Tom Briggs negotiates technology-based transactions, such as licenses, strategic alliances, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, where intellectual property is the focal point. Tom also negotiates agreements that involve the transfer, protection, or sharing of IP or of new products and services, such as for distribution, manufacturing, supply, software and services, joint development, sponsored research, clinical trials, employee IP rights, and consulting.
Tom is the Firm's head of transactions for California, where he serves as cross-practice leadership of lawyers in the M&A, private equity, and financial market practices and others handling transactional work, including in the IP, energy, real estate, and health care practices. He was a founder of Jones Day's IP Transactions team.
Tom has extensive experience representing clients in cross-border transactions, particularly between the United States, China, Japan, and Europe. Clients include Bunge, EagleTree Capital, Genomatica, Idemitsu Kosan, Incyte, Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha, Koch, Organon, P&G, Polaris, and Shanghai Junshi.
In helping clients with their technology transactions, Tom draws upon a rare combination of work experiences. He is a patent lawyer who has litigated cases involving infringement, misappropriation, and noncompetition and has prosecuted patent and trademark registrations. He has served as chief intellectual property officer and assistant general counsel of M.A. Hanna Company (now PolyOne Corporation). He also spent 10 years as a practicing chemical engineer and plant supervisor with Union Carbide/Praxair before his career as a lawyer. Tom leverages his engineering career and scientific training by focusing on transactions that involve pharmaceuticals, biotech, medical devices, food, agriculture, environment, sustainability, fermentation, industrial chemicals, semiconductors, software, polymers, steel, and oil and gas.
Experience
Additional Speaking Engagements
- November 7, 2018
Licensing Fundamentals for Business Executives and Startups - May 6, 2015
Licensing Fundamentals - for Business Executives and Startups, CONNECT Frameworks Workshop - May 7, 2014
Licensing Fundamentals - for Business Executives and Startups, CONNECT Frameworks Workshop - November 6, 2013
Technology Transfer: Adapting Models for BioInspired Success given at the San Diego Zoo's 4th Annual BioInspiration Conference - February 7, 2013
Licensing Fundamentals for Business Executives and Startups, a CONNECT Frameworks Workshop - February 2, 2012
Licensing Fundamentals for Business Executives and Startups - January 19, 2011
Licensing Fundamentals for Business Executives and Startups - December 14, 2010
Partnering Transactions for IP Development and Commercialization - August 12, 2010
Licensing for Business Development Executives and Non-Licensing Attorneys - June 3, 2010
Licensing Essentials Business Executives and Startups in the Life Sciences and Software Industries, a CONNECT Frameworks Workshop - January 20, 2010
Licensing Essentials for Business Executives and Startups - January 14, 2010
Transactions for Exploiting IP: Strategic Alternatives to M&A, Jones Day University - October 20, 2009
Contentious IP Provisions in M&A and Licensing Transactions and Related Trends, CLE presentation - August 12, 2009
Patents 101, Licensing and Exhaustion, CLE presentation - August 6, 2009
The Latest on Current Big Ticket IP Issues: Obviousness and Patent Licensing/Exhaustion, ACCA San Diego Chapter, CLE presentation - June 10, 2009
Fundamentals of Licensing Transactions - for Business Executives and Startups, CONNECT Frameworks Seminar - December 9, 2008
Licensing Transactions in Life Sciences and Software for Business Executives, CONNECT Frameworks Seminar - February 5, 2008
Fundamentals of Licensing in the Life Sciences, CONNECT Frameworks Seminar - February 15, 2007
Fundamentals of Licensing in the Life Sciences, CONNECT Frameworks Seminar - December 11, 2006
Advanced IP Support of M&A and Private Equity Transactions, CLE presentation - June 26, 2006
Patents and Trade Secrets in the Food Industry, Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists - June 22, 2006
World Class IP Practices: Management, Prosecution and Enforcement, CLE presentation - July 22, 2004
Patents, Trade Secrets and Trademarks, CLE Presentation - February 25, 2004
IP Licensing: Tips for the Taiwanese Semiconductor Industry, Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association at the Industrial Technology Research Institute in the Science and Industrial Park - September 30, 2003
IP Licensing: Tips for the Taiwan Semiconductor Industry, Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association and ITRI - May 16, 2003
Strategic Alternatives to Acquisitions, The 2003 Institute for Business Lawyers and Corporate Counsel - October 1, 2002
IP and Technology Management, Taiwan Semiconductor Industry Association and National Taiwan University College of Law - November 12, 2001
Learning from the Mistakes of the 90's, Tips on Licensing To and From Financially Troubled Companies
- John Marshall Law School (J.D. summa cum laude 1994; Order of John Marshall; Moot Court); The University of Akron (B.S.Ch.E. 1987)
- California, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, and registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
IAM Patent 1000 — The World's Leading Patent Practitioners (2012-2021) — Transactions "Highly Recommended"
The Legal 500 US (2007-2021) — Technology: transactions
Southern California Super Lawyers (2011-2023)
LMG Life Sciences "Star" — Finance and Transactional (2012-2020)
Member, Board of Governors, Biocom California
Former Board Member of — the North San Diego Business Chamber and San Diego's Fleet Science Center