FoodTech and AgTech

The food and agriculture sectors are undergoing transformational changes. New technologies, ranging from alternative proteins to precision agriculture, are changing the food we eat and how food is grown, distributed, and stored. Drawing upon its longstanding experience advising innovative technology and life sciences companies, Wilson Sonsini is well equipped to help FoodTech and AgTech businesses address ongoing and novel legal issues, including in the following areas:

• Patents: As innovators rapidly develop new methods for creating food and related technologies, a successful intellectual property strategy is essential. Consisting of more than 140 patent attorneys, patent agents, and scientific advisors, our patents and innovations practice offers an extraordinary depth of experience in advising clients on securing, developing, and protecting their IP. Our team features attorneys who have served as in-house legal counsel for major life sciences companies or held senior positions at federal agencies, including the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board. These experiences inform our approach to a full spectrum of IP counseling activities, including patent portfolio management, preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications, freedom-to-operate analyses, and litigation enforcement and defense.
• Trademark and Copyright : Establishing and maintaining a company’s brand is essential in the food industry, where consumers associate brands with quality and taste. Our trademark and copyright practice is adept at helping innovative companies create and strengthen their brands. Recognized among the leading practitioners in their field by Chambers USA and World Trademark Review, our trademark and copyright attorneys provide a broad range of brand counseling services, including trademark identification and registration; review of advertising copy, labeling and packaging, and marketing campaigns and promotions; advice on compliance with retail and consumer protection law; and brand enforcement.
• Technology Transactions: FoodTech and AgTech companies enter into a wide variety of complex agreements over the course of their life cycles, including licenses with academic research institutions at inception, supply and distribution agreements when bringing products to market, and joint ventures and strategic transactions to expand their businesses. Our 70-attorney technology transactions team, many members of which hold advanced scientific degrees, has significant experience advising technology and life sciences companies on these kinds of transactions. Their subject matter expertise and business acumen enable them to structure successful agreements and relationships on behalf of our clients.
• Regulatory: Food and agriculture are subject to a complex array of federal laws and regulations that continue to evolve as new technologies are developed. Our regulatory attorneys are thought leaders in this space, tracking the latest legal developments and crafting practical advice in response. Well versed in both food and drug law and policy overseen by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and consumer product laws and regulations administered by the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Product Safety Commission, our team counsels on regulatory compliance strategy, food safety and traceability, labeling and marketing, and product liability matters.
• Corporate: As the preeminent law firm representing venture-backed technology and life sciences companies, Wilson Sonsini has counseled thousands of enterprises throughout the full corporate life cycle. Our corporate attorneys are experts in every aspect of running a business, including entity formation, corporate governance, equity and debt financing, and M&A, enabling us to serve as strategic advisors at each stage in a company’s growth. Our corporate teams also coordinate with our other practices to ensure seamless interdisciplinary representation for our clients.