John M. Vassiliades is Of Counsel in the Northern Virginia office of Morrison & Foerster LLP, where he is a member of the firm’s Patent, Life Sciences, Intellectual Property, Technology Transactions, and Corporate/M&A/Public Companies practice groups. Formerly a partner in the IP/Technology and Corporate practice groups of Perkins Coie, LLP, Mr. Vassiliades represents domestic and international Fortune 500 corporations, emerging companies and start-ups involving a wide range of technologies, but mostly in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, healthcare and computer software related industries. As a patent, technology transactions and general corporate attorney, Mr. Vassiliades counsels clients on how best to develop, manage, commercialize, evaluate potential encumbrances, protect and enforce worldwide patent portfolios and handle patent proceedings, including how to structure and value R&D commercialization deals; how to license, make, distribute, promote and market high-tech products; and how to purchase, acquire, or sell a company’s proprietary technology or high tech business.

Bridging the gap between patent and corporate law, Mr. Vassiliades has patent law, freedom to operate, patent infringement/validity, patent licensing and litigation experience, general transactional experience in structuring and negotiating high-tech collaborations and related corporate/commercial transactions, domestic/international M&A experience, strategic alliances and other partnering structures involving the creation, protection and commercialization of jointly developed technology. As part of his general business law experience, Mr. Vassiliades has counseled clients as their general counsel on a variety of intellectual property matters, commercial deals, corporate compliance, disclosure, governance and regulatory compliance issues, including biomedical product regulations, executive compensation, private equity offerings, employment, advertising, privacy and IP antitrust issues. Mr. Vassiliades also has a technical scientific background within the Life Sciences industry, having received a Master of Science degree in the field of biotechnology with expertise in molecular/cell biology, immunology, virology, neurobiology, genetics, biochemistry and organic chemistry, including the product development and regulation of drugs, biologics and medical devices.

• Closed the forward triangular merger of Benitec, Ltd., an Australian public biotech company, with Avocel, a privately held biotech California company.
  
  
• Numerous biotech patent licensing and collaboration deals with such companies as Merck, Promega Corporation, Ambion, Chemicon, Artemis Pharmaceuticals, and Stanford University. Sponsored biotech manufacturing, research and development, and clinical trial collaboration with City of Hope Cancer Research Center.
  
  
• Part of the team of litigators for offensive and defensive patent infringement cases and patent proceedings involving the fields of biotechnology and software.
  
  
• Asset purchase acquisitions involving Electric Press and IDEV, NASSP and Providence College, and Coinstar, including private equity offerings for emerging high-tech companies Akazam, Hearingroom.com and Visual Freedom Center.
  
  
• Multiple technology procurement deals representing Cable & Wireless USA, Inc.