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Overview

Intellectual property is typically among the most significant assets of a business, and Calfee’s technology transaction team prides itself on maximizing the value of those assets for its clients.

Operating at the crossroads of corporate and intellectual property law, our technology transactions experts guide clients ranging from cutting-edge startups and early stage investors to large privately held and publicly traded companies and established private equity funds through the complexities of intellectual property-focused commercial transactions. 

Recognizing that intellectual property and technology transactions require special expertise and care, Calfee’s team melds more than a century of deal-making experience with the specialized skill set of a broad group of highly accomplished intellectual property attorneys.

Our lawyers have both the legal expertise to close the deal and the technical background and experience to understand the unique challenges in any technology field. This added insight makes all the difference in today’s technology-driven M&A market. In fact, Calfee’s team is routinely called upon to act as IP-specific deal counsel in complex transactions in a wide array of technology sectors with deals ranging in size from smaller, focused transactions to those that exceed a billion dollars in value. 

Noteworthy

Chambers USA Leading Law Firm Rankings

Since 2004, Calfee has been recognized as a Leading Law Firm for Intellectual Property by Chambers USA, most recently in Band 1 in Ohio (2024).

Clients provided feedback to Chambers USA researchers, "Calfee is esteemed for its handling of IP litigation and portfolio management on behalf of large clients in Ohio and the Midwest and across the USA. The IP team is highly experienced in the engineering, chemical, and biological sectors, with notable abilities in handling matters for consumer products and manufacturing clients. The team is responsive, practical, and extremely knowledgeable. Calfee offers excellent value for its services. The team is dedicated and provides sophisticated IP legal services at an attractive cost. Calfee's IP attorneys are highly regarded; they are true experts, and they do excellent work for their clients. This is a power bench; the team works well together and supports each other well. Each individual is responsive and knowledgeable in their expertise and experience. This is definitely one of my favorite firms to work with."

Chambers USA researchers also found Calfee's IP team to be held in "very high regard by fellow practitioners who note Calfee's extensive experience representing clients in wider patent and trademark matters, IP litigation matters, appellate work, and advising companies on managing IP assets in China."

Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” Rankings

Calfee was selected for inclusion in the 2024 "Best Law Firms" rankings in the following areas:

  • Corporate Law (National Tier 2, Regional Tier 1 Cleveland, Regional Tier 1 Columbus, Regional Tier 2 Cincinnati)
  • Mergers & Acquisitions Law (National Tier 2, Regional Tier 1 Cleveland, Regional Tier 1 Columbus)

Professionals

Professionals

Brad  Liu
Partner; Associate Director, International Business – Asia
Kimberly A. Pinter
Vice Chair, Intellectual Property
Todd  Tucker
Partner; Director of International Business

Services

Services

Calfee’s technology transactions expertise includes:

  • Technology-based M&A transactions
  • Standalone technology acquisitions, divestitures and spin outs
  • Complex Intellectual Property due diligence
  • Research and development agreements
  • Joint development agreements, joint ventures, and strategic partnership initiatives
  • Strategic technology assessments for investment funds and strategic buyers
  • Securitization of Intellectual Property in debt transactions
  • IP landscape and valuation projects
  • Adversarial and litigation-driven licensing negotiations
  • Buying and selling patent portfolios, complex licensing arrangements, and technology monetization programs
  • Technology-related manufacturing, reseller, supply and distribution agreements
  • Source code reviews and clean room projects
  • Advising clients on the use of Intellectual Property as an alternative to traditional funding
  • Negotiating complex acquisitions of brand portfolios
  • Licensing personality rights, negotiating sponsorships, and athlete and celebrity endorsements

In addition to helping clients complete these milestone events, Calfee’s team handles day-to-day counseling for large and small companies in a diverse variety of technology spaces to help them maximize the value of their IP assets in preparation for potential IP transactions. This includes:

  • Identifying and protecting proprietary information and other IP assets
  • Developing foreign and domestic nondisclosure agreements
  • Maintaining IP portfolios and records to avoid delays when potential deals arise
  • Advising clients on protecting trade secrets from disclosure and other adverse events that may undercut the value of their IP

Our attorneys focus on combining legal expertise with technical and business acumen to assist our clients in preparing for and completing technology-focused transactions efficiently to achieve optimal results.

Client Feedback

Client Feedback

  • "The Calfee team is responsive, practical, and extremely knowledgeable." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2023
  • "The team handles very complex patent work for us and has proven to be very professional and knowledgeable." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
  • "They manage situations so they can be handled cost-effectively, they're great at communicating and make strong, practical recommendations, rather than just legal assessments." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
  • "Calfee does phenomenal work and has become our go-to firm for IP services." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022
  • "They have a really good spectrum of talent across sectors and expertise, particularly in the technology space." – Client quote, Chambers USA 2022

News & Events

News

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Practice Contact

"Calfee's IP group is esteemed for its handling of IP litigation and portfolio management on behalf of large clients in Ohio, the Midwest, and across the USA. They are highly experienced in the engineering, chemical, and biological sectors, with notable abilities in handling matters for consumer products and manufacturing clients."

Researcher comments, Chambers USA

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