Karen Ballack is a partner in the firm's Technology and IP Transactions practice in the Silicon Valley office. Ms. Ballack is an intellectual property transactional attorney with emphasis on representing technology companies, particularly in the computer (hardware and software), Internet, semiconductor, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
Ms. Ballack has extensive experience in technology and intellectual property alliances and transactions. Representative matters include: joint ventures; strategic alliances and corporate partnering transactions; licensing arrangements; research and development collaborations; intellectual property acquisitions and divestitures; manufacture and supply arrangements; distribution and reseller arrangements; co-marketing alliances; and consulting agreements. Ms. Ballack's practice also includes handling intellectual property matters in connection with private equity and M&A transactions, securities offerings, financings and other corporate transactions. Ms. Ballack is frequently engaged as a guest speaker on topics relating to technology and intellectual property transactions and protection, commercialization and enforcement of intellectual property.
Ms. Ballack's representative transactions include:
- Technology and intellectual property alliances and transactions on behalf of Advanced Technology Investment Company, Apple, Applied Materials, Archipelago Learning, ArthroCare, Applied Biosystems (now Life Technologies), Cardinal Health, Ceres, CPU Technology, Darling International, Genetic Finance, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Intel, L-1 Identity Solutions, Maxim Integrated Products, NanoGram Devices, Panasonic, PDL Biopharma, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Symantec, Texas Instruments, The Progeria Research Foundation, Trimble Navigation, Wind River Systems and Yahoo!
- Research and development collaborations involving technology companies, universities (such as California Institute of Technology, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Texas A&M and University of California), research institutions (such as National Institutes of Health and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) and hospitals (such as Children's Hospital Boston and Brigham and Women's Hospital)
Ms. Ballack is a member of the firm's Diversity Committee and Women@Weil Leadership Board. She is also actively involved with the firm's pro bono efforts.
Ms. Ballack has been ranked by Chambers USA 2010-2012 as a leader in California in the field of IT & IT Outsourcing. In Chambers USA 2012, she is described as "a consummate professional and talented negotiator." She has also been recognized by The Legal 500 US 2010-2012 in the field of Intellectual Property, Patent Licensing. Ms. Ballack is included in IAM Licensing 250's "World's Leading Patent & Technology Licensing Lawyers" and IAM Patent 1000's "World's Leading Patent Practitioners."
Education
- University of San Francisco (J.D., 1986)
- San Diego State University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1981)