Stephen D. Sencer

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Steve Sencer brings more than three decades of experience to his work counseling research universities and academic medical centers on legal, regulatory and business issues related to higher education, academic medicine, federally funded research and innovation. A former chief legal officer of Emory University and its affiliated health system, as well as a former litigator and prosecutor, Steve has a firsthand understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing clients.

Steve works closely with clients to navigate complicated legal issues involving scientific research. Utilizing his experience as a former prosecutor, Steve conducts internal investigations and advises on government inquiries related to research misconduct, undue foreign influence, and reporting of foreign gifts and contracts. Clients appreciate Steve’s ability to guide them through sensitive and confidential situations, honed over many years of advising leadership and governing boards.

Research universities and academic medical centers also turn to Steve for guidance on how to realize the value of their scientists’ inventions while managing legal and reputational risks. He has extensive knowledge of alternative innovation models, and regularly counsels clients on licensing of university technologies, structuring internal investments into early-stage opportunities, review of intellectual property policies and Bayh-Dole Act compliance. While at Emory, Steve was instrumental in the creation of Emory Innovations, Inc., and its wholly controlled drug development company, DRIVE, LLC, as well as the successful licensing of molnupiravir, a COVID-19 oral therapy.

Steve also advises clients on the complex and nuanced relationship between schools of medicine and health systems. With his understanding of the legal and regulatory environment and academic medical center culture, Steve helps develop strategies that are legally sound and take into account an institution’s financial, reputational and stakeholder needs.

Steve, who joined Ropes & Gray in 2023, is well known in the higher education legal community. He has served as chair of the board of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, chair of the Legal Services Review Panel of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, and a member of the General Counsel Committee of the American Association of Universities.

Prior to joining Emory, Steve was in private practice in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. He was also an assistant district attorney in DeKalb County, Georgia.

Experience

Advised research universities and academic medical centers investigating allegations of faculty research misconduct and responding to associated litigation and public scrutiny.
Advised various research universities and academic medical centers on compliance with gift and contract reporting obligations under, e.g., Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, the CHIPS Act of 2022.
Advised research universities and academic medical centers regarding notification to NIH of faculty misconduct.
Represented multiple research universities in OIG investigations regarding faculty members’ alleged failure to disclose foreign research funding.
Advised a prominent research university on a comprehensive revision to its Intellectual Property Policy.
Advised a leading university in connection with an internal investigation of alleged misreporting to U.S. News & World Report.
Advised research university on comprehensive restatement of its governing documents.*
Advised research university on monetization of pharmaceutical royalty stream.*
Advised academic medical center on acquisition of community hospital systems.*
Advised research university on creation of international research collaborations.*

*Prior to joining Ropes & Gray

Credentials

Clerkships

Publications

Co-author, “When FDA Comes Knocking and What to Do About It: FDA Regulatory and enforcement Risks Relevant to Academic Medical Centers, Health Systems, and Research Institutions,” American Health Law Association’s Journal of Health and Life Sciences Law (August 2024)
Co-author, “In published papers, authorship attribution and disclosure of funding support have emerged as elements of government enforcement in the ‘foreign influence’ area,” Retraction Watch (March 30, 2024)
Quoted, “Why Is It So Hard for Scholars to Launch Startups?” WIRED (August 8, 2023)
Co-author, “What NIH’s New Grant Guidance Means for Awardees,” Law360 (June 16, 2023)
Profiled, “Corporate Counsel Awards Lifetime Achievement Winner Steve Sencer: ‘Take The Risk That’s Right,’” Atlanta Business Chronicle (May 4, 2023)
Profiled, “Emory’s Steve Sencer Wins the Corporate Counsel Lifetime Achievement Award,” Atlanta Business Chronicle (May 4, 2023)
Noted, “Appointments,” The Washington Post (April 24, 2023)
Profiled, “IP Hires: Ropes & Gray, Venable, Tarter Krinsky,” Law360 (April 21, 2023)
Noted, “Wake Up Call,” Bloomberg Law (April 20, 2023)
Cited, “Laterals, Moves,” Bloomberg Law (April 20, 2023)
Profiled, “Emory University’s Ex-Legal Chief Joins Ropes & Gray in DC,” Law360 (April 19, 2023)
Co-author, “North South Collaborations to Promote Health Innovation in Africa,” 67 Emory L.J. 619 (2018)
Co-author, “Structuring and Sustaining a Compliance Program at Large Research Universities, and Structuring a Compliance Program in Building an Effective Compliance Program: An Introductory Guide,” NACUA (November 2015)
Co-author, “Learning to Harmonize,” Business Officer magazine (December 2008)
Co-author, “Advice You Can Use on Advice-of-Counsel Defense,” Business Crimes Bulletin (November 1995)
Stephen D. Sencer, Book Notice, “The Age of Rights,” 90 Mich. L. Rev. 1308 (1992)
Stephen D. Sencer, Note, “Read My Lips: Examining the Legal Implications of Knowingly False Campaign Promises,” 90 Mich. L. Rev. 428 (1991)

Presentations

Speaker, “Life Sciences Licensing Strategies,” BIO Africa Academy, Durban, South Africa (September 2023)
Speaker, “The Commercialization Imperative,” American Health Lawyers Association Program, Legal Issues Affecting Academic Medical Centers and Other Teaching Institutions, Orlando, FL (January 2023)
Speaker, “IP Transfer and Licensing Agreements,” BIO Africa Academy, Durban, South Africa (August 2022)
Speaker, “Monuments, Building Names, Donors, and Crystal Balls: Managing Risks of Controversial Names and Monuments,” National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA (June 2022)
Panelist, Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association Annual In-House Counsel Dinner, Atlanta, GA (May 2022)
Speaker, “Let’s Hear it From the Entrepreneurs: Managing Startups and Spinoffs,” Forum on Conflict of Interest in Academe: Professional Development Meeting, Atlanta, GA (April 2022)
Speaker, “Shared Governance in its Various Forms,” N National Association of College and University Attorneys GC Institute, (Virtual) (February 2022)
Moderator, “Science and Security, Managing Interactions with Law Enforcement and Federal Science Agencies,” Association of American Universities General Counsel Meeting, (Virtual), (November 2021)
Presenter, “Enterprise Risk Management: Strategic Risk Planning in Higher Education,” Academic Leadership Institute, (Virtual) (August 2021)
Moderator, “Higher Education in the Age of COVID-19: Medical and Scientific Perspectives,” NACUA Annual Conference, (Virtual) (June 2020)
Moderator, “Undue Foreign Influence and Academic Espionage,” NACUA Workshop, , Washington, D.C. (November 2019)
Lecturer, ““Drug Discovery and Global Health Equity,” Seminar on Corporate Accountability and Social Justice, Professor Vertinsky, Emory Law School, Atlanta, GA (October, 2019)
Lecturer, “Drug Discovery and Global Health Equity,” Patents and their Role in Global Development and Access to Health Seminar, Professor Vertinsky, Emory Law School, Atlanta, GA (October, 2018)
Speaker, “Creation and Representation of Entities Beyond the University,” National Association of College and University Attorneys Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN (June 2018)
Speaker, “Who is the Client?” American Health Lawyers Association Program, Legal Issues Affecting Academic Medical Centers and Other Teaching Institutions (January 2018)

Professional & Civic Activities

National Association of College and University Attorneys, Chair (2020-21); Board of Directors (2011-2014; 2019-2022)
Clifton Casualty Insurance Company, Board of Directors (2011-present)
Emory Innovations, Inc., Board Chair (2019-present); Board of Directors (2015-present)
American Association of Universities, General Counsel Committee (2014-2022)
United Educators, Legal Advisory Committee (2014-2018)
National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, Legal Services Review Panel (2018-present)
Program Committee, AHLA’s Academic Medical Center and Teaching Hospital Institute (2015-2019)
Chair, NACUA Advisory Committee on Business of Higher Education
Fellow, Woodruff Leadership Academy

Experience

Credentials

Education

Admissions

Clerkships

Publications

Presentations

Professional & Civic Activities

Memberships & Affiliations

Areas of Practice