Experience
Fintech
- Represented Deconet in drafting the first blockchain-transferable software license, the Deconet Software License Agreement.
- Representing Bain Capital in its agreement to sell a majority equity stake in Waystar to EQT VIII Fund and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), a transaction valued at US$2.7 billion.
- Represented Nordic Capital in connection with its co-investment with Ares Management LLC to acquire a majority stake in Trustly AB, a Swedish company offering e-Payment products for online merchants and electronic marketplaces.
- Represented Noerr LLP on the sale of North Lane Technologies, formerly Wirecard North America Inc., to Syncapay, Inc., a holding company for payment technology and solutions companies, including daVinci Payments
- Engaged by PayStand in one of the first patent litigations to be brought against a blockchain company, OHVA v. PayStand.
Gaming
- Advised Youdao Inc., a subsidiary of longstanding client NetEase Inc., in its internal restructuring and Series A investment by Mooc-CN Education (represented by White & Case LLP) and Legend Capital, with a valuation of $1.1 billion. Coupon is for Liquidation Preference and only accretes for 4 years.
- Represented Baillie Gifford's minority investment in Niantic Inc. to acquire Series C Shares.
- Represented Audax Group in its successful bid to acquire PlayMonster LLC, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of games and toys, from funds affiliated with Topspin Partners. The final agreement had …
Hardware/Consumer Tech
- Ropes & Gray secured an extremely favorable settlement on behalf of Roku, Inc. and TCL Electronics Holdings Ltd. (and related entities) in a five-patent lawsuit filed by Canon, Inc. in the Eastern District of Texas that targeted all of TCL’s Roku TVs, which have become the top selling TV brand in North America.
- Ropes & Gray helped secure a denial of certiorari at the U.S. Supreme Court for long-time client TiVo Corporation, the latest win for TiVo in its multi-year, multi-venue patent licensing dispute with Comcast.
- Ropes & Gray team won dismissal of a patent infringement suit brought against clients Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. in the Northern District of California by two independent inventor-plaintiffs. Plaintiffs filed separate actions against both Samsung and Apple in October 2018, alleging infringement of a patent directed to image enhancement using multi-lens cameras.
- Ropes & Gray Achieves Win at Federal Circuit on Behalf of Sony
The Federal Circuit issued a precedential opinion in favor of client Sony on May 22. Sony owns a patent directed to selectively reproducing certain audio streams of a multi-track digital recording medium, which petitioner ARRIS successfully challenged at the PTAB.
Semiconductor
- Advised Qorvo, a leader in radio frequency solutions, in several patent strategy, intellectual property, and technology matters in connection with its acquisitions of Decawave and Custom MMIC.
- Represented Entegris, Inc. in its $1.15 billion acquisition of ATMI, Inc., including counseling on executive compensation and benefits matters.
- Ropes & Gray advised Qorvo, Inc., a leading radio frequency semiconductor company, in its acquisition of Decawave Limited, a pioneer in ultra-wideband technology and a provider of UWB solutions for mobile, automotive and IoT applications.
Enterprise Software
- Represented Ensono, a portfolio company of Charlesbank, in the acquisition of the hosted data center services business from Wipro Limited, a leading global IT consulting company for $405 million.
- Successfully represented Google adverse to Jones and Fujinomaki in an IPR relating to a personal entertainment and communication device. On January 18, 2018, the Board issued a Final Written Decision, finding all challenged claims unpatentable.
- Represented GT Advanced Technologies, Inc. (GTAT) in the multipronged regulatory inquiry into the events leading up to its unexpected bankruptcy filing in October 2014 related to its billion dollar failed relationship with Apple, Inc.
- Represented Deutsche Bank Securities in its role as financial advisor to Naver Corp. in their joint venture with SoftBank to combine Line Corp. with Yahoo Japan.
- Ropes & Gray represented Belden Inc. in their bid to acquire Tripwire, Inc. for approximately approx. $700 million.
- Represented TPG in its definitive agreement with Intel Corporation to establish McAfee, a newly formed, jointly owned independent cybersecurity company. The transaction creates one of the world’s largest pure-play cybersecurity firms.
Media
- Represented Fidelity Management in its Series B Preferred Stock investment in CollegeVine.
- Represented Intermediate Capital Group in its investment in Workhuman (fka Globoforce), a multinational company co-headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts and Dublin, providing cloud-based, human capital management software solutions.
- Represented Alibaba on its US$60 million investment in Bantang, Inc., an online shopping platform that provides deals and coupons for shoppers in China.
Telecommunication
- Ropes & Gray has advised Next Alt S.à r.l, an entity controlled by Patrick Drahi, the founder and majority shareholder of Altice Europe, a leading European cable, telecommunications and entertainment company – on the financing aspects of its agreement with Altice Europe of an all cash offer valuing the company at EUR4.9 billion.
- Ropes & Gray is advising Altice USA on the financing of the 49.99% sale of its Lightpath fiber enterprise business to Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners (MSIP), a leading investor in telecommunications infrastructure. Altice USA will receive total gross cash proceeds of approximately $2.3 billion from the sale and related financing activity.
Transportation
- Ropes & Gray represented New Mountain Capital portfolio company MAG Aerospace in its acquisition of Dallas-based Remotely Piloted Solutions. The acquisition will add more than 300 command, control, computers, communications, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance professionals to MAG's existing team of experts.
- Ropes & Gray represents ClearMotion, a supplier of next generation computer operated automotive suspension systems, in a series of ongoing transactions related to collaboration and other strategic agreements.
- Represented Flight Centre Travel Group Limited in the acquisition through its U.S. subsidiary of Casto Travel, a travel management company, from its founders.
- Represented TPG Growth in the acquisition of Travel Management Co. (TMC Jets), to be held alongside its portfolio company, XOJet.
- Represented Teradyne in its acquisition of AutoGuide Mobile Robots, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of high-payload industrial autonomous mobile robots.
Capabilities
Formation and Development
Our TMT group works with clients to address critical legal matters such as:
- Early-stage investments, including planning, operations and regulatory issues
- Designing founders’ arrangements and capital structures, as well as creating and implementing advisory boards
- Developing intellectual property portfolios that protect patents, trademarks, copyrights and other intangible assets
- Advising emerging companies on strategic business relationships, including mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and licensing, supplier, distributor and co-promotion agreements
- Corporate, transactional and international tax advice
Strategic Relationships and Monetization
TMT clients rely on Ropes & Gray to:
- Counsel on acquisitions, mergers or investments involving a technology business or business units, as well as execute spin-off, split-off or carve-out transactions
- Advise on the establishment of commercial arrangements, joint development agreements and other strategic relationships
- Execute initial and follow-on offerings, private placements, and other capital markets transactions
- Provide counsel on structured financings, privatizations and other capital-raising ventures
Litigation and Compliance
Ropes & Gray’s industry-leading litigation practice represents TMT clients in a wide range of litigation matters, including:
- Administrative proceedings, antitrust investigations and environmental compliance matters as well as matters regarding trade secrets and confidential information
- A breadth of legal issues, such as regulatory and litigation matters, that affect technology-based systems and quantitative trading platforms
- Civil and criminal investigations, as well as labor, employment and executive compensation matters
- Data breach litigation
- Consumer or financial institution class actions
- Administrative proceedings and government or internal investigations
- Regulatory compliance
- Antitrust investigations, litigation and compliance
- Patent and other IP litigation
- Labor, employment and executive compensation matters
“This top firm has the experience and expert knowledge to handle all types of IP matters for leading clients in the science and technology industries.”
Chambers USA