IP/IT audit/due diligence

If you are a technology or other intellectual property-based business, and you are thinking about a business sale, listing, or taking on an investor, whether now or as part of a longer term strategy, it is essential that your rights are properly documented and protected. Any investor will investigate those rights in great detail, as they represent the value of the business, so it is key to the success of the transaction that the investor understands and likes what he sees. Otherwise the price will almost certainly be pushed down, or the investor will simply walk away. The earlier you call us in to start "grooming" your business for this kind of event, the easier and cheaper it will be in the long run.

Likewise, if you are acquiring any interest in a business which is based on technology or intellectual property, it is crucial to assess whether what you are investing in is as solid as the target is telling you.

We have extensive experience of auditing intellectual property rights, both in the context of a transaction or as a best practice exercise, and from the perspectives of both buyers and sellers. We will identify the rights in a business and how they are currently protected as well as any relevant risks, and we will recommend any further steps for improving protection.

We can also review the business's contracts, such as inwards and outwards licences and agreements with contractors, to ensure that the business has all the rights that it needs, and has not given away its crown jewels.

For more information, please contact Bobby Gill.