive knowledge of commercial matters to include wide-ranging proficiency across the spectrum of intellectual property law. We strive to understand each client’s business and commercial objectives and use this knowledge to bring a pragmatic and client-centered approach to advise them on intellectual property matters.
Our primary areas of emphasis are:
Intellectual Property Protection and Patents
We help our clients develop and enforce a comprehensive strategy for protecting and monetizing ideas and inventions under patent and trade secret law and written and electronic documents under copyright law. In particular, we help clients assess their intellectual property assets and determine whether patent protection is a practical and reasonable option for their businesses. We also evaluate the legal and economic significance of competitors’ patents, and we structure, draft and negotiate a wide variety of patent transfer and licensing arrangements.
Software and Technology
Our firm has years of experience handling software and technology licensing transactions for companies of all sizes. We are keenly aware of the obstacles and pitfalls that can arise in licensing and development transactions and have a proven track record of helping our clients achieve successful outcomes. Our attorneys work with clients to create customized solutions that bring to bear recent legal and technological developments, and market terms and trends. We regularly assist clients with license agreements, consulting and services agreements, outsourcing arrangements, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Application Service Provider arrangements, development agreements, hosting agreements and issues related to open source software.
Trademarks
Our lawyers advise clients on trademark law issues, including protecting and licensing trademarks, enforcing rights against infringers and defending claims for alleged infringement. We help clients evaluate proposed marks and assist with trademark searches, opinions and registrations, and administrative proceedings. We also advise clients on brand development and marketing matters, such as advertising review and clearance, website privacy policies and terms, sweepstakes, reward programs and packaging, and manage many significant portfolios of U.S. and internationally registered trademarks for our clients.
Privacy and Data Security
We counsel clients about developments in privacy laws, both domestically and abroad, on topics such as data protection and destruction; data security; privacy obligations on websites and in electronic commerce; and privacy laws that govern financial institutions, health care providers and other businesses. We work with clients across a broad range of industries to implement privacy and data security and protection programs, and we draft related policies and procedures.
Employment-Related IP Issues
Our extensive experience advising clients on employment-related issues involving intellectual property includes enforcing confidentiality and noncompetition agreements and resolving issues about the ownership of developments.
Acquisitions and Divestitures
We provide comprehensive assistance in structuring, negotiating and documenting technology-related acquisitions and sales; conducting due diligence related to such transactions; and evaluating intellectual property portfolios transferred in such transactions.
Intellectual Property Disputes
Our attorneys regularly represent clients in intellectual property disputes, patent and trademark infringement proceedings, trade secret disputes, publicity rights invasions and royalties matters. We also help clients enforce and defend their rights to use intellectual property.
Honors & Awards
- U.S. News – Best Lawyers, Best Law Firms, Charlotte Tier 1 for litigation – intellectual property, 2012-22
- IP Stars, recommended firm, 2013-21
Experience
Represent a highly innovative global networking solutions and communications equipment provider in commercial and transactional intellectual property matters, including acquisitions, joint ventures, development agreements and technology licenses.
Managed the intellectual property aspects of a co-purchase of a public technology company division for approximately $2.5 billion; the formation of a joint venture with a Japanese company to hold and operate purchased assets; and the subsequent purchase of a telecommunications equipment division from another public company for $250 million in cash and stocks.
Represented a health care-focused hedge fund firm with $3.5 billion in assets in various investments and transactions by its funds and portfolio companies, including the purchase of royalty streams from sales of pharmaceutical products, the acquisition of pharmaceutical products and key related intellectual property rights, and the subsequent licensing of those rights.
Manage the intellectual property portfolio – including trademarks and patents – of the largest wholesale insurance broker in the United States, and provide counsel on domestic and international clearance, prosecution and enforcement.
Represent a private software company that provides a SaaS-based technology platform that facilitates the capture and dissemination of medical records; matters include subscription agreements, reseller agreements, business partner agreements and other distribution-related agreements.
Assist a leading home textile company with intellectual property matters, including brand development, trademark prosecution, portfolio management, licensing and litigation; provide counsel on domestic and international clearance, registration, maintenance, enforcement and infringement risk management; provide legal advice on advertising and marketing materials, packaging and product labels.
Represent an artificial intelligence company in various licensing and content development projects related to its patented content generation engine, which transforms raw data into actionable narrative stories and insights with the tone, personality and variability of a human writer.
Represent a sales consulting business in connection with the licensing of proprietary materials, processes, methodologies and know-how pertaining to sales training effectiveness, and regarding consulting services.
Represent a developer of biometric sensor technology in connection with its patent and technology licenses to major national and international consumer electronics companies for the production of wearable lifestyle and fitness products.
Represent a provider of software solutions, designed to manage networks with both physical and virtual devices, in its information technology and patent licenses.
Represent an industry leader in water and air filtration in its commercial and transactional intellectual property matters, including acquisitions, joint ventures, development agreements and licenses.
Defended a company that licenses data, statistics and content against breach of license and infringement claims.
Represented a biometric sensor developer in asserting and resolving claims related to the breach of a nondisclosure agreement by a potential development partner.
News & Events
News
- June 2, 2023
- May 23, 2023
- Jan. 9, 2023
- Dec. 27, 2022
- Nov. 4, 2022
- Nov. 3, 2022
- Aug. 23, 2022
- April 29, 2022
- Jan. 14, 2022
- Jan. 4, 2022
- Nov. 18, 2021
- Aug. 26, 2021
- June 24, 2021
- June 22, 2021
- May 19, 2021
- March 11, 2021
- Nov. 5, 2020
- Aug. 28, 2020
- Aug. 20, 2020
- April 28, 2020
- April 2, 2020
- Feb. 26, 2020
- Nov. 21, 2019
- Nov. 1, 2019
- Oct. 31, 2019
- Oct. 28, 2019
- Oct. 17, 2019
- Oct. 1, 2019
- Aug. 15, 2019
- May 29, 2019
- April 2, 2019
- Feb. 26, 2019
- Jan. 14, 2019
- Nov. 16, 2018
- Nov. 1, 2018
- Oct. 24, 2018
- Aug. 15, 2018
- June 26, 2018
- June 25, 2018
- June 20, 2018
- June 20, 2018
- Jan. 31, 2018
- Jan. 9, 2018
- Nov. 2, 2017
- Nov. 2, 2017
- Oct. 25, 2017
- Sept. 21, 2017
- Eight Named “Lawyer of the Year”Aug. 16, 2017
- June 15, 2017
- April 7, 2017
- Nov. 9, 2016
- Nov. 1, 2016
- Oct. 26, 2016
- Eight Attorneys Named "Lawyer of the Year"Aug. 15, 2016
- June 23, 2016
- June 15, 2016
- March 24, 2016
- Nov. 2, 2015
- Oct. 21, 2015
- Rankings include recognition as a Tier 1 firm in 38 practice areas in CharlotteNov. 6, 2014
- More Ranked Attorneys Than Any Other North Carolina Firm for Fifth Consecutive YearOct. 29, 2014
- May 30, 2014
- Rankings Include Recognition as Tier 1 Firm in 38 Practice Areas in CharlotteNov. 1, 2013
- July 30, 2013
- Robinson Bradshaw Recommended as Tier 1 Intellectual Property Firm by Managing Intellectual PropertyTwo Attorneys Named ‘IP Stars’June 25, 2013
- Aug. 23, 2012
- June 4, 2012
- Sept. 1, 2011
- Aug. 9, 2010
- Dec. 31, 2008
Events
Via webinar
Jan. 26, 2021Hilton Wilmington Riverside
301 N. Water St.
Wilmington, NC 28401April 28, 2017The Westin Boston Waterfront
425 Summer St.
Boston, MA 02210Sept. 22, 2016The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
100 Friday Center Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27517June 27, 2016Charlotte School of Law
201 S. College St. #400
Charlotte, NC 28244April 12-13, 2016Seaport World Trade Center
200 Seaport Blvd.
Boston, MA 02210April 7, 2016Pinehurst Resort
80 Carolina Vista Drive
Pinehurst, NCFeb. 19, 2016Seaport World Trade Center
Boston, MassachusettsApril 21-23, 2015NC Bar Center
8000 Weston Parkway
Cary, North Carolina 27513Dec. 12, 2014Hyatt Place Charlotte Downtown
222 South Caldwell Street
Charlotte, North CarolinaApril 8-9, 2014- Protecting Corporate Assets and the Brand in a Digitized, Global Environment
The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte
201 East Trade Street
Charlotte, North CarolinaDec. 6, 2012 Robinson Bradshaw
1450 Raleigh Road
Suite 100
Chapel Hill, North CarolinaSept. 11, 2012The Driskill Hotel
604 Brazos Street
Austin, TexasApril 16-18, 2012William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education
100 Friday Center Drive
Chapel Hill, North CarolinaApril 13, 2011Duke Law School
Science Drive and Towerview Road
Durham, North CarolinaFeb. 11, 2011
Insights
- Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Aug. 5, 2019Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Oct. 8, 2018Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Jan. 22, 2018L3: Long Leaf Law, North Carolina Bar Association blog
- Oct. 11, 2017Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Aug. 16, 2017Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- June 23, 2017Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- April 12, 2017Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- April 12, 2017Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- July 19, 2016Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- July 15, 2016Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Oct. 8, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 15, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 15, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- March 3, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- March 3, 2015Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 19, 2014Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 19, 2014Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Feb. 11, 2014Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Feb. 11, 2014Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 20, 2013Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- May 20, 2013Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Jan. 31, 2013Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Oct. 8, 2012Westlaw Journal Computer & Internet
- Sept. 21, 2012Westlaw Journal Computer & Internet
- April 4, 2012Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- March 22, 2012Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Feb. 2, 2012Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Jan. 30, 2012Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Oct. 21, 2011Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Dec. 27, 2010Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Dec. 14, 2010Westlaw Journal
- December 2009Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- Aug. 21, 2009Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- April 2009Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- February 2009Robinson Bradshaw Publication
- June 11, 2008Robinson Bradshaw Publication