|
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
Howard Rice’s Internet and E-Commerce group covers all aspects of digital media and online commerce. Our interdisciplinary group of litigation, corporate, securities, intellectual property, and tax attorneys counsels numerous Internet and e-commerce companies, from emerging companies to multinational public companies, as well as traditional companies developing online operations. Clients are seamlessly passed from specialists in venture financing to attorneys experienced in operational structures, licensing, vendor relationships and online regulation compliance. Attorneys in our Internet and E-Commerce group work closely with other groups at the firm to bring particular expertise to bear, including our Emerging Companies group, which assists entrepreneurs in forming and financing e-commerce businesses. Our attorneys have participated in dozens of public offerings for Internet companies, including the first public offering of an Internet company. The firm's Internet and e-commerce clients include systems companies, content providers, online exchanges, auction sites, co-location and server providers, hardware and software companies, interactive media developers, publishers, and telecommunication providers encompassing both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) ventures. For these clients, we draft business plans, structure financing arrangements, counsel regarding intellectual property development and protection, and handle licensing and distribution agreements. In addition, we move "brick and mortar" businesses to the Internet, and handle their joint venturing and partnering, custom development contracts, patent evaluation, and copyright and trade secret issues. Areas of Focus
Representative Engagements Howard Rice represents Amazon Digital Services, Inc. (a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc.) in connection with a variety of Amazon's digital media offerings, including the Unbox service and Amazon's recently-announced plan to launch an online digital music store. In particular, our attorneys represent Amazon in negotiating strategic development and distribution agreements with major film and television studios, record labels and technology partners. Representing PalmSource, Inc. (now named ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc.), the leading developer and licensor of platform software that enable mobile information devices in acquisitions, securities, licensing and development agreements and other matters. We handled its 2005 acquisition of China/MobileSoft Ltd., a Chinese mobile phone software company Counsel to Digital River, Inc., a leading e-commerce outsourcing company that builds and manages e-commerce sites for software publishers, online retailers and hard goods companies. We advise Digital River regarding corporate and securities issues and with respect to the constantly changing legal landscape for online businesses. Howard Rice attorneys have represented the company in connection with several public equity offerings, significant debt financings, and numerous acquisitions, including its stock for assets acquisition from bankruptcy of Beyond.com, Inc., and its acquisition of element 5, an e-business solution provider for software publishers. Counseling PlanetOut Inc., a global online company serving the gay and lesbian community with a network of websites in six languages connecting to over 100 countries. We handled its initial public offering in late 2004, by which PlanetOut became the first gay and lesbian public company. We act as PlanetOut's primary outside counsel. Counseled Grouper Networks, Inc., which provides a file-sharing service for the private use of groups of friends and family members, in its 2004 formation. We assisted it in two subsequent venture financings, and on intellectual property and strategic partnering issues. Representing Ariba, Inc., the acknowledged architect of business-to-business electronic procurement using the Internet and intranets, in complex patent litigation and significant antitrust and licensing matters. We helped develop the first credit card issued solely over the Internet. We have also represented many Internet and e-commerce companies in mergers and acquisitions, including: Sony Online Entertainment, Inc., in its acquisition of Verant Interactive, Inc., a privately held developer and provider of online Internet games such as EverQuest; Ofoto, Inc., in its cash merger with Eastman Kodak; Brightinfo.com, in a stock-for-stock sale of this provider of online merchandising and personalization applications for marketing professionals to Anuncio Software; eFax.com, in its acquisition by j2 Global Communications; CyberCash, Inc., in its acquisition of ICVerify, Inc.; and eBay Inc., in its stock-for-stock acquisition of Alando.de Aktiengesellschaft. We have represented various venture capital firms in their investments in fledgling companies operating in Internet marketing, online security, and providing products and services B2B, B2C, P2P and B2G. Representative Clients
|
|
|
| ©
Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin, A Professional Corporation. All rights reserved. This website, the material it contains and any information you may submit are subject to certain Terms of Use & Privacy Statement. |
|