General counsel and their teams work on improving corporate governance to reduce risk and costs, improving practices for communication with directors and management to facilitate parent and subsidiary board meetings and making securities compliance easier and more reliable. There are lots of new—and changing—tools and techniques, such as vetting vendors for board voting tools, securities compliance, cloud-based hosted systems, improving staffing and technology for minute-taking, and updating policies for insider trading, data protection, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and fiduciary duties. Keeping abreast of best practices, vendor-provided trainings, peer group policies and hosted solutions allows a legal department to lower costs, mitigate risks and drive value for the business. This session will address topics of interest to private and public companies, with a focus on issues common to both.
This Article discusses litigation strategy in view of the new post-grant patent procedures created by the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA). The AIA provides for post-grant review by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), inter partes review, transitional post-grant review and supplemental examination. These newly created procedures allow third parties to challenge patents and patent owners to strengthen their portfolios. The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will issue regulations detailing these procedures throughout 2012.
Find what you need to know about inter partes review, covered business method review and post grant review procedures in front of the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO): pros/cons/pitfalls and practical tips. Panelists will discuss the interplay with litigation, timing of filing and data that should assist in-house counsel in knowing how and when to use the procedures.
Large multinational corporations face complex challenges when trying to protect their businesses from competition. Many organizations are starting to require that all senior employees around the globe have two-year noncompete agreements. Is this a solution your organization is considering? A global panel of in-house and employment and benefits attorneys will discuss this scenario in an interactive, 90-minute program. The panelists will explore and discuss some of the essential questions that global employers must be asking their counsel: Is it possible or desirable to have a global noncompete? Is there a preferred duration? Does an employee need to be paid? What is a garden leave and what are the best terms to include? Are there other restrictive covenants allowed? You will be encouraged to offer your own scenarios and questions for comment.
This InfoPAK provides a primer to assist corporate counsel in recognizing issues related to government funded research and practical tips for managing the many related requirements and obligations.
This Software Evaluation Licence is drafted under English law. It allows a prospective licensee to use the licensor's software for a limited period of time so that the licensee can evaluate the suitability of the software for the licensee's requirements.
This Deed of Variation is drafted under English law. It allows the parties to an existing contract to vary the terms of that contract by agreement.
This document sets out a process by which the parties to a services agreement can request and agree changes to the services. The process is intended to give the customer flexibility to require changes and to ensure that the full impact of any proposed change is assessed and formally documented.
These terms and conditions are drafted under English law for use in business-to-business sales.
This sample governance schedule contains a suggested process for the appointment of operational and relationship managers, as well as provisions for regular meetings and the internal escalation of disputes. It includes various terms that would usually be defined in the main body of the services agreement.