Technology

As a full-service law firm, we strategically examine and constructively consider how to proactively protect our technology clients' interests, helping them manage intellectual property, execute transactions, handle litigation, and go beyond the law to provide creative business solutions.

Who We Are

With nearly 250 dedicated global technology lawyers in 14 offices throughout the world, many who hold advanced scientific degrees as well, equipping them with the intellectual acumen to incisively analyze technical challenges and craft solutions. Many of our clients are exclusively technology businesses and the attorneys possess a keen understanding of their underlying, complex technologies. We have deep experience in the technology sector providing interdisciplinary teams that are designed to maximize collaboration and innovation resulting in best practices and efficiencies for our clients. To ensure that we have the best balance of technical horsepower and jury appeal, we regularly assemble teams with both technical-degreed litigators and savvy commercial trial lawyers―all selected to meet the precise needs of each case. Likewise, because we both understand the technologies involved in our clients' assets, our IP and corporate attorneys regularly work together to use our transactional know-how to develop strategies that create or add value to our clients' portfolios.

Where We Practice

Like technology, our service platform is boundless. Our technology lawyers operate seamlessly for clients across the globe from offices in Silicon Valley, Texas, Washington D.C., New York, London and the Middle East. Our understanding of both the nature of the technology and the commercial business objectives enhances our ability to add value through creative and comprehensive global solutions.

Who We Represent

Our Technology Practice clients include large and small corporations in a variety of sectors. While they represent the full range of technology sectors, we represent the strongest market participants in mass media, telecommunication services, biotechnology and information technology ranging from application software, communications equipment to semiconductors. For example, we represent over half of the 2017 Fortune 500 computer software companies, 25% of the TMT companies, and 20% of global biotechnology companies. Our clients are as diverse as the work we perform. We represent large multi-nationals and start-ups, as well as universities, industry associations and research consortia. Our technology services are designed to specifically meet the needs, size and scope of our clients, and to evolve with our clients as their needs and businesses change.

Transactions

Our transactional attorneys handle the full range of corporate, securities and financing matters, including public and private securities offerings, institutional and other specialized financings, mergers & acquisitions and joint ventures. Our tax lawyers work closely with other transactional lawyers to develop plans and business structures that permit our clients to achieve their business objectives while minimizing the impact of state, federal and international taxes.
Team experience includes over 30+ years of tech sector experience advising on strategic commercial alliances, corporate venture capital investments, and joint development and joint venture arrangements. These transactions often involve commercial licensing, and supply, marketing and distribution arrangements for critical or innovative technology.

"The firm draws on its many practices, including banking and finance and capital markets, to provide technology clients with an all-round service."

Legal 500 US 2016 (Media, Technology and Telecoms - Technology: transactions)

We are particularly proud of the long-term relationships we develop with our clients, which gives us a deep understanding of their strategic goals and concerns.

Practice Areas: Corporate Venturing; Due Diligence; IPO/Capital Markets; M&A; Technology Transactions; Private Equity; Venture Capital/Emerging Growth

IP Portfolio Development and Management

Unlike most general practice law firms, a full-service IP practice is part of the Baker Botts DNA. Our IP lawyers collectively hold more than 200 scientific and technical degrees spanning diverse fields such as mechanical and electrical engineering, computer sciences, life sciences, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, aerospace engineering and more. Our IP technical bench includes 20 lawyers and professionals with PhDs/MDs. With more than 150 active cases in district courts, the International Trade Commission (ITC), the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and the Federal Circuit, Baker Botts' experience spans the U.S., and we are particularly strong in all the popular patent litigation forums including the Eastern District of Texas, the District of Delaware, and the ITC. In fact, we have executed recent trials in all of those venues.

Because we offer a full-service IP Practice that covers every area, including obtaining patents and other IP rights for our clients, handling all manner of IP transactions, enforcing IP rights, and litigating disputes through trial and final appeal, our counsel considers the broad perspective of potential exposure rather than a siloed approach.

"They are great to work with. They have excellent judgment and are highly skilled litigators."

Chambers USA 2015 (Intellectual Property)

"Baker Botts is . . . one of the foremost IP shops in the United States."

IAM Patent 1000 2015

Practice Areas: Patent; Trademark (Brand Protection); Trade Secret, Copyrights

Disputes

We offer a distinguished technology-focused Litigation Practice. Our technology-focused lawyers understand complex litigation, we understand juries and we understand technology. From the outset of litigation, we work with our clients to develop a strategy that is consistent with the objectives of the client.

Our distinctive advantage is our ability to maintain the institutional knowledge of the clients' assets and needs throughout the relationship. This means our existing clients do not have to switch out or add to their legal counsel for litigation. For others, we can be brought in to try cases and will quickly ascertain the nature of the business and the particulars of the dispute. Our lawyers have extraordinary experience in high-stakes litigation covering all key areas of technology, whether patent, trade secret, product liability, contact disputes and more.

Client hails Baker Botts lawyer as "a rare combination of technical smarts and trial lawyer skills that's very hard to find," praising his "good sense not just for what the issues are but also for which are going to be more important.

Chambers USA 2017

Practice Areas: Business & Commercial Disputes; IP Disputes, including Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, and Trade Secrets; PTAB Trials

Regulatory

Regulatory advice and counseling form the backbone of many of our practices; we regularly counsel clients around the globe on compliance, negotiation and transaction structuring matters. With our understanding of the statutes and regulations that affect businesses today, Baker Botts attorneys help clients identify important regulatory considerations, develop strategies to address regulatory issues and implement strategies to achieve our clients' business goals. Our highly-ranked antitrust lawyers regularly handle the highest-profile "bet-the-company matters" for our clients.

Practice Areas: Antitrust/Competition Regulation; Government Contracts; Export Control and International Trade Regulation; Privacy and Cybersecurity; Regulatory Compliance and Internal Investigation; Tax