Photo of M. Spencer  Garland

M. Spencer Garland

Officer

“Having practiced in mergers and acquisitions, finance, IP and technology allows me to apply traditional deal skills to technology and intellectual property transactions. In addition to considering how to preserve IP, it’s important to keep commercial aspects and business goals in mind.”

Admissions

  • Missouri

Education

J.D., Saint Louis University School of Law, 1976

B.A., Drake University, 1972

Profile

Where others may find tedium in the details of a licensing deal or technology transaction, Spencer Garland finds motivation, making him a valuable resource for clients needing a thorough consideration of commercial agreements. His practice focuses on advising companies and individuals in intellectual property, corporate and technology matters.

Licensing. Spencer represents clients in the acquisition, licensing, development and commercialization of patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets, as well as related corporate and business matters. He has worked with clients in the pharmaceutical, software, manufacturing, toy, merchandise, Internet and technology industries. He works with clients to determine their strategic needs and counsels them with regard to licensing structure, distribution and alternatives that add value to the transaction or business relationship. The goal is to meet not only clients’ technical needs, but their business needs as well.

Technology Procurement. When a company is procuring or providing equipment, software or other technology, whether on a large or small scale, Spencer helps review and negotiate acquisition, sale, license, support and service agreements. He has participated in a large number of technology procurement matters, including telephone VOIP conversions, conversions from satellite-based data transmission systems to terrestrial broadband networks, equipment and software procurement and enterprise systems procurement. He has represented both acquirers and vendors in these types of transactions.

Outsourcing. Spencer has represented clients with regard to mission-critical outsourcing relationships, with emphasis on hosted /SaaS and IaaS applications and solutions. He has been involved with human relations management software, securities transactions, fleet management, parts and inventory management and controls, data reformatting and transfer, transaction processing and electronic medical records processing.

Internet Security and Privacy. Spencer advises clients on security and privacy issues including Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act compliance, third-party vendor monitoring and the impact of information security issues in a variety of corporate settings. He is part of the firm’s data breach group, which helps clients establish policies to secure personal information and manage the response when a breach occurs.

A former leader of the firm’s intellectual property and business services practice groups, Spencer has significant experience representing a range of businesses including ethical pharmaceutical firms, securities brokers, banks, technology and software firms, real estate developers, veterinary pharmaceutical companies, retail chains, distributors, manufacturers, entertainment companies, educational publishers and others. He has handled acquisitions and divestitures, business planning, financing transactions, start-up company structuring, shareholder agreements and transactions and general corporate matters, among other areas. With a background that includes time spent working in his family’s small business, Spencer has insight into what clients need and how they use legal counsel as a service provider. 

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association
  • The Missouri Bar
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
  • Licensing Executives Society

Community/Civic Activities

  • Camperships for Nebagamon, former president
  • The College School of Webster Groves, former director
  • Temple Shaare Emeth
  • Young Audiences of St. Louis, former president

Honors & Awards

Honors & Awards

  • The Best Lawyers in America, Trademark Law, 2021-2023, Technology Law, 2022-2023

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Negotiated agreements for Infrastructure and Software as a Service for a variety of clients, including in the health care and securities industries.
  • Negotiated agreements with a telecommunications carrier on behalf of a client for a broadband network deployed at over 10,000 locations in the United States and abroad for converged voice, video and data services on an Internet-protocol platform.
  • Negotiated outsourcing agreements for the provision of vehicle, parts and maintenance management over the Internet.
  • Negotiated multiple license and supply agreements relating to the manufacture and distribution of pharmaceuticals delivered using patented drug delivery methods.
  • Provides routine advice regarding the implementation of outsourced applications in areas including human resources, employee benefits and securities.
  • Negotiated multiple trade-secret, patent and product development agreements.
  • Negotiated licenses for medical imaging services provided on an outsourced basis over the Internet.
  • Negotiated multiple outsourced management services for both health care providers and services providers to health care providers.

News & Insights

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

  • “Intellectual Property Strategies During the Storm of Patent Reform”
    Association of Corporate Counsel, St. Louis, September 2015

Publications

Articles & Books

  • "Do Your Homework"
    Smart Business, September 2009

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