Springboard

Our Approach

Drawing on 25 years’ experience supporting technology deals across different sectors in China, we guide you through the market dynamics and pitfalls.

Our unique blend of strategic and legal advice ensures you are best placed to successfully exploit your technologies in-market and manage the risks. Using our 8 Key Components Framework, we can support you at any stage of the commercialisation journey.

Our deep roots in China provide us with a network of contacts including industry experts, advisors, investors and strategic partners, who may be able to accelerate your entry or, if needed, provide capital through technology funds or technology investors.

The “8 Key Components” Framework

Technology deals, especially cross-border with China, can be complex. We have identified eight key components that need to be aligned to ensure a successful deal. We help you assess and manage each of these to achieve your objectives whilst protecting your IP.

The Commercialisation Journey

We aim to work with companies at each stage of their commercialisation journey.

Deal Exploration Stage

You may already have identified potential partners in country, whether these are strategic investors, joint-venture partners, licensees or distributors.

We can support you with profiling these partners and negotiating the key terms. At this stage, before a genuine deal emerges, we provide practical commercial support and avoid overly complex legal advice.

Based on our years of experience negotiating cross-border technology deals, we have developed the “8 Key Components” framework. This can help you frame your position in the key early stages of negotiation. Our “Deal Terms Review” is a fixed-fee service that helps you draft a robust, bilingual MOU that will form the basis of a future agreement.

Opportunity Discovery Stage

You may be conducting market research or speaking to potential partners, but do not have a clear idea of how best to exploit your technology, or your strategic and legal options. Consulting lawyers may be premature and expensive: you may not even know the questions you need to ask.

As we provide advice on a wide range of issues, with a light touch and at low cost, to help you start formulating a strategy.

Our “Legal and Strategy Clinic” is a fixed-fee service gives you wide-ranging advice to give you an overview of your options, while keeping costs controlled.

Deal Execution Stage

You have a deal in hand and you now need to negotiate the detailed terms.

At this stage, we provide more intensive commercial and legal negotiation support in China, alongside our network law firm, Lusheng. There are a host of detailed issues, in particular around financial flows, which can stymie a deal if not anticipated. And on the all-important issue of your core IP, we focus on protection of your interests while mitigating tech transfer risks. We have particular experience in dealing with China’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), which often have hidden priorities and drivers behind their decision-making. Given our longstanding reputation in China, your potential partner sees that you have capable representatives on the ground.

Even after agreements are signed, we work to ensure that commitments and payments are followed through.

Our Services

We offer fixed fee services to help you control costs at the early stage of your journey, when a deal may be still uncertain. These include our “Legal & Strategy Clinic”, “Deal Terms Review”, as well as most patent and trade mark application services. Contact us to discuss how we can help you.