Colleagues James Nelson and William Russell join from DLA Piper; pair are recognized for transactional depth; have handled wide range of major licensing and outsourcing deals for both large-scale vendors and corporate customers; extensive transactions involving tech, media, financial services, pharma and medical device companies.
New York, NY (August 9, 2010) – Venable LLP announced that corporate attorneys James Nelson and William Russell, who focus their practices on technology and outsourcing transactions as part of their general corporate practice, have joined the firm as partners in its thriving New York office.
The two attorneys arrive from DLA Piper, where they served as New York co-heads of DLA Piper’s Technology & Sourcing practice. Having worked closely together since 1998, Messers. Nelson and Russell have racked up strong recognition for their work from clients and peers. Mr. Russell has been cited by Chambers USA as an "Up and Coming" lawyer in Technology and Outsourcing; he was named a "featured expert" by IAM Licensing 250, which identifies the world's leading patent and technology licensing practitioners; and he was recognized in Legal 500 for Technology Transactions, noting in particular his strategic alliance-related work.
Mr. Nelson and Mr. Russell regularly represent companies engaged in the development, commercialization and use of intellectual property assets, including licensing and distribution. They frequently counsel clients on business process and IT outsourcing transactions, working with both major corporate customers as well as technology and business process vendors. They also represent companies in corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, formation and venture funding. With an extensive deal list that spans businesses of all sizes, their work has focused on a number of key sectors, including financial services, information technology, media, hospitality and lodging, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, consumer products and telecommunications.
“Jim Nelson and Bill Russell bring a substantial portfolio of big-ticket transactional experience, especially in deals involving key IP and technology assets. They’ve established a particularly strong profile in the sourcing and licensing space, handling complex deals for many large companies in our own client base. We’re excited by the skill set and the relationships they add to our practice,” said Charles Morton, co-chair of Venable’s Business Transactions Group.
“With more companies licensing core IP, and striking outsourcing arrangements – from IT services to entire operations – having a solid technology platform is becoming increasingly important to a transactional practice,” Mr. Morton added. “Jim and Bill understand the full sweep of business and legal issues companies face when executing deals involving technology and other IP assets, and they know how to avoid the traps that can undermine these complex arrangements.”
"We see the arrival of Jim and Bill as a watershed moment in the continued expansion of our New York office," added Edmund O'Toole, partner-in-charge of Venable's New York office. "Not only are they talented, energetic colleagues, they embody the firm's ideal for growing our transactional practice in such important national and international markets."
Mr. Nelson and Mr. Russell have represented buyers and sellers in a wide range of sourcing transactions, both for offshore and onshore solutions. The deals they’ve worked on include traditional call center operations, IT solutions, and business process outsourcing services, such as human resources, finance and accounting, research and development, and procurement operations, as well as other business functions. In the last several years the attorneys have noticed a sharp increase in international work, including licensing and sourcing transactions throughout Europe.
The current generation of tech and IP transactions draws on a wide range of counsel. Mr. Nelson and Mr. Russell have experience drafting and negotiating agreements involving all aspects of technology procurement and commercialization, including software licensing and development, software as a service, medical device development and distribution, patent licensing, consulting services, content licensing, co-branding, web hosting and e-commerce initiatives. Mr. Nelson and Mr. Russell also have significant experience representing clients in connection with high-profile joint venture and strategic alliance initiatives. Consider just a few of their representative matters:
Mr. Nelson:
- Represented a successful online media startup in the sale of its business to an online media conglomerate.
- Represented a software firm selling solutions to the oil and gas industry on general corporate matters, licensing and strategic alliances.
- Represented a service provider in negotiating an outsourcing services agreement for the delivery of application and development services to a major brewery.
- Represented a technology company in structuring and negotiating a major strategic alliance for the development and distribution of new offerings.
- Represented a systems integration company in the development and delivery of a smart meter technology solution for a major utility.
- IT and e-commerce counsel to a Fortune 100 retailer, including the negotiation of software licensing and other technology procurement agreements.
- Advisor to multinational corporations on a variety of online contracting, online content and data privacy issues relating to their e-commerce activities, including strategies for complying with the European Directive on Data Protection and other European e-commerce directives.
Mr. Russell:
- Represented the world's leading provider of transformational medical technologies in its acquisition and global distribution of state-of-the art medical imaging, diagnostics and patient monitoring products, including a strategic alliance to develop and distribute next generation home healthcare products.
- Represented a leading global technology and outsourcing services provider in structuring and negotiating numerous deals for outsourced services, including F&A, ADM/IT, staff augmentation, procurement, R&D, e-learning and HR operations.
- Represented buyers and suppliers of real estate outsourcing services, including facilities management, transaction management, lease administration and project management operations.
- Represented one of the world's largest hotel and hospitality companies in outsourcing its global central reservation system.
- Represented a global telecommunications equipment manufacturer in an agreement to outsource the manufacturing, logistics and warehousing of its core product line.
- Represented one of the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies in its divesture of various animal health products, including the negotiation of manufacturing agreements for the cross-supply of pharmaceutical and biological products.
- Represented a multinational apparel retailer in implementing a global ERP solution for managing inventory and product mix allocation throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
- Represented a leading-edge telecom company in assembling its IP telephony-based communications infrastructure, including a $500 million agreement to purchase state-of-the-art switching systems.
“We’ve known Venable for a long time and have great respect for several other former colleagues who have joined the firm in recent years,” Mr. Russell said. “This is a great opportunity for me and Jim to join a strong and growing national transactional practice. Our particular focus on outsourcing, technology and IP deals brings a critical set of capabilities that complement the firm's strengths and leverages the reach of Venable’s numerous relationships with law firms around the world. We’re confident our clients will be well served at Venable, and we’re also looking forward to continuing to expand our practice.”
Mr. Nelson added: “Venable has established a strong market position as a good place for business transactions. Our practice should be a solid complement to the firm’s overall deal platform. We’re also looking forward to helping further grow the New York office, where we can add new capabilities and attract more tech transactions to the mix.”
Mr. Nelson received his J.D. from Tulane University School of Law (1995) and his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis. He also received an MBA from the University of Chicago (2003).
Mr. Russell received his J.D from Boston College Law School (1997) and his B.S. in Accounting from DeVry University (1991). Mr. Russell also has a background as a certified public accountant.
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Note: An American Lawyer top 100 law firm, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.