We lead our clients through the maze of legal and commercial issues that arise in connection with the acquisition, development, adoption, and commercialization of new technologies and IP assets in a wide range of cutting-edge industries in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

Our global Technology Transactions Group structures and negotiates agreements and provides sophisticated, business advice on the legal and commercial issues that arise in complex multijurisdictional technology and IP-related transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, software and information technology licensing and procurement, patent licensing and monetization, outsourcing arrangements, and development, collaboration, joint-venture, and distribution deals.

We are recognized as one of the world’s leading global law firms for technology transactions. Our Technology Transactions Group is a destination practice for technology and IP-related transactions. We are not a sideline practice within the general M&A or IP practice groups, as is the case at many law firms. We have one of the largest dedicated Technology Transactions Groups of any general practice law firm. This means our clients benefit from deep knowledge of lawyers in key markets around the world who spend all day, every day, working on the complex, cutting-edge technology and IP issues that present the greatest strategic challenges in the constantly evolving international technology marketplace.

We partner with clients to achieve the best overall result from a practical, business perspective across a number of sectors, including:

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality
Artificial Intelligence & Robotics
Blockchain & Distributed Ledger
FinTech
IoT, Connected Devices & Big Data
Life Sciences, HealthTech & AgTech
Semiconductors
Software, Cloud & as-a-Service Technologies

We bring added value to a transaction based on our deep understanding of not only the legal issues, but also the technological and business issues that arise in a range of new technology sectors. In fact, we believe there are very few issues in a transaction that are purely legal issues or purely business issues.

We are routinely recognized in the industry for our exceptional legal work, including being cited for:

“Morrison & Foerster have a really great team and a global offering, not least a great US presence.”

— Chambers Global 2022

“They are professional, well equipped with experts and have a global footprint.”

— Chambers Asia-Pacific 2022

“Breadth and depth in the TMT area with experts who can fall back on a lot of industry-specific experience. The networking with other departments works very well, so that legal advice can also be guaranteed by the TMT department on cross-departmental legal issues.”

— Chambers Europe 2022

“They're one of the most class-act outside counsel. They've figured out how to still be cutting-edge during the pandemic.”

— Chambers USA 2021

Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality

We are proud to be working with some of the pioneers in the augmented-reality and virtual-reality technology space. Our clients span the spectrum from start-ups to Silicon Valley industry leaders to global Fortune 100 power players. They are leading developers and manufacturers of AR/VR platforms and content who are constantly breaking new ground in social media, online gaming, education, wearable tech, and medical applications. From IP portfolio analysis, to license agreements for critical software, to policies for user-created content, to big data privacy guidelines, we advise our clients at every step of their business life cycle, from concept to market and beyond.

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Artificial Intelligence & Robotics

Our TTG attorneys advise companies doing business in AI data- and algorithm-rich environments, helping clients do everything from securing rights to training data sets, and services and data management platforms, to rolling out connected technologies to enterprise customers and consumers. Our work includes strategic collaborations; manufacturing, supply, development, distribution, and sale agreements; terms of service; counseling and negotiation of technology-related agreements; sourcing and IT procurement; IP licensing; and IP and technology issues related to investments and M&A deals.

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FinTech

FinTech—the intersection of finance and technology—is one of the fastest-growing segments in the financial services marketplace. It is also one of the most challenging. Companies operating in this space must constantly evolve to take advantage of new technologies, comply with changing laws and regulations, and meet ever increasing demands for greater privacy and security. We are recognized as one of the world’s leading law firms in the technology and financial services sectors, making us an ideal partner for FinTech companies. We offer clients a global network of lawyers with relevant industry experience and expertise in all the crucial areas of law, including technology transactions, financial services regulation, intellectual property, data protection, cybersecurity, and privacy.

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IoT, Connected Devices & Big Data

The Internet of Things (IoT) is resulting in interconnected and interdependent markets for connected products and services. We serve as trusted advisors to our clients addressing the full scope of IoT-related issues across industrial, consumer, enterprise, and government applications. We also have decades of experience representing companies across those industries that are at the forefront of developing and commercializing IoT solutions, from consumer electronics, industrial manufacturing, and the life sciences to Cleantech, automotive, and other transportation industries.

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Life Sciences, HealthTech & AgTech

We are on the cutting edge of science-driven counseling of biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and AgTech companies, as well as bringing cross-technology digital solutions like artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality to the life sciences marketplace. Our highly integrated team of transactional attorneys in the US, Europe, and Asia advise on the full range of transactions that arise during the life cycle of pharmaceutical or agricultural products, from billion-dollar global research, development and marketing collaborations, and cross-technology projects involving IT and life sciences, to daily commercial and operational matters. In close cooperation with other relevant practice groups, our team excels in structuring and negotiating licensing and technology transfer arrangements, assessing licensing and monetization schemes, forging strategic collaborations, drafting complex dispute settlement agreements, creating joint ventures, and advising on research and development projects in all major markets of the world.

Most notably, we regularly rely on our highly regarded Patent Group to help our clients understand the patent landscape (including freedom to operate)—both in pharma/medical device and AgTech—and to ensure that every transaction fits into their overall IP strategy. Our team also advises on structuring global and local commercial transactions, including toll or contract manufacturing, packaging, labeling, distribution and supply, and co-promotion and co-marketing arrangements for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products, medicals devices, and seeds. We often advise our clients on the allocation of regulatory risks, typically through collaboration, joint development, pharmacovigilance, and quality agreements. Our international team ensures compliance with critical commercial arrangements such as exclusivities, resale or output restrictions, and applicable antitrust and competition laws.

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Semiconductors

With extensive experience in all aspects of the global semiconductor industry, our practice is one of the most active of any international law firm. We work with integrated and fabless device makers, foundries, and equipment suppliers to execute on their business plans, often in projects to transform their operations. With a global array of clients, including Ampere, Fujitsu, Infineon, Kyocera, Nikon, ON Semiconductor, and Tsinghua Unigroup, we are knowledgeable of the challenges and opportunities in the industry and serve as a collaborative partner to strategically guide public and private semiconductor companies in complex technology and IP transactions.

Our team has decades of experience with a broad spectrum of commercial transactions, including joint development, licensing, distribution, and other agreements. We regularly work hand in hand with our patent analysis, IP and commercial litigation, M&A, product liability, and government relations teams to provide full service capabilities.

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Software, Cloud & as-a-Service Technologies

While we are first, and foremost, legal advisors with deep experience in legal issues that arise in cloud‑based and as-a-service technology agreements, our broad work across a large number of transactions also gives us keen insights into the practical business issues that drive the contracting process. We are just at home discussing the best service-level mechanisms or fee structures that might properly incentivize a vendor as we are negotiating the finer points of indemnification provisions. We strive to achieve the best results for our clients who use or provide cloud and as-a-service platforms, from both a legal and a business point of view, which means our advice goes beyond the contractual boilerplate.

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Representative Experience

Advising Salesforce on the intellectual property and privacy aspects associated with the company’s recently announced all stock transaction deal with Tableau Software.

Represented SoftBank Vision Fund in connection with an investment as part of a US $3 billion investment by SoftBank and the SoftBank Vision Fund into Local Services Holding Company, a company established by Alibaba after consolidating the businesses of Ele.me and Koubei.com.

Counseling Fox International Productions on the development, production, and distribution of all of its German film projects on the business, as well as legal side, including ongoing advice in relation to licensing and development agreements with publishing houses and authors, financial agreements with banks, product placement contracts, applications for funding, and merchandising, distribution, and sales agreements.

Advising Twentieth Century Fox of Germany on a number of innovative legal issues, such as movie theater and movie home contracts, video-on-demand agreements, title clearance of German titles for U.S. movies, influencer marketing, as well as other marketing related matters.

Counseling Major European Internet services company United Internet/1&1 on the development of its integrated IPTV and video-on-demand product “1&1 Digital TV,” which provides TV and VoD content of third parties to 1&1 customers. With 1&1 Digital TV, our client United Internet/1&1 offers a platform for the digital distribution of TV programs and on-demand services. Our advice included the customization, licensing of, and support for a white label cloud platform as well as solutions for IP issues and licensing of audiovisual content.

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