The value of many transactions depends significantly on the strength of a company’s intellectual property rights. Covington’s intellectual property lawyers work closely with our corporate group on a wide range of mergers, acquisitions, and other transactions to help our clients evaluate intellectual property assets and potential liabilities, such as intellectual property infringement matters. Our lawyers are continually involved in evaluating virtually every kind of intellectual property, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, domain names, data rights, and license rights. By combining substantive expertise with our vast industry and regulatory knowledge in areas such as communications, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, energy, financial services, and information technology, we identify and assess intellectual property issues that can materially affect the value of a proposed transaction.
We recognize that the scope of an intellectual property due diligence should be tailored based on a variety of factors, including the overall value of the transaction, the importance of the technology, and the anticipated intellectual property-related risks. We coordinate closely with our clients to structure due diligence to meet their needs efficiently. Many clients turn to us to manage the intellectual property that we identified and evaluated during the course of the due diligence.
Representative Matters
- Representation of Reliance Industries, headquartered in Mumbai, India, in connection with its joint venture with D. E. Shaw to provide non-banking financial services in India. Covington’s advisory work included IP due diligence.
- Representation of Atlas Energy, in IP due diligence relating to its establishment a $300 million credit facility.
- Representation of a large energy and industrial conglomerate in patent due diligence relating to a potential multi-million dollar investment in a biofuels company.
- Representation of King Pharmaceuticals in its $3.6 billion agreement to be acquired by Pfizer. We advised King on the transaction including King’s critically important patent and IP assets.
- Representation of Procter & Gamble in its $3.1 billion deal to sell its pharmaceuticals division to Warner Chilcott. Our lawyers advised P&G on the transaction, including IP due diligence.
- Representation of Boehringer Ingelheim, and its US animal health business Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc., in its agreement with Pfizer to acquire certain assets of Wyeth’s Fort Dodge Animal Health business upon the closing of the global Pfizer-Wyeth merger. Covington represented Boehringer Ingelheim on the transaction, including IP due diligence.
- Representation of bidder in aborted divestiture of animal biologics and pharmaceutical products from Merial and Intervet Schering-Plough in the proposed but recently abandoned sale arising out of the Merck-Schering Plough merger and Merck’s proposed joint venture with sanofi-aventis. Covington conducted the patent and intellectual property licensing due diligence.
Accolades
- The National Law Journal - Recognized on the Intellectual Property Hot List (2012)
- The Best Lawyers in America - Six attorneys recognized for Intellectual Property Law (2007-2013).
- Chambers USA's - America's Leading Business Lawyers - Recognized for its Intellectual Property practice nationwide, as well as in California and Washington, DC; Five attorneys recognized for Intellectual Property (2009-2011).
- Chambers Europe - Recognized as a leader in the category: Belgium, Intellectual Property and one attorney recognized for Intellectual Property (2012).
- Chambers Asia - Recognized as a leader in the category China: Intellectual Property, International Firms (2011).
- Legal 500 US - Recognized as a leading US practice in the areas of Copyright, Trade Secrets, Patent Licensing and Transactional, Patent Litigation: Full Coverage, Patent Litigation: International Trade Commission, Patent Prosecution: Utility and Design Patents, Trademarks: Litigation and Trademarks: Non-Contentious (2011).
- Legal 500 UK - IP (2011-2012)
- Managing Intellectual Property Awards, shortlisted in the pan-European categories "New Media/Internet" (2010) and "Internet & Domain Names" (2011)
- The Practical Law Company (PLC) - Which Law Firm?, Intellectual Property, Commercial Intellectual Property (2008-2010)
- The Practical Law Company (PLC) - Which Law Firm?, Intellectual Property, Commercial Intellectual Property (2009)
- WORLDLeaders IP Awards, shortlisted in the worldwide category "Domain Name Strategy and Management" (2009)
- Managing Intellectual Property Global Awards, "US IP Firm in Europe" for EU and regulatory work (2008)
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