Internet and Social Media

Why Cooley

For 30+ years, we have focused on innovative companies at the leading edge of internet-based technologies and online business models. Our client base cuts across all sectors of internet and social media, including Web 2.0, social networking, digital media, ecommerce, internet portals, user-generated content and online speech. Whether companies are startups armed with little more than a disruptive business model or established multibillion-dollar public companies, we advise our clients on the hot-button issues affecting their businesses.

Corporate

Our clients come to Cooley at different stages of development and need. For startup companies, we review client business plans, assist in structuring the commercialization of their products and services and meet with founding teams to prepare them to seek financing. We have deep connections with angel investors and venture capital firms looking to fund next-generation technologies, products and services, and we work with our clients to identify potential financing sources and make introductions to those sources. As our clients scale their businesses, we advise on strategic transactions, growth and equity financings and liquidity events.

Areas of Practice

• Company formation
• Financings
• Fund formation
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Public financings and private placements
• Sale and purchase of assets
• Strategic partnerships
• Tax

Litigation

Our experienced litigators represent clients on the most pressing issues affecting their companies, from third-party data collection, deep packet inspection and behavioral advertising to consumer rights, online contracting and resale royalties. Decades of experience representing cutting-edge technology companies allow us to offer the most current, creative and comprehensive advice that reflects both our deep experience and our commitment to staying in tune with new regulations, practices and technologies. We have a particularly distinguished track record in handling complex commercial class actions and high-profile privacy lawsuits, ranging from disputes over email services to multidistrict litigation alleging online consumer privacy violations.

Areas of Practice

• Antitrust litigation
• Class action defense
• Contract and license disputes
• Employment litigation
• Privacy litigation
• Restructuring, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights
• Securities litigation
• Tax controversy
• White collar defense

Regulatory

Content sharing is the nexus of next-generation web-based technologies and in particular, Web 2.0. Cooley regularly counsels clients as they shape their businesses around technologies that create and distribute content on platforms regulated by government or state agencies. Our lawyers are well-versed in FCC and FTC regulations, media procurement and distribution programs, advertising and marketing practices, antitrust and consumer protection provisions, privacy and data security issues and employment and benefits matters.

Areas of Practice

• Antitrust counseling
• Communications regulatory counseling
• Corporate governance
• Employment and benefits
• Export control and international trade regulations
• Privacy and data protection counseling and data breach response

Intellectual Property

We help companies protect their new ideas and maximize the value of their intellectual property assets. With our longstanding roots in the technology world, our clients turn to us with an ever-expanding array of novel issues at the intersection of IP law and the internet. When clients need to enforce or defend their IP rights, our litigators excel at delivering winning legal strategies in high-stakes or bet-the-company technology disputes. Our trademark and copyright lawyers are particularly adept in protecting online industry brands and copyrights and are experienced in advising on the issues most pertinent to these companies, including cybersquatting, linking and framing, user-generated content and infringement risks.

Areas of Practice

• Brand positioning
• Copyright and design protection
• Patent procurement and enforcement
• Portfolio management and analysis
• Technology transactions and licensing
• Trade secrets counseling
• Trademark protection and enforcement