Technology & Outsourcing
McGuireWoods’ technology and outsourcing team has a singular focus: business matters driven by technology. We deftly handle issues that come with large-scale outsourcing arrangements, including business process outsourcing (BPO) and traditional information technology outsourcing (ITO), as well as other licensing and technology procurements. We routinely assist clients throughout the life cycle of projects – from RFPs to contract finalization to dispute resolution. That’s why we’re recognized in Chambers USA, the definitive guide to leading lawyers, and Legal 500 US, which ranks the firm nationally for our work on technology transactions. U.S. News – Best Lawyers also named McGuireWoods one of the best firms for technology law.
Our lawyers have advanced technical and science degrees as well as industry and work experience in computer science, software, and other high-tech fields. We understand the unique business and legal challenges companies face as information systems continue to evolve and become more complex. McGuireWoods lawyers are at the forefront of these technological advancements and counsel clients on matters involving cloud computing, including software-as-a-service (SaaS) business models, premise-based and cloud implementations, integration and deployment, open source software and other new technologies, including artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain technology. Firm clients are both technology customers and vendors, including Fortune 100 corporations, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and emerging business enterprises.
In addition to supporting the procurement, development, and deployment of technology for our clients, the team assists in corporate transactions, software audits, and dispute prevention and resolution. We draw on an extensive knowledge base of best practices and familiarity with major vendors’ market positions and business objectives. We also routinely interface with larger clients’ supply chain organizations to bring our technology focus to assist in both routine and extraordinary matters.
The technology and outsourcing team’s intense focus on the IT marketplace means that, for example, from the outset our lawyers fully understand the criticality of enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects, the watchouts in software licensing and cloud deployments, the important metrics for call center services, and the pitfalls in cross-border data transfers. As a result, we can immediately bring our legal and negotiation experience to bear to efficiently plan and effectively carry out our clients’ IT goals, working across the entire project life cycle:
Our lawyers also provide strategic counsel on how to prevent and avoid costly technology disputes to clients in virtually every industry sector. And if remediation fails, we litigate and arbitrate complex intellectual property, software license, systems development, software development, trade secret and internet disputes raising cutting-edge legal issues in state and federal courts throughout the United States.
Because technology is tied inextricably to data privacy and security, our technology team often draws upon the significant resources of our data privacy and security lawyers — an interdisciplinary group dedicated to investigating, remediating and counseling on issues involving this rapidly evolving area of law.
Earned Nationwide Rankings for Technology: Outsourcing and Technology Transactions
Legal 500 US, 2017
EXPERIENCE
- Representation of a publicly-traded multinational financial services company in its $1 billion+ technology licensing and services agreement for an enterprise-wide financial information and trading platform.
- Representation of a food and beverage company in connection with a $100m+ information technology (end user and data center) outsourcing transaction.
- Representation of a leading technology distributor company in a $60m+ information technology outsourcing transaction with International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), leading negotiations with multiple vendors for an eventual master agreement a single down-selected vendor.
- Representation of a global media services and publishing company in connection with a $55 million transformative business process and information technology outsourcing transaction.
- Representation of a leading multinational manufacturer of concrete and clay building products in its information technology outsourcing transaction, which included data center services and end user supporting schedules and exhibits, with an information technology services company.
- Representation of the producer of several well-known consumer beverage brands in a $30m+ application services (maintenance and development) outsourcing transaction.
- Representation of a food and beverage company in connection an outsourcing transaction involving network integration and management services with a UK-based telecommunications company.
- Representation of a leading wholesale distributor of generic pharmaceuticals in its complex technology outsourcing transaction with Evolve IP for comprehensive website and data hosting services.
- Representation of life insurance company in a business process outsourcing transaction related to new product development and administration services, leading negotiations with multiple vendors for an eventual master agreement with a single down-selected vendor.
- Representation of a private, liberal arts university in connection with the replacement of its internet and video communications infrastructure by one of the largest managed technology services providers serving educational institutions.