K. Lance Anderson has extensive experience in providing outside general counsel services for technology and innovation-driven enterprises, as well as for research and infrastructure initiatives. Lance further represents clients in preparing and negotiating complex transactions, including license agreements, development agreements, collaborations, and joint ventures, and he regularly counsels on technology and intellectual property aspects of mergers and acquisitions and commercial contracts.
In recent years, Lance’s representation has expanded into special projects for institutional and industry clients, utilizing novel and creative organizational models ranging from special purpose entities to non-profits. Such projects have focused on economic development, multi-party R&D collaborations, fund creation and management, governmental contracts, creative arts and media, NFTs, cannabis, and real estate development and construction (including public-private partnerships (P3s) and hybrid-P3 structures).
Initially practicing as a registered patent attorney, Lance continues to provide core intellectual property-related services, including patent portfolio management and strategy, due diligence, software and technology agreements, artificial intelligence (AI) development and implementation, strategic planning, R&D, clinical and regulatory matters, Federal contracting, CRADA’s, manufacturing, distribution, engineering services, institutional technology transfer, confidentiality and materials exchange, trade secret management, employment mobility, and related operational legal issues.
Lance’s current clients include public and private organizations, including start-ups, foreign and domestic entities, venture funds, private equity and related portfolio companies, universities, government contractors, research institutes, and non-profit foundations. . In addition to Lance’s core practice, he has been involved in many aspects of corporate law, board governance, operations, financing and litigation ranging from start-up and early-stage companies to mature market leaders.
Education & Credentials
Education
Texas Tech University School of Law
J.D., 2000Texas Tech University
M.S., Crop Science, 2000- magna cum laude
Texas Tech University
B.S., Entomology, 1997- magna cum laude
Bar Admission
Acknowledgements
- The Legal 500 United States
- Cannabis, 2022
- Intellectual Property - Patents, Licensing, 2023-2024
- IAM Patent 1000
- Transaction: Recommended, 2024
- Distinguished Alumni Recipient, Texas Tech University's Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, 2019
Prominent Assignments
Serve as primary outside counsel to a non-profit supporting organization overseeing donor-driven athletic facilities development on behalf of a public university system.
Serve as counsel to a large non-profit research institute and Federal contractor on intellectual property matters.
Serve as outside counsel to multi-state cannabis operators on intellectual property and operational legal issues.
Serve as outside counsel for a private foundation serving as a partnership intermediary with Federal laboratories (DOD, DOE), including master-level cooperative research and development agreements (CRADA’s).
Counsel clients regarding university or institutional-based innovations, including innovation & entrepreneurship (I&E) programs, policy formation, fund formation, and institutional management of innovation flow. Representations include both licensor and licensee perspectives.
Served as counsel for a large health provider for a transaction to market and distribute an internally developed diagnostic platform, including laboratory services, marketing and distribution.
Counseled an energy-sector technology and engineering company on numerous license and engineering transactions for refinery enhancements ranging from master-level agreements to individual refineries located around the globe.
Served as counsel to a large retail organization for a series of development, service and hosting agreements regarding an inventory management software platform.
Served as counsel to a private medical research institute for development and approval of multiple medical technologies, including biomaterials, personalized medicine and anti-aging technologies.
Serve as outside general counsel to start-up and emerging growth companies.
Regularly counsel clients on employee and/or independent contractor issues, including state-level trade secrets laws and Federal Defend Our Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) related issues.
Serve as counsel to federal funding agreements, including CRADA’s, Engineering Services Agreements and negotiation and processing of Data Rights retention and notice requirements.
Perform trade secret audits and management plans on behalf of clients.
Prepare web application terms and conditions, general user terms and conditions, SaaS/PaaS agreements, colocation/IaaS agreements, and other service-based software agreements.
Frequently participate as intellectual property and technology counsel to corporate transactions, such as asset purchase agreements, mergers, and acquisitions.
Serve as counsel to early-stage companies on intellectual property strategy and development, policy and handbook formation, and product road-mapping, including for purposes of fundraising and/or securities offerings. Provide personnel training and compliance services.
Serve as patent prosecution counsel for numerous clients with subject matter focus in life sciences, plant technologies, and health-IT related inventions.
Professional Involvement
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM), Planning Committee Member 2022-2023
- Member, Licensing Executives Society (LES)
- Member, State Bar of Texas, Intellectual Property Law Section
- Member, Austin Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association (ABA)
Community Involvement
- Board of Directors, Texas Medical Device Alliance (TMDA)
- Advisory Board Member, Texas Tech University Innovation Hub and Research Park, 2014-2016
- Member, University of Texas at Austin, College of Natural Sciences IP Task Force, 2012
- Advisory Board Member, West Texas Center for Innovation and Commercialization, 2010-2012
- Board Member, Center for Life Sciences Technology (CLiST), University of Houston, 2009-2010
Publications/Presentations
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Co-Host, "Generative AI: Look Before You Jump," DW FastTrack Podcast, Spotify and YouTube, July 2024
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Co-Author, "At the Intersection of Law and Technology: Navigating Generative AI in the Legal Industry Part 2," Texas Lawyer, March 2024
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Co-Author, "Artificial Incompetence: How Generative AI Creates Latent Intellectual Property Issues," The Journal of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence & Law, March 2024
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Featured, “Meet The Lawyer Playing Matchmaker To Research Universities And Cannabis Entrepreneurs,” The Mary Jane Society Podcast, Jul 2023
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Speaker, "Cannabis Innovation, Videos 1-4," Dickinson Wright Minutes on the Matter, June 2022
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Presenter, “Clearing the Haze: Cannabis Opportunities in Academia,” AUTM Annual Meeting, February 2022
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Co-presenter, "Direct Billing for Licensee Patent Expenses: Save Time and Gain Efficiency for your TTO," Tech Transfer Central, January 2022
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Author, "5 Reasons Companies Are Sometimes Wary of Partnering with Universities," University Business, January 2022
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Featured, "Non-Disclosure Agreements, Part 2," DW’s Minutes on the Matter, February 2021
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Featured, "Non-Disclosure Agreements, Part 1," DW’s Minutes on the Matter, February 2021
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Speaker, “Next is Now,” BTS 2020 Bengaluru Summit, November 2020
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Presenter, "Inventor’s Workshop", New Horizons Foundation, Hobbs, New Mexico, January 15, 2020
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Presenter, "New Horizons Foundation Inventors Seminar", New Horizons Foundation, Hobbs, New Mexico, June 28, 2019
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Presenter, "Preventing Legal Disputes with Faculty Start-Ups: Drafting Agreements that Avoid Future Conflicts" April14, 2019
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Author, "Intellectual Property Issues with Research and Academic Institutions," Intellectual Property Deskbook for the Business Lawyer, American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, 4th Edition, March 2019
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Moderator, "Intellectual Property and Licensing," Texas Medical Device Alliance, February 21, 2019, Austin, TX
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Panelist, Legal Issues in Advancing Technology Panel Discussion, Austin Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, February 20, 2018, Austin, TX
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Author, “The Patent Mirage: The New Challenge for Today’s IP Strategy,” MedTech Intelligence, November 28, 2017
- Author, “Managing Today’s Innovation in Healthcare: The Modern IP Strategy,” Healthcare Michigan, September 2017
- Co-Author, “Legal Considerations,” Biosimilars of Monoclonal Antibodies: A Practical Guide to Manufacturing, Preclinical, and Clinical Development, First Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., January 2017
- Co-Author, "Keys To IP Collaborations With Universities: Part 3," Law360, March 9, 2015
- Presenter, "Intellectual Property Workshop," 2015 LaunchU Business Plan Competition, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH, January 31, 2015
- Presenter, "SBIR and Data Rights," 2014 Fall National Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Conference, Austin, TX, November 13, 2014
- Co-Author, "Keys To IP Collaborations With Universities: Part 2," Law360, October 20, 2014
- Co-Author, "Keys To IP Collaborations With Universities: Part 1," Law360, July 21, 2014
- Author, "Intellectual Property Issues with Research and Academic Institutions," Intellectual Property Deskbook for the Business Lawyer, American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, 3rd Edition, September 2013
- Panelist, "IP for Entrepreneurs," Spectrum Educational Series, Austin Chamber of Commerce, Austin, TX, September 17, 2013
- Panelist and Co-Author, "Going Commercial: How Ideas and Inventions Become Economic Realities," 7th Annual John Huffaker Agricultural Law Course, Lubbock, TX, May 23, 2013
- Guest Lecturer, "Negotiation," IC2 Institute, Advanced Commercialization Training program, U.S. Dept. of State’s Building Opportunity Out of Science and Technology (BOOST) Program, Ankara, Turkey, April 23-25, 2013
- Moderator, "Tech Transfer: Tapping into University Breakthroughs and Competitive Advantage," 6th Annual OneMedForum Conference, San Francisco, CA, January 9, 2013
- Panelist, "The Post-Election Political Landscape and What It Means for Your Business: From Regulatory Compliance to Tech Innovation," American Corporate Counsel Luncheon, Austin, TX, December 6, 2012
- Author, "IP and Technology Transfer," Intellectual Property Deskbook for the Business Lawyer, American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, 2nd Edition, July 2009