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Betsy Burkhard

Partner
About

Betsy Burkhard focuses her practice on intellectual property and technology-related transactional matters. Her experience includes IP licensing, technology and commercial due diligence for corporate transactions, electronic commerce and information technology (IT), and IT outsourcing for financial institutions.

Betsy advises on the IP ramifications of M&A and finance transactions, including conducting due diligence and negotiating IP terms related to ownership and licensing of IP, software development and integration, open-source software issues, and IT transition assistance matters.

Betsy also guides clients through, IT outsourcing transactions, online social networking issues, electronic contracting and contract issues involving regulatory compliance. She represents banks and other financial institutions in negotiating core banking and similar technology vendor agreements.  Betsy also has experience in IP transactions that do not involve technology, including drafting and negotiating patent, trademark and copyright licenses, settlement, coexistence and consent agreements, domain name transfers and other IP assignment and security agreements.

Bar admissionsMassachusettsNew HampshireUnited States Patent and Trademark Office
CourtsUnited States District Court for the District of MassachusettsAll Massachusetts state courts

EXPERIENCE

  • Representing commercial real estate developer in licensing trademarks from luxury car brands for use in development of high-end condominium properties
  • Serving as an IP advisor in more than 100 mergers and acquisitions over the past five years
  • Conducting due diligence and negotiating the IP terms of a large publisher’s acquisition of the IP portfolio of a prominent children’s artist
  • Representing multiple banks in negotiating technology services contracts with leading core banking providers
  • Conducting due diligence and negotiating representations and warranties in connection with a US$650 million transaction involving global locations and intellectual property
  • Advising early-stage companies in a range of industries regarding IP protection and transactional best practices in preparation for a sale transaction
  • Representing a leading international manufacturer of toys and games and trademark licensor in connection with a widely publicized trademark, copyright and character licensing transaction with an online social gaming service provider
  • Advising a nationwide provider of E-911 location-based and emergency responder technology in connection with open-source software advice
Education
  • J.D., University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law
  • B.S., Alfred University, Ceramic Engineering

Pro Bono

Betsy is dedicated to providing pro bono intellectual property advice and assistance to nonprofit organizations benefiting children, veterans and cancer patients.  

Publications

  • Author, "Corporate Compliance Answer Book, Procuring Computing Resources: IP Licensing, Outsourcing, and Cloud Computing," Practising Law Institute, 2021 Edition

Prior Experience

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Betsy served as an associate and then partner at a major AmLaw 100 firm. Before that, she served as a legal intern at DEKA Research and Development.

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