Higher education carries a legal load most organizations never face: research funding rules, faculty IP, technology transfer, and governance demands all at once. MC Law advises colleges, universities, and research institutions on the intellectual property and research agreements that turn academic work into protected, licensable assets. Our attorneys have technical backgrounds, so when faculty inventions involve real engineering or science, we can evaluate them on their merits instead of taking them on faith.
Sponsored Research Agreements
Research dollars come with strings, and the agreements decide who owns the results. We structure sponsored research agreements, negotiate industry partnerships, and advise on federal funding compliance so your institution meets its obligations without giving away rights it should keep. We work through publication terms, IP ownership, and indemnification provisions that often stall these deals. The goal is research relationships that fund the work while protecting the discoveries that come out of it.
Technology Transfer and Licensing
University inventions can drive real economic activity, but only if the IP is handled well. We develop patent strategy for university inventions, negotiate licenses with industry, and help structure startups built around campus research. We advise on faculty consulting arrangements and on Bayh-Dole compliance for federally funded work, so your tech transfer office can move discoveries toward market without compromising the institution's rights or its funding obligations.
Campus IP and Faculty Rights
Questions of who owns what come up constantly on a campus, from coursework and software to data sets and creative works. We help institutions draft IP policies that set clear expectations for faculty, students, and staff, and we resolve disputes when ownership is contested. We also advise on copyright, trademark, and the use of institutional branding, so your policies are consistent, defensible, and understood by the people they govern.