Stafford Matthews
Partner
Stafford Matthews represents companies engaged in the
development and manufacturing of technology-based and consumer
products in their corporate and intellectual property
transactions.
His practice focuses on the development, licensing and transfers
of patents and other proprietary rights and technologies in
domestic and international markets; inbound and outbound commercial
transactions; establishing and enforcing domestic and international
systems for the distribution and marketing of products and
services; franchising programs; antitrust and unfair competition
issues; and structuring and negotiating strategic alliances and
other complex business arrangements, including corporate mergers
and acquisitions.
Stafford also counsels clean-tech and renewable-energy companies
in connection with federal stimulus and other non-dilutive
financing programs.
Stafford is the co-chair of the clean-tech practice team for the
firm's venture capital and technology practice.
Stafford is qualified to practice law as both a US lawyer and an
English solicitor (UK-regulated activities regulated by the
Solicitors Regulation Authority).
Stafford also has a Postgraduate Diploma in European Community
(EC) Competition Law from King's College London, School of Law,
University of London.
Stafford has served as outside counsel for numerous public and
privately held companies in the electric vehicle and automotive,
energy, computer hardware and software, digital audio and consumer
electronics, industrial chemicals, wireless communications,
e-commerce, and wine and beverage industries, among others.
In addition, Stafford has extensive experience in tax matters
and represents a number of prominent international charitable
organizations concerned with human rights, resource exploitation,
and scientific and technological advancement.
Awards
- Stafford is a board-certified specialist in franchise and
distribution law and is recognized by Who's Who Legal as an expert
practitioner in franchise law.
- He also is a recipient of the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro
Bono Legal Services, awarded by the Board of Governors of the State
Bar of California.
Organizations
- Stafford is the chairman of the Board of Legal Specialization
of the State Bar of California for 2009-2010. The board is
responsible for the granting and administration of all
board-certified legal specialties in the state and is a leader in
the board certification movement for lawyers.
- Stafford recently served as chairman of the Franchise and
Distribution Law Consulting practice and as co-chair of the
Franchise Law Committee of the California State Bar.
Publications
- Stafford's recent publications include a chapter on
international issues in technology transactions for the treatise
Intellectual Property for Business Transactions (published in March
2008)
- "Managing Default and Termination of Licensing Relationships,"
The Licensing Journal (May 2006); "How Patent Pools Can Avoid
Competition Concerns," Managing Intellectual Property (April
2005)
- "Standard Setting Organizations Under a Microscope,"
Managing Intellectual Property (October 2004)
- A three-part article on "Antitrust Issues in Licensing
Transactions," The Licensing Journal
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