Maximizing the Value of Academic Innovation
For University Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs), the goal is not merely to obtain a patent; it is to transfer knowledge to the public and generate revenue for the institution. The R. Baca Law Firm understands this mission because we have lived it.
We provide "Peer-to-Peer" support for TTOs. Our team includes Medical Doctors, PhDs, and Professors who have successfully developed, patented, and licensed their own technologies. We bridge the gap between the Faculty Inventor's lab bench and the Licensee's boardroom, ensuring that claims are drafted not just for novelty, but for commercial viability.
Core Technology Transfer Services
1. Commercialization & Licensing Strategy
We assist TTOs in transforming raw data into licensable assets.
- Proven Success: Our Technical Advisor, Dr. Arthur Baca, developed an E. coli expression strain at the University of Washington that was successfully licensed to a biotechnology firm and is now used in hundreds of labs worldwide. We know what a commercial asset looks like.
- Agreement Structuring: We advise on Licensing, Commercialization, and Joint Research Ventures. Drawing on our Managing Member’s experience at the Sandia National Laboratories Technology Transfer Center, we are experts in structuring Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) with Fortune 100 partners.
2. Faculty "Peer-to-Peer" Invention Mining
Faculty inventors often struggle to explain their work to generalist attorneys. We speak their language.
- The Academic Perspective: Howard Rockman, Esq., is a Professor of Engineering and a Professor of Law who authored the seminal textbook "Intellectual Property Law for Engineers and Scientists". We respect the "Publish or Perish" culture and work with faculty to secure Provisional protection before conference disclosures occur.
- Technical Fluency: Whether it is X-ray crystallography for drug design or High-K gate dielectrics for semiconductor physics, we draft claims that capture the "utility and limitations" of the science without needing a layman's translation.
3. Cross-Border Collaboration (The Americas)
In a global research economy, innovation does not stop at the border. We are the "IP Firm for the Americas."
- Institutional Partnerships: We are partnered with the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey ("Monterrey Tech") to facilitate the exchange of innovative ideas and joint ventures between the Americas.
- Bilingual Execution: Our multicultural team facilitates complex scientific and legal negotiations in Spanish, Portuguese, and French, ensuring that international university partnerships are executed at the "speed of business."
4. Modern Tech Transfer: AI & Data
Modern university IP is often comprised of data sets and algorithms rather than physical devices.
- AI Governance: As national leaders in Artificial Intelligence Law, we advise TTOs on the commercialization of Big Data, Robotics, and AI algorithms.
- Digital Ethics: We lead the Digital Deputy Act initiative, helping research institutions demonstrate moral and ethical leadership in the commercial use of software and data—a critical differentiator for securing modern grant funding.
Why TTOs Partner With Us
- Representative Experience: We have gained patent prosecution and litigation experience for major institutional clients, including The University of Texas System, Texas A&M System, and Sandia National Laboratories.
- Cost-Effective Prosecution: We understand the budget constraints of public universities. We are committed to providing the "best service at a low cost," offering value-added knowledge to Licensing Officers to help them make key business decisions.
- Startup & Spinoff Support: Our Managing Member is an active Silicon Valley angel investor and entrepreneur. We help TTOs spin out technologies into startup companies by handling IP Audits, Freedom to Operate, and Valuation to prepare them for venture capital.
