Universities + Research
Technology transfer and research agreement counsel
Research institutions generate discoveries that can become new companies, products, and therapies, but only through agreements that balance academic freedom with commercial reality. Publication rights, ownership of results, and the terms of a spinout license all shape whether a discovery reaches the market.
Apex Legal advises universities, research institutions, and the companies that partner with them on the agreements that move research into commercial use. We understand the policies and priorities of academic institutions, and we help both sides reach terms that work for the long run.
What we handle
Technology licensing.
Exclusive and non-exclusive licenses of institution-owned patents, software, and know-how, including field-of-use, diligence, and sublicensing terms.
Startup and spinout licenses.
Licenses to faculty and founder startups, including equity arrangements, option agreements, and milestone structures.
Sponsored research agreements.
Industry-funded research, including ownership of results, publication rights, confidentiality, and option rights to new inventions.
Material transfer and data use agreements.
Transfers of research materials and data between institutions and to industry partners.
Collaboration and consortium agreements.
Multi-party research collaborations, joint ownership of IP, and consortium governance.
Who we work with
We represent university technology transfer offices, research institutes and hospitals, and companies licensing or funding academic research.
Our approach
Technology transfer offices handle high volumes of agreements with limited staff. We work as an extension of your team on complex or high-value matters, and we help companies approach institutions with terms that reflect how academic partners actually operate, which leads to faster, smoother negotiations.
Related practice areas:
Licensing a technology or planning a research partnership?
Contact us to discuss your project.