Carrie LeRoy advises clients on a wide range of intellectual property, technology and sourcing transactions, including development and license agreements, patent and other technology license agreements, outsourcing, joint ventures and strategic collaborations.

Clients benefit from Carrie’s experience working within a range of sectors, with a particular focus on technology and cross-border transactions. Her extensive work for technology companies, including leading semiconductor, social media and information technology companies, involves advising on the intellectual property aspects of a range of complex transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, asset purchase, joint development and intellectual property divestitures. She also advises companies in the electronics, software, electronic storage, telecommunications, e-commerce and financial services sectors. She regularly handles a variety of commercial transactions, including original equipment manufacturer, reseller, distributor, sales representative, services, manufacturing and supply agreements. Another aspect of Carrie’s practice includes intellectual property counseling, including with respect to the allocation of intellectual property ownership, protection and monetization of intellectual property rights, open source and data privacy.

Widely recognized as a leader in intellectual property transactions and an innovator in the industry, Carrie has been honored by a number of California’s leading legal publications in recent years. In 2017, Carrie earned top ratings for her patent work from Intellectual Asset Management, the world’s leading intellectual property business media platform. The Daily Journal recognized Carrie as one of its 2016 “California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year” for her cutting-edge work with regard to a highly complex technology transaction valued at $37 billion. That same year, she was also named to The Recorder’s list of “Women Leaders in Tech Law.” In 2015, she was selected by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as one of its “2015 Women of Influence,” and in 2014, The Recorder presented her with an “Innovator Award” for a pro bono program she developed to educate teens on the laws relating to social media and technology usage.

Prior to joining Gibson Dunn, Carrie was a partner at an international law firm. She has also worked in- house with Marvell Semiconductor as a senior intellectual property licensing attorney, where she negotiated and drafted a variety of inbound and outbound technology development, license and supply agreements, and advised on intellectual property matters.

Select Experience*

• MGM Resorts International in its joint venture focused on sports betting and online gaming with GVC Holdings PLC;
• Facebook, Inc. in various content, data and software licensing, payments and commercial arrangements;
• Looker Data Sciences in various business-to-business software and data analytics licensing arrangements;
• SoftBank Robotics in various artificial intelligence-focused technology licensing and services agreements;
• Ctrip.com International, Ltd. in various software licensing and content acquisition arrangements;
• Beijing Perfect World Software, Co., Ltd. in various intellectual property licensing and content acquisition arrangements;
• Rhapsody International in software, music and content licensing and distribution agreements with Telefónica Digital;
• PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi Tbk. (Emtek) in its acquisition of Blackberry’s messenger applications and services for Android, iOS and Windows phones for $207 million and related technology and services arrangements;
• Didi Chuxing in its acquisition of Uber China and related licensing arrangements for a 20% stake in Didi Chuxing and a billion dollar investment by Uber and related intellectual property licensing arrangements;
• Yahoo! Inc. in connection with its affiliate Yahoo!7’s acquisitions of Spreets Pty Ltd for $40 million and Maven Networks for $160 million and in strategic software licensing matters;
• Nokia Corporation on the intellectual property aspects of the $7 billion sale of its devices and services business to Microsoft Corporation and related intellectual property licensing arrangements;
• RPX Corporation in its acquisition of patent assets from Rockstar Consortium US LP;
• Zynga Inc. in its acquisition of Rising Tide Games, Inc. and related intellectual property licensing arrangements;
• Visa Inc. in its $2 billion acquisition of CyberSource Corporation and in multiple software licensing arrangements;
• Apple, Inc. in its $278 million acquisition of PA Semi and in intellectual property licensing and supply arrangements;
• Nike, Inc. in the sale of its Cole Haan business unit to the private equity firm Apax Partners for $570 million;
• DocuSign in its acquisition of the Trusted Documents and Transactions division of OpenTrust for an undisclosed amount and related intellectual property licensing arrangements;
• Marvell Semiconductor, Inc. in various software and firmware licensing matters; and
• BitAuto in its joint venture in China with Kelley Blue Book and related licensing arrangements.

*Includes matters prior to joining Gibson Dunn.

Publications

“Patent License Drafting Considerations in Contemplation of M&A,” Advanced Patent Licensing 2018, Practising Law Institute, September 2018

“Sex, Social Media and the Law,” KQED, October 29, 2014

“Audrie’s Law a Reminder of the Online Dangers for Teens,” Daily Journal, October 21, 2014

“How to Help Teens Understand Online Rights and Prevent Cyberbullying,” BayAreaParent, May 1, 2014

“Website User Agreements: Electronic Contracting Issues and Tips for Drafting, Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB),” California Business Law Practitioner, Winter 2013

“Trends to Watch in Technology M&A,” Intellectual Property Counselor, May 2009

Speaking Engagements

“Artificial Intelligence and Data-Driven Transactions 2019: A Dynamic Legal Landscape,” April 16, 2019, Practising Law Institute, Santa Clara, CA (Program Chair)

“Deal Dynamics & Terms:  Analysis of a Patent License Agreement,” September 14, 2018, Practising Law Institute, San Francisco, CA

“Artificial Intelligence – Implications for Corporate Governance,” September 13, 2018, Society for Corporate Governance, Las Vegas, NV

“Artificial Intelligence and Data-Driven Transactions 2018: Unique Legal Considerations,” March 15, 2018, Practising Law Institute, Menlo Park, CA (Program Chair)

“Managing Cross-Border Acquisitions of Technology Companies,” March 2017, The Association of Corporate Counsel, Palo Alto, CA

“Rights of Photographers and Videographers – An Overview,” August 24, 2016, ViewFind webinar on copyright

Segment on legal trends on social media misuse, “Privacy Piracy” with Mari Frank, KUCI 88.9 FM, December 8, 2014

“Law Department as Profit Center: Successful Patent Licensing Programs,” May 21, 2014, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel, Palo Alto, CA

“Software Licensing Basics: An Overview of Licensing Negotiation Points In the Technology Sector,” April 15, 2014, Berkeley Center for Law & Technology and the Berkeley Technology Law Journal‘s Law & Tech Speaker Series, Berkeley, CA

Carrie also serves as a regular speaker at Silicon Valley area high schools regarding the legal rights and obligations of youth and their parents and guardians in relation to social media and technology use.