Rufus Pichler
415-875-2082
rpichler@fenwick.com
Partner
Technology Transactions
Rufus
Pichler
Rufus
Pichler
Partner
Technology Transactions
Leveraging over 20 years of business and legal experience, Rufus advises clients on a wide range of transactional matters involving technology and intellectual property.
Rufus regularly counsels clients in the life sciences and technology space with respect to inbound and outbound license agreements, development and commercialization agreements, co-marketing and co-promotion arrangements, collaborative research, strategic sourcing, equipment, manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements and other transactions. Rufus has also advised clients extensively in connection with complex patent licensing transactions, including patent exhaustion issues, patent sales and acquisitions, patent strategy, FRAND licensing issues, as well as intellectual property aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A transactions.
Rufus has significant experience in the semiconductor, mobile communications and high-tech products industries, as well as the biotechnology and agri-tech sectors. He also advises on international intellectual property matters and global cross-border transactions involving the United States, Europe and Asia.
- A leading supplier of mobile handsets on license and collaboration agreements with major semiconductor companies regarding the design and supply of 3G chipsets
- A major consumer products company on copyright and other IP issues in connection with an online music talent competition
- AccuWeather in licensing transactions and the formation of a joint venture with Huafeng Media Group for the distribution of enhanced weather information in China
- Advanced Micro Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) on IP issues in connection with the settlement of certain disputes with Applied Materials
- Autodesk on intellectual property licensing issues and its future collaboration with FIT AG in the field of additive manufacturing in connection with Autodesk’s acquisition of netfabb GmbH from FIT AG
- BlackBerry in a strategic alliance and licensing transaction with the largest media, content, and technology business in Indonesia, PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi Tbk. (Emtek)
- Fujitsu Limited on IP and commercial law issues in its collaboration with Sun Microsystems (now Oracle) regarding the development and commercialization of server products
- Hortonworks in a transaction with IBM focused on extending data science and machine learning across the Apache Hadoop ecosystem by combining
- Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP®) with IBM Data Science Experience and IBM Big SQL into new integrated solutions
- NCR Corporation on IP issues in connection with its acquisition of Israel-based retail software and services company Retalix Ltd., a stock purchase transaction valued at approximately $650M and the largest public acquisition of an Israeli company announced in 2012
- Netlist in a joint development and license agreement with Samsung Electronics to develop NVDIMM-P (NV-P) memory solutions based on Samsung’s NAND Flash and DRAM and Netlist’s HyperVault technology
- Nikon Metrology on settlement and commercial agreements with Hexagon Metrology related to coordinate measuring arms
- Nikon Corporations on complex licensing agreements and complex settlement and cross-license agreements
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
- A leading supplier of mobile handsets on license and collaboration agreements with major semiconductor companies regarding the design and supply of 3G chipsets
- A major consumer products company on copyright and other IP issues in connection with an online music talent competition
- AccuWeather in licensing transactions and the formation of a joint venture with Huafeng Media Group for the distribution of enhanced weather information in China
- Advanced Micro Fabrication Equipment (AMEC) on IP issues in connection with the settlement of certain disputes with Applied Materials
- Autodesk on intellectual property licensing issues and its future collaboration with FIT AG in the field of additive manufacturing in connection with Autodesk’s acquisition of netfabb GmbH from FIT AG
- BlackBerry in a strategic alliance and licensing transaction with the largest media, content, and technology business in Indonesia, PT Elang Mahkota Teknologi Tbk. (Emtek)
- Fujitsu Limited on IP and commercial law issues in its collaboration with Sun Microsystems (now Oracle) regarding the development and commercialization of server products
- Hortonworks in a transaction with IBM focused on extending data science and machine learning across the Apache Hadoop ecosystem by combining
- Hortonworks Data Platform (HDP®) with IBM Data Science Experience and IBM Big SQL into new integrated solutions
- NCR Corporation on IP issues in connection with its acquisition of Israel-based retail software and services company Retalix Ltd., a stock purchase transaction valued at approximately $650M and the largest public acquisition of an Israeli company announced in 2012
- Netlist in a joint development and license agreement with Samsung Electronics to develop NVDIMM-P (NV-P) memory solutions based on Samsung’s NAND Flash and DRAM and Netlist’s HyperVault technology
- Nikon Metrology on settlement and commercial agreements with Hexagon Metrology related to coordinate measuring arms
- Nikon Corporations on complex licensing agreements and complex settlement and cross-license agreements
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
- Astellas Pharma on a license agreement with Ironwood Pharmaceuticals regarding the exclusive development and commercialization by Astellas of Ironwood’s linaclotide compound in Asia. He also represented Astellas Pharma in the acquisition of its partner Mitobridge
- Immune-Onc Therapeutics on an exclusive global license and collaboration agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to develop and commercialize novel biotherapeutics with applications in cancer immunotherapy and other diseases
- Intercell AG on marketing and distribution agreement with Novartis for Intercell’s Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in Europe, the United States, and certain other markets and strategic alliances. Also advised several agreements with Merck & Co. regarding the development and commercialization of a vaccine against Group A Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus infections
- Obtaining exclusive rights from Koltan Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize a novel antibody product for treating gastric, lung, and liver cancers in Asia
- Protomer Technologies in its acquisition by Eli Lilly and Company
- Santen on intellectual property issues in its acquisition of InnFocus and transaction with Bayer for the marketing and co-promotion of VEGF Trap-Eye in Japan
- Shanghai Henlius Biotech in its license agreement with Accord Healthcare Ltd. for HLX02 – a Recombinant Humanized Anti-HER2 Monoclonal Antibody for Injection developed by Henlius
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on various transactions to ensure global access to vaccines and improved diagnostic products to combat Covid-19, TB, Malaria and other infectious diseases
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals in its agreement with Merck KGaA for the development and commercialization of Threshold’s cancer candidate, TH-302
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
- Astellas Pharma on a license agreement with Ironwood Pharmaceuticals regarding the exclusive development and commercialization by Astellas of Ironwood’s linaclotide compound in Asia. He also represented Astellas Pharma in the acquisition of its partner Mitobridge
- Immune-Onc Therapeutics on an exclusive global license and collaboration agreement with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to develop and commercialize novel biotherapeutics with applications in cancer immunotherapy and other diseases
- Intercell AG on marketing and distribution agreement with Novartis for Intercell’s Japanese Encephalitis vaccine in Europe, the United States, and certain other markets and strategic alliances. Also advised several agreements with Merck & Co. regarding the development and commercialization of a vaccine against Group A Streptococcus and Staphylococcus aureus infections
- Obtaining exclusive rights from Koltan Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize a novel antibody product for treating gastric, lung, and liver cancers in Asia
- Protomer Technologies in its acquisition by Eli Lilly and Company
- Santen on intellectual property issues in its acquisition of InnFocus and transaction with Bayer for the marketing and co-promotion of VEGF Trap-Eye in Japan
- Shanghai Henlius Biotech in its license agreement with Accord Healthcare Ltd. for HLX02 – a Recombinant Humanized Anti-HER2 Monoclonal Antibody for Injection developed by Henlius
- The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on various transactions to ensure global access to vaccines and improved diagnostic products to combat Covid-19, TB, Malaria and other infectious diseases
- Threshold Pharmaceuticals in its agreement with Merck KGaA for the development and commercialization of Threshold’s cancer candidate, TH-302
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
- EW Scripps and United Media on IP issues in connection with their sale of rights in Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strips and characters to Iconix Brand Group and Schulz’s heirs
- Freescale Semiconductor on IP issues in connection with the sales of Imaging Systems Group to Conexant Systems and the sale of its Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier business to Skyworks Solutions
- Gree on IP issues in connection with its acquisition of mobile social games developer Funzio
- Gruppo Campari on IP issues in connection with its $575M purchase of the Wild Turkey brand and related assets from Pernod Ricard
- Intel on IP issues in connection with numerous strategic acquisitions including its $1.4B purchase of Infineon Technologies AG’s Wireless Solutions business, its $650M acquisition of LSI’s Axxia Networking Business from Avago Technologies Limited and its $375M acquisition of mobile communications patents from InterDigital
- ON Semiconductor Corporation on IP issues in connection with numerous strategic acquisitions and divestitures, including its $31M acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation’s image sensor business unit
- Otto Group in its acquisition of the “Bombay” trademarks and related assets from Hilco Consumer Capital and Gordon Brothers Group
- SoftBank Group and SoftBank Vision Fund in the $40B sale of UK-headquartered multinational semiconductor and software design company Arm Limited to U.S. chip company NVIDIA
- Uphill on intellectual property issues in connection with its acquisition of Integrated Silicon Solution
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
- EW Scripps and United Media on IP issues in connection with their sale of rights in Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strips and characters to Iconix Brand Group and Schulz’s heirs
- Freescale Semiconductor on IP issues in connection with the sales of Imaging Systems Group to Conexant Systems and the sale of its Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) power amplifier business to Skyworks Solutions
- Gree on IP issues in connection with its acquisition of mobile social games developer Funzio
- Gruppo Campari on IP issues in connection with its $575M purchase of the Wild Turkey brand and related assets from Pernod Ricard
- Intel on IP issues in connection with numerous strategic acquisitions including its $1.4B purchase of Infineon Technologies AG’s Wireless Solutions business, its $650M acquisition of LSI’s Axxia Networking Business from Avago Technologies Limited and its $375M acquisition of mobile communications patents from InterDigital
- ON Semiconductor Corporation on IP issues in connection with numerous strategic acquisitions and divestitures, including its $31M acquisition of Cypress Semiconductor Corporation’s image sensor business unit
- Otto Group in its acquisition of the “Bombay” trademarks and related assets from Hilco Consumer Capital and Gordon Brothers Group
- SoftBank Group and SoftBank Vision Fund in the $40B sale of UK-headquartered multinational semiconductor and software design company Arm Limited to U.S. chip company NVIDIA
- Uphill on intellectual property issues in connection with its acquisition of Integrated Silicon Solution
* Includes work completed prior to joining Fenwick
Recognition Recognition Recognition
Recognition Recognition Recognition
Recognition
The Legal 500
2022
Ranked in the highest tier for Patent Prosecution, Licensing and Technology Transactions Practices
Chambers USA
2023
A leading lawyer for Technology Transactions - California
IAM 1000
Recognized Rufus as one of the World’s Leading Patent Professionals
Managing IP
Recognized Rufus as a Transactions Star
Recognition
The Legal 500
2022
Ranked in the highest tier for Patent Prosecution, Licensing and Technology Transactions Practices
Chambers USA
2023
A leading lawyer for Technology Transactions - California
IAM 1000
Recognized Rufus as one of the World’s Leading Patent Professionals
Managing IP
Recognized Rufus as a Transactions Star