Andrew Lowes, Haynes & Boone LLP
Stanton Weinstein, Lockheed Martin MS2
Jeffrey Wolfson, Haynes & Boone LLP

When IP lawyers look at other people's businesses with an eye toward buying a company or a division or a group of patents, lawyers frequently face conflicting obligations that raise ethical and operational dilemmas.  Lawyers often work subject to confidentiality agreements, a.k.a. a Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), that may present difficult choices between ethical duties and client benefits.  The speakers designed this program to help lawyers avoid common pitfalls in evaluations under NDA's and compliance with various obligations.  The program aims to help lawyers tap dance gracefully around conflicting obligations under multiple NDAs, liens and out-licenses, IP coverage of existing and nearly developed products, an d other clearance issues.  NDA's commonly form an integral part of the strategic consideration in early stages of a business combination (or M&A) situation.   NDA's facilitate exploratory discussions and preliminary due diligence.  On the other hand, NDA's can place lawyers and their clients in situations of conflicting obligations.  This program will discuss provisions typically included in NDAs and how they may surprise you.