Licensing & Contracts
Gurpreet S. Bal, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP, Silicon Valley
Technology licensing agreements sit at the core of how software, AI, semiconductor, and hardware companies generate and protect revenue. The structure of a licensing deal — exclusivity scope, field-of-use restrictions, sublicensing rights, audit rights, and termination triggers — determines the long-term value of the IP relationship and directly affects M&A and financing outcomes. This hub covers licensing and contract issues across the key technology verticals I work in, with a focus on the practical decisions that determine whether agreements hold up over time.
Articles in This Category
Fintech Regulatory Licensing
State money transmission licenses, banking partnerships, and federal regulatory requirements for fintech product launches.
Semiconductor IP Licensing
How chip IP licensing works — architecture licenses, implementation licenses, royalty structures, and foundry agreements.
AI Model and Data Licensing
Licensing frameworks for AI models and training data, including open-source license compliance, use restrictions, and output ownership.
Hardware Technology Licensing
IP licensing structures for hardware products — design licenses, manufacturing rights, and patent licensing in hardware stacks.
Source Code Escrow Agreements
When source code escrow is required, how release conditions are triggered, and what enterprise licensees should verify.
Gurpreet S. Bal is a Partner at Foley and Lardner LLP in Silicon Valley, where he advises technology companies on IP licensing, commercial agreements, and strategic transactions across AI, semiconductors, fintech, and emerging technology.