At the tech companies like Google or Microsoft, in-house technology solicitors play a crucial and unique role in developing and promoting tech products. The speed of technological innovation continues to increase, yet the law has had some struggles keeping the speed. According to some tech companies, one of the main problems that often arise during the legal regulation processes is that those regulations are outdated and should be redefined based on the new business models.
A tech lawyer must have a more solid and reliable understanding of tech industry disputes, the applicable laws, and regulations. Dispute resolutions in the age of big data, artificial intelligence, globalization, and personal privacy issues are always excruciating, expensive, and complicated processes. Take the example of Google’s acquisition of Nest, the connected home devices maker, which has caused privacy-related concerns. The buyers of smart homes are worried that the company is too closely monitoring their actions and collecting their data..
The technological innovation affects the legal sector as well. Although, we believe that the practical solution for lawyers is to support the legal tech innovators.
There are several major fields of legal practice as well as important legal matters which are essential for a tech company. That's why every tech company is looking for an in- house lawyer who is tech-savvy and is specialized in the following fields.
IP Lawyers: Patent Prosecution and IP Licensing
Patent prosecutors and licensing lawyers are transactional lawyers. Patent prosecutors almost always have a technical background in a particular engineering field and are experienced in drafting and prosecuting patent applications. IP licensing lawyers are specialized in contract writing and contract negotiation. They concentrate on copyrights and trademarks issues rather than patents and technical trades.
Litigators and Transactional Lawyers
Litigators are qualified to focus on claims and defenses. These lawyers are handling the procedural processes, assessing evidence, etc. Transactional lawyers are regularly business lawyers; they are prepared to focus on the aspects of business deals. They have a deeper understanding of how a particular industry works.
Trade Regulation, Government Contracts, and Employment
A lawyer who works for tech companies must have skills and knowledge not only in IP but, for example, in employment law as well. The point is, a regular contract for tech companies can require specialized knowledge in fields such as patent licensing, tech financing, or outsourcing. Moreover, tech lawyers should be able to handle the specific needs of tech companies in venture capital, private equity financing, government contracting, etc.
What do lawyers at tech companies like Google and Microsoft do?
8
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.