Wade is a transactional intellectual property attorney who understands the intricacies of corporate deals and copyright, trademark, and publishing law.
If a matter involves both intellectual property and nearly any form of agreement or corporate deal, Wade is the one to call. He provides sophisticated legal guidance on licensing, publishing, and outsourcing agreements, handling negotiations and helping clients ensure protection of their intellectual property throughout an acquisition, capital investment, joint venture, or other transaction. He has a particular focus on deals that relate to technology, including agreements related to software licensing, software and web development, software as a service (SaaS), joint development agreements, and application service provider (ASP) transactions. Wade has negotiated hundreds of cloud computing, SaaS, and software licensing agreements for clients, and he has structured several joint ventures and LLC formations that include complex licensing and data issues.
While Wade works with clients in a wide variety of industries, from entertainment to natural resources to manufacturing to fashion, he works especially often with healthcare organizations, including Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City, where he handles trademark, software, and licensing matters. He has assisted several hospital systems and healthcare plans with information technology transition services issues during the sales of their respective divisions in merger and acquisition transactions. He also has worked with companies in the healthcare, transportation, energy, and telecommunications industries on IT and other services outsourcing agreements.
A longstanding member of the firm, Wade first joined Husch Blackwell as a new associate in the early 90s. Originally a traditional corporate attorney, an interest in intellectual property found him working with copyrights and trademarks increasingly often, and as the internet and digital world exploded, he began frequently assisting clients with technology matters and agreements. Wade’s background means that he understands the full business and legal picture of a corporate transaction—as well as the intricacies of IP in the midst of a transaction.
In addition to his work with IP and technology agreements during deals, Wade continues to handle mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures from a purely corporate perspective. He also maintains a traditional IP practice, assisting clients with trademark and patent prosecution and portfolio management. Wade serves as lead outside IP counsel for AMC Theatres, overseeing the chain’s global trademark portfolio, handling trademark prosecution, and addressing IP disputes.