Today's Guest: Enrico Schaefer Traverse Legal
Today's Host: Damien Allen
November 2007
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Enrico Schaefer Transcript Page
Enrico Schaefer Expert PageANNOUNCER: Welcome to VTalk Radio Tech Spotlight, with your host, Damien Allen. This program is sponsored by Traverse Legal, PLC, a law firm specializing in internet law, domain disputes, and technology company representation. That's Traverse Legal. www.traverselegal.com.
DAMIEN: Good morning and welcome to the VTalk Radio's Tech Spotlight. Today we are in the studio via phone with Enrico Schaefer. Enrico is the founding attorney of Traverse Legal. One of the leading technology law firms in the world. Traverse Legal represents some of the leading technology companies in the world as well bringing you expertise in both legal and technology matters. Welcome to the show, Enrico, good morning.
ENRICO: Good morning, Damien, how are you doing today?
DAMIEN: Not to bad at all, sir. Well, we're talking about "What is a technology lawyer?" So here's your question, Enrico. What is a technology lawyer?
ENRICO: Well, technology lawyer is a lawyer who understands and appreciates the challenges which technology companies face on the legal front. We specialize in representing technology companies, both software and hardware companies on the variety of issues that they face. Technology companies are somewhat unique and distinct from other businesses. They face challenges that some other businesses don't face, and what we find is that a lot of these technology companies, they find us because the lawyers they are dealing with down the street, in their neighborhood, simply don't understand what they are talking about. Damien, we understand technology, we speak the language of the tech community, we understand and appreciate their special needs and their special issues, we understand software codes, we understand hardware, we understand their business model and the market which they exist. In many instances, we end up doing as much technology business consulting as we do representation and advice on legal issues.
DAMIEN: So by software and hardware, you're speaking of programming and anything that would be used to make software being programming and hardware being machines that make the programming work in the first place.
ENRICO: Exactly. And we sometimes say that virtually all companies today are technology companies and there's some truth to that, but our business breaks down into two areas. One true technology companies, these are companies that are putting products and services into play that leverage software and hardware components, companies that actually draft software code, companies that actually build the hardware that run computers and computer components. The other half of our business is companies who end up in disputes regarding technology issues. So, for instance, a large commercial bank sometimes ends up having problems with a computer vendor or having issues with its internal technology or having to comply with certain regulations as a result of their website or their log in information, their ability of customers to access their accounts, and those businesses...those technology companies or those traditional businesses with technology issues...they tend to come to us because we understand exactly what the issue is and we understand how to help them with that issue.
DAMIEN: So if you're representing technology companies, how do they find your law firm?
ENRICO: Well, they find us in a variety of different ways. Word of mouth is certainly big. The tech community is a tight community and we end up representing technology companies. Those technology companies tell their vendors, tell the tech companies that they have relationships with. So word of mouth is big for us, but we also do an awful lot of business off of the internet. Technology companies are obviously very web savvy and they're not afraid to go out on the internet and Google "technology lawyer" and find a firm that is going to understand their issue. So, we get a lot of business off the web and we get a lot of business from word of mouth.
DAMIEN: What type of matters do you handle for technology companies? Give us some examples of some of the cases that might come up.
ENRICO: Well, we handle a broad range of issues for technology companies. Our technology lawyers specialize in drafting licensing agreements, for instance, for software companies. We have attorneys who specialize in drafting acceptable use policies for websites, privacy policies, employee manuals in order to protect the intellectual property and software codes, copyrights and trademarks of the technology company. Our lawyers specialize in non-compete and trade secret issues and contract drafting. We do invention agreements. A lot of our clients because of the nature of technology companies, they have always an interest in protecting their intellectual property, their software code, their trademarks, their inventions, their patents, so we do a lot of IP - intellectual property - protection for companies. We also do a lot of litigation for technology companies. As they end in contract disputes with other tech companies or traditional businesses, they tend to look for lawyers who are going to be able to put a strategy in place that's going to achieve their goals and a lawyer that specializes in technology issues that understands the technology language, that understands the underlying product and service is going to have a much better chance of putting a strategy in place to achieve client goals.
DAMIEN: We are in the studio this morning with Enrico Schaefer from Traverse Legal, a technological law firm based in Traverse City, Michigan. We're going to take a short break for some commercial announcements, and we'll be right back after these messages.
ANNOUNCER: This VTalk Radio's Tech Spotlight is brought to you by Traverse Legal. A high tech law firm providing international representation in business, technology, intellectual property, and complex litigation matters. You can contact Traverse Legal through it's website at www.traverselegal.com.
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DAMIEN: Welcome back to the VTalk Radio's Tech Spotlight. May name is Damien Allen, and we are in the studio via phone with Enrico Schaefer, founder of Traverse Legal. Traverse Legal is one of the leading technology law firms in the world. Traverse Legal represents some of the leading technology companies in the world, as well, bringing expertise in both the legal and technological matters. Welcome back to the program, Enrico.
ENRICO: It's good to be back.
DAMIEN: We've been discussing what a technology lawyer is and what you do with your business. Now what type of technology companies do you represent? We represent companies across the technology spectrum. We've represented some of the leading web companies in the world with more traffic than virtually anyone else in the world. Last year we represented mininova.com which was one of the 6 most searched terms on Google for 2006. They had a domain name dispute. We represent software development companies who are putting their products into the market, and we represent hardware companies that are trying to bring their hardware into play. Typically the hardware companies are trying to develop relationships with other component manufacturers to create a consumer product. We represent a lot of start up companies, Damien. A lot of companies that are in that $1 to $2 million revenue range and a lot of companies that are in excess of $10 to $20 million. We understand the needs of the start up company in terms of ensuring that all their contracts are in place. They're going to be typically moving towards another round of financing or their first round of financing and all their documents on the legal side have to be in place, and our attorneys understand what investors are going to be looking for by way of documentation, by way of non-competes, by way of licensing agreements, these types of things. So we help those companies put the pieces in place towards financing. Most technology companies are high growth companies and so we spend a lot of time working with those companies; getting them ready for their next stage of growth.
DAMIEN: Now I understand you're one of the most technologically advanced law firms in the world. Tell us about some of the technologies at your law firm.
ENRICO: We are very technology advanced. We incorporate a lot of technology internally to compliment our unique business process. We are not your average law firm. We do things different here. We do most everything on a flat fee or maximum budget basis so that clients know what the cost is going into a matter. We are fully digital. That means everything, all the paper gets scanned and captured digitally. All the dictation is digital. Our clients' complete files and their entire management systems are available to them through a secure and encrypted extranet so they have 24 by 7 access to us through the extranet and a variety of other technology means. We believe that it is very important to continue to use technology to become more efficient internally, because we can provide more value to our clients that way.
DAMIEN: And with all the types of law that there is to practice, why did you become a technology lawyer?
ENRICO: Well I became a technology lawyer, and I think the other attorneys in our firm would agree, because we love technology. It is one of the most rewarding areas of law to practice. We are very excited about bringing on new technology companies and watching them grow. As I mentioned earlier, tech companies tend to be very high growth and that's always very exciting. The people who run these technology companies are a unique breed as well. They tend to be mavericks, entrepreneurs. We like working within the tech community. We like working with tech people. So as much as we love law and we do a great job on the legal side, we also love technology. We run technology companies ourselves. We own technology companies. We understand and appreciate both the business and the legal side and there is no more rewarding area of practice than tech law as far as I'm concerned.
DAMIEN: And in today's digital age, technology is the boom, so it's ride the front of the wave or be drowned by it.
ENRICO: You've got it, Damien. There are very few proved technology lawyers or law firms out there so it is a very niche area, and we are finding that it is growing in an incredible pace. Software companies, hardware companies are looking for lawyers who specialize in their industry, in their business.
DAMIEN: Thank you very much for joining us today, Enrico, and letting us know what it means to be a technology lawyer and what Traverse Legal is specializing in.
ENRICO: My pleasure, Damien.
DAMIEN: You have been listening to the VTalk Radio Tech Spotlight. I'm Damien Allen. Have a great afternoon.
ANNOUNCER: You have been listening to the VTalk Radio Tech Spotlight. Only on vtalkradio.com; radio for the 21st century.
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