Episodes
In this episode, we explore the ever-evolving realm of AI regulation and how it's reshaping technology transactions and internal governance worldwide. Join host Julian Dibbell and guests Ana Bruder, Arsen Kourinian, and Oliver Yaros as they discuss what’s happening in the EU, the US, and the UK, respectively, and how companies can navigate compliance in this changing environment.
Published 04/18/24
Published 04/18/24
In this episode, we revisit the ever-shifting landscape of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), a topic which has continued to captivate the tech world since our discussion a year ago. With GenAI at the forefront of the conversation, we delve back into the complexities surrounding its use, with a special focus on the contractual and legal challenges faced by users, data providers, and businesses. Join partners Marina Aronchik and Rich Assmus, and host Julian Dibbell, as they explore...
Published 02/27/24
Join our Technology & IP Transactions lawyers as they dive into the trends shaping 2024. In this episode, we explore the future of technology services, spotlight trends driving tech startups, and dissect deals tied to customer-facing digital platforms and cloud services. Additionally, we navigate the evolving regulations affecting tech transactions in Europe and the UK, as well as the legal complexities surrounding AI and GenAI. Tune in for a comprehensive overview that unpacks key trends...
Published 01/22/24
Companies seeking to outsource—or re-source—business functions are strongly incentivized to act quickly, in order to realize savings and other benefits. However, maximizing those benefits requires effective planning and clever negotiating with suppliers, and companies that resist the temptation to take shortcuts will set themselves up for success in the long run. In this episode, partners Joe Pennell and Brad Peterson, along with host Julian Dibbell, provide insight into optimizing the...
Published 01/04/24
Engaging third-party providers for technology transactions involves a certain level of cybersecurity risk. In fact, most companies have been through a third-party incident. In this episode, partners Justin Herring and Adam Hickey, along with host Julian Dibbell, unpack these cybersecurity risks and what businesses can do to prepare. They discuss the life cycle of a technology vendor relationship, including diligence and contracting, and how to manage the relationship to minimize risk.
Published 10/05/23
China’s stance toward data privacy and cybersecurity has been a matter of interest for the last several years, most prominently with the June 2017 passage of China’s Cybersecurity Law, and the passage of the Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law in late 2021. Now, more than two years after the 2021 laws were passed, companies  wishing to conduct business in this landscape are faced with a daunting set of subsidiary regulations that require self-assessments, impact...
Published 08/28/23
Whether you are a startup or an acquiring company, there are several steps you should consider ahead of an exit to protect your deal and avoid issues later on. In this episode, Salt Lake City partners Spencer Glende and Scott Young, along with host Julian Dibbell, discuss measures companies can take with respect to IP and commercial agreements in order to avoid future friction in an investment or acquisition. Tune in for practical advice on navigating these contractual challenges.
Published 05/25/23
The recent banking crisis has highlighted the need for FinTechs to take a strategic approach to their current and future bank partner relationships. With bank regulators focusing their attention on exactly these types of arrangements in recent years, there are today a number of hurdles for FinTechs to overcome as they execute on these critical business partnerships. In this episode, partners Rohith George, Eric Mitzenmacher and Jeff Taft, along with host Julian Dibbell, explore the impact of...
Published 04/06/23
Chatbots and other types of “generative AI”—AI that creates consumable content such as computer code, text responses, images, or music—have catapulted to the center of the AI discussion. In this episode, partners Rich Assmus and Marina Aronchik, along with host Julian Dibbell, discuss the key implications of generative AI and the contracting issues that arise for users and data providers.
Published 03/02/23
As 2023 begins, we are coming off many years of fast and frothy innovation with a great deal of new complexity in both products and business models. We now face a downturn. Prominent companies across the economy are announcing layoffs and other cost-cutting measures and will likely require more complex deals to preserve profitability. In this episode, partners from our Technology & IP Transactions practice, along with host Julian Dibbell, will cover eight key trends to look out for in...
Published 01/19/23
With technology deals increasingly involving open source software (OSS), clients are seeking our help analyzing OSS licenses, developing open source policies and negotiating contract terms for open source. In this episode, partner Paul Chandler and host Julian Dibbell discuss how OSS is impacting deals and how to address and mitigate the legal risks.
Published 12/15/22
Market and technology changes create opportunities for companies to substantially reduce costs by negotiating or renegotiating managed services agreements and other outsourcing services agreements. In this episode, ISG partner Jon Lightman and Mayer Brown partners Brad Peterson and Mark Prinsley, along with host Julian Dibbell, discuss how to leverage change to create value in your outsourcing deals.
Published 11/17/22
When engaging in a tech transaction, you must know your obligations under data privacy laws. First and foremost, it’s critical to consider whether “personal information”—a broad term that encompasses many types of data—is disclosed or received under an agreement. You must also understand the geographic scope of your deal, which data privacy laws apply (there are over 150 privacy laws worldwide), and the terms that must be included in an agreement to address those laws, including cross-border...
Published 10/27/22
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has had a significant impact on commercial activity for many organizations on a local and international scale. Organizations with commercial operations in the region (both Ukraine and Russia) may face challenges in sustaining their contractual obligations. Mayer Brown partner Jim Ferguson and associate Valerie Vanryckeghem, along with host Julian Dibbell, will discuss common issues that certain organizations may face as a result of the crisis and practical...
Published 08/04/22
Too often, contract rights bargained and paid for in negotiations are eroded during governance. This podcast describes seven tips for governing service provider relationships in ways that leverage or strengthen contract rights. Reg Goeke, who leads our Commercial Litigation practice, provides a litigator’s perspective and Brad Peterson, who leads our Technology Transactions practice, provides a sourcing lawyer’s perspective.
Published 05/19/22
Non-fungible tokens, commonly called “NFTs,” have been around for some time, but they have only hit mainstream public consciousness over the past few years. With the speculative frenzy around NFTs seemingly at an all-time high, it can be difficult to sift through the noise and identify the real use cases, and accompanying issues, that companies need to be aware of.  Mayer Brown partners Richard Assmus and Rohith George and host Julian Dibbell will decipher these digital assets, explore a few...
Published 04/27/22
This episode focuses on an IP right at the heart of many technology deals—copyrights. Mayer Brown partners Richard Assmus and Oliver Yaros and host Julian Dibbell will discuss some recent important changes in US and European copyright law and how those changes might inform your tech deals.
Published 03/30/22
In contracts, parties typically seek to limit their liability to each other, both in terms of the types of damages or actions for which a party will have liability and the amount of damages that can be recovered, as well as, in certain cases, the remedies that can be pursued. The parties often negotiate exceptions from these limitations, including for gross negligence or willful misconduct. During this podcast, Chris Houpt, Linda Rhodes and Anja Watt along with host Julian Dibbell will...
Published 03/02/22
In the 2022 edition of our long-running annual podcast, partners in Mayer Brown’s Technology Transactions practice will discuss trends that will drive and shape technology transactions. This year’s program will focus on convergence of cloud, AI and data; innovation through new and complex collaborations; continued change in cybersecurity and privacy laws and priorities; increasing focus on sustainable digital business practices; and emerging technologies that seem poised to drive technology...
Published 01/12/22
Businesses today are data driven and data dependent, but the rules that govern how data can be used and shared across borders are becoming increasingly tricky for international organizations to navigate, subject to constantly evolving and often conflicting requirements in each region. None more so than in Europe, where changes over the past 18 months—including updated versions of the EU’s Standard Contractual Clauses for cross-border data transfer—have raised new sets of questions for...
Published 10/20/21
Competition among cloud platform providers is fierce as they scramble for market share and customers. As cloud providers bundle key products and services—such as AI and other tools—with their “basic” cloud offerings to lure and retain cloud customers, they are also offering other benefits through “strategic partnerships” with customers. In a strategic partnership, a cloud provider collaborates with the customer to provide new services or industry platforms and even joint “go-to-market”...
Published 09/23/21
Over the past few years, China has introduced a range of laws dealing with data privacy and cybersecurity. The most well-known is China's Cybersecurity Law, which came into effect in June 2017. With the recent passing of China’s Data Security Law and Personal Information Protection Law, concerns regarding data localization and how to get data outside of China have been brought back into sharp focus. But beyond cross-border data transfers, these new laws may also have a further impact on...
Published 09/02/21
The way consumers purchase goods and services is rapidly changing, and insurance is no exception. AI, advanced analytics, smart devices and other technologies are enabling new capabilities, and insurance companies, together with their Insurtech and Big Tech partners, are finding innovative ways to reach and service customers using these tools. Join Mayer Brown partners Rohith George, Paul Chen and Yevgeniy Markov and senior associates Yuliya Feldman and Julian Dibbell as they discuss trends...
Published 08/19/21
Join Mayer Brown partners Richard Assmus and Oliver Yaros as they discuss with host Julian Dibbell how to address the IP pitfalls in data monetization. Their discussion will focus on the unseen value of data, the difficulties that exist with protecting data as traditional intellectual property, the paramount importance of the contracting regime that applies with any third parties that are providing or obtaining data, the typical pitfalls that exist when seeking to protect and exploit the...
Published 07/15/21