Managing Partner
David Rickerby
David Rickerby has specialized in complex technology and business relationships for more than twenty years. He has worked in-house, in the venture capital and intellectual property groups of prominent law firms, as an equity partner managing the technology transactions practice of one of the 100 most profitable law firms worldwide and is the founding partner of Boston Technology Law.
About David
David has handled technology transactions and intellectual property licensing issues in most fields. He has particularly deep expertise in software and cloud computing, semiconductors, university licensing, open source, and government licensing. At last count, he has been involved in the drafting and negotiation of well over a thousand agreements.
David has been named in The Legal 500 for technology transactions. He has been listed as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer or a Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star for multiple years. He was selected as one of 15 "Up and Comers" to watch in Massachusetts by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly in 2006.
David is also a member of the Board of Directors at the Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre, a member of the Cornell University Council, and is active in his local improv performance community.
Practice Focus
Bet-the-Company Agreements
Significant time working on high profile and mission critical agreements and joint venture arrangements for companies of all sizes, finding solutions through creativity, perspective and experience.
Venture Backed Companies
Special focus on emerging venture backed companies where the technology is critical and intellectual property is the prime currency; counsels on licensing and channel strategies as well as major transactions.
Cross Border & International Transactions
Frequently represents US and Canadian companies licensing prime intellectual property assets into and out of the US markets.
Data & AI Licensing
Special focus on the unique issues associated with data as intellectual property, and the licensing of it for use with modern artificial intelligence systems.
Representative Engagements
- Drafting and negotiation of terms for the outsourcing of the hosting and advertising relationships for the websites of a Fortune 10 company.
- Advised social media advertising firm in regard to the legal scraping and use of user data, and related security and privacy issues.
- Representation of multiple newly private equity backed companies in restructuring of vendor relationships, and licensing and intellectual property practices.
- Secondment to maternity leave of in-house counsel for public company in the cloud computing and enterprise software area to cover all manner of commercial agreements during.
- Advice, including in-house training for engineers, on the proper use of open source software for fabless semiconductor company.
- Negotiated license arrangement in divestiture by Nielsen Company of the Billboard Top 100 data.
- License from Ivy League university to start-up located in Silicon Valley and backed by Sand Hill Road venture funds.
- Led negotiation of software distribution deal valued at $5 billion between two top Silicon Valley companies.
- Renegotiation of license terms upon dissolution of joint venture between UK public company (our client) and US public company.
- Oversee open source diligence for brand name public mobile technology company in select M&A activities.
- Represented private equity fund in negotiating surviving licenses between two divisions being divested to separate entities for in excess of $100 million each.
- Review of IP licensing portfolio in conjunction with private equity firm purchase of data provider.
- Counsels numerous privately held companies with software and hardware solutions spanning most vertical markets.
- Leads the negotiation of full range of joint venture, strategic alliance, OEM, VAR, joint development and other technology partnering arrangements.
Practice Areas
Internet & E-Commerce
Semiconductors
Government Contracts
Enterprise Software
Data, AI & Analytics
Selected Industries
Emerging Companies
Open Source
Intellectual Property
VC & Private Equity
Health IT & Bioinformatics