Morrison & Foerster's Clean Technology + Alternative Energy Group has extensive experience counseling biofuel investors, entrepreneurs, emerging companies, and established companies developing low-input, high-yield feedstocks and new conversion technologies to produce advanced biofuels. Many of our clients are working on converting cellulose-based biomass into economical, low-carbon biofuels — for example, using transgenic and classical plant breeding technologies to develop miscanthus, sugarcane, or corn biomass for use as cellulosic feed stock. We also represent clients, such as Synthetic Genomics and Kai BioEnergy, working on "third generation" biofuels.
Our biofuels industry capability includes corporate and energy industry experts supported by the nation's largest group of intellectual property patent, licensing, trademark and litigation lawyers expert in the life sciences. Our Plant Intellectual Property Group encompasses a unique combination of legal expertise regarding patents, licensing, trademarks, and litigation related to plants and plant products. Together we effectively structure strategic alliances, joint ventures, financing and licensing arrangements to advance biofuels technology development, including the operation of power, energy, and infrastructure projects, obtain and defend regulatory approvals, and monetize and defend intellectual property assets and marketing rights related to biofuels.