Karen N. Ballack

Karen Ballack is a partner in the Firm’s Technology and IP Transactions practice in the Silicon Valley office. Ms. Ballack is an intellectual property transactional attorney with emphasis on representing technology companies, particularly in the computer (hardware and software), Internet, semiconductor, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.

Ms. Ballack has extensive experience in a wide variety of complex technology and intellectual property alliances and transactions. Representative matters include: licensing arrangements; research and development collaborations; joint ventures; strategic alliances and corporate partnering transactions; intellectual property acquisitions and divestitures; manufacture and supply arrangements; distribution and reseller arrangements; co-marketing alliances; consulting and professional services agreements; and other arrangements involving the commercial exploitation of technology and intellectual property. Ms. Ballack’s practice also includes providing intellectual property assistance in connection with private equity, M&A and other corporate transactions. Ms. Ballack is frequently engaged as a guest speaker on topics relating to technology and intellectual property transactions.

Ms. Ballack’s representative transactions include:

* Technology and intellectual property alliances, transactions, acquisitions and divestitures on behalf of Advanced Technology Investment Company, Apple, Applied Materials, Archipelago Learning, ArthroCare, Bebo, Cardinal Health, Ceres, Cisco Systems, CPU Technology, Darling International, Genentech, Genetic Finance, Getty Images, Intel, Koch Industries, L-1 Identity Solutions, Life Technologies (formerly Applied Biosystems), Maruho Co. Ltd., Maxim Integrated Products, Microsoft, Panasonic, PDL Biopharma, Pioneer Hi-Bred International (a DuPont company), Symantec, Texas Instruments, The Progeria Research Foundation, Trimble Navigation, United Way, Wind River Systems and Yahoo!
* Research and development collaborations involving technology companies, universities (such as California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Texas A&M and University of California), and research institutions (such as National Institutes of Health).

Ms. Ballack is a member of the Firm’s Women@Weil Leadership Board. She is actively involved with the Firm’s diversity and pro bono efforts.

Ms. Ballack is a member of the Board of Directors of The Progeria Research Foundation.

Ms. Ballack was named to The Recorder’s 2013 list of Women Leaders in Technology Law, which recognized women lawyers who have demonstrated leadership and expertise in solving the most pressing legal concerns in the technology sector. She has been ranked by Chambers USA 2010-2013 as a leader in California in the field of IT & IT Outsourcing. A source in Chambers USA 2013 describes Ms. Ballack as “a master drafter of technology and other agreements” and “one of the most amazing negotiators,” adding that “she does not blindly advocate her client’s position, but listens to the other side, convinces the other side that their story has been heard and then illustrates her client’s needs articulately and persuasively.” She has been recognized by The Legal 500 US 2010-2013 in the field of Intellectual Property, Patent Licensing, and has also been named an “IP Star” by Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars 2013. In addition, Ms. Ballack is included in IAM Licensing 250’s “World’s Leading Patent & Technology Licensing Lawyers” and IAM Patent 1000’s “World’s Leading Patent Practitioners.”