Computer Software & Hardware

Legal Services for Software & Hardware Companies

We negotiate and draft all types of agreements commonly used in the computer industry, including:

• SaaS and cloud computing contracts
• Software development and license agreements
• Outsourcing and professional services agreements
• Database publisher and subscriber arrangements
• Distribution, OEM, VAR, sales agency, and joint venture agreements
• System acquisition and integration contracts
• Hardware purchase agreements and equipment leases
• Employee confidentiality, invention and non-competition agreements.
  

Building upon our years of experience representing computer software and equipment vendors, we offer special expertise in developing for software clients integrated contract forms that serve as a business tool rather than an obstacle to closing sales. We also counsel clients concerning patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets in connection with computer technologies.

We represent U.S. computer technology companies in international relationships and transactions in many countries, including:

• Joint ventures, teaming arrangements, offshore licensing
• Manufacturing, procurement, and research and development operations
• Establishment of subsidiaries, overseas investments and repatriation of profits
• Distributorship termination disputes
• Advice on international intellectual property protection.

Some prior engagements include:

• Serving as general counsel to a venture-backed micropayment technology company, and advising on corporate structure, licensing and financing matters
• Assisting a developer of newspaper advertising management systems in shifting from a licensing to a software-as-a-service model.
• Counseling a developer of e-learning software platform in licensing of its software to multiple publishers
• Acting as general counsel to a developer of assistive technology for the blind and reading-disabled, from its spinout from a bankrupt speech recognition company until its sale to an educational software publisher
• Representing a multi-billion dollar foreign pension investment fund in contracting for storage and emergency back-up services and licenses for various software applications.

To discuss your company's specific legal needs, and how our experienced attorneys might meet them more efficiently and responsively, please contact Peter Barnes-Brown or Howard Zaharoff.