Intellectual property is one of the most valuable commercial assets in modern times and often defines the company's position in the marketplace. While non-intellectual property due diligence is fairly straightforward and has not changed a great deal in recent years, intellectual property itself is complicated, evolving constantly, and highly technical. The constantly changing laws surrounding intellectual property further complicate this area of due diligence, and often require subject matter experts to study the materials. Intellectual Property and Technology Due Diligence provides an invaluable resource for assisting intellectual property and business lawyers in conducting such a review. This book provides a much-needed a practical guide on how to train an attorney on conducting effective, cost-efficient due diligence in the areas of intellectual property and technology. This expansive guide provides guidance on how to review of all aspects of intellectual property and technology, accurately assessing and analyzing the risks and benefits associated with those intangible assets and determining how they impact transactions and the business at large. Chapters written by contributors who each have extensive experience in the field of intellectual property, with specializations in areas such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, life sciences, data security, and more. Collectively, these authors have run individual deals ranging in value from the tens of thousands to billions of dollars; they have technical backgrounds ranging from electrical and chemical engineering to software development and pharmaceutical technology; and command legal experience in all settings, from large law firms, small law firms, in house, or as solo practitioners. Topics covered in this rigorous, comprehensive manual include due diligence for intellectual property assets (patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets); technology data, and online services; life sciences; agriculture and the plant breeding industry; IP assets acquired through bankruptcy; university-oriented IP; and cybersecurity and data privacy. Other chapters address security liens; conforming to the provisions to reflect due diligence and the deal and closing the deal.
About the Author: Lacy Kolo, PhD, JD, is a Director at the global investment bank Houlihan Lokey in their Washington, DC office. Dr. Kolo has spent her career working at the intersection of intellectual property, strategic transactions, and technology. She advises clients on technology and intellectual property-based transactions, mergers and acquisitions, IP-backed capital formation, and restructuring. Dr. Kolo earned a JD from the Antonin Scalia George Mason University law school; a PhD in Pharmacological and Physiological Studies from St. Louis University; and a BA in International Studies from the University of Virginia.