Technology Transactions & Intellectual Property Partner Michael Kurzer Joins Vinson & Elkins

“Michael’s experience bolsters our technology-focused practices, particularly around intellectual property, and enhances the advice we can offer clients in areas of technology with regards to the energy transition, diversified M&A, private equity and capital markets,” said Hilary Preston, Vice Chair of Vinson & Elkins. “Technology evolves quickly and plays a central role driving today’s economy, so having Michael at the firm will add to our existing set of solutions to help clients navigate complex technological challenges.”

Kurzer, who joins Vinson & Elkins from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, has a broad corporate practice that includes licensing and due diligence for technology-focused mergers and acquisitions and private equity investments. He also regularly advises clients on open source software matters and policies. He will work closely with Vinson & Elkins’ existing Technology Transactions team, including partner Devika Kornbacher, to expand its representation of technology-focused and technology-enabled clients, while counseling on a wide range of corporate transactions.

“As our clients across industries rely more heavily on their digital infrastructures, we continue to see an increase in the need for advice on data privacy and security issues,” said Milam Newby, head of Vinson & Elkins’ Technology practice. “With Michael on board, we also gain depth and experience that allows the firm to expand our technology offerings to address areas of unprecedented growth for our clients surrounding the issues of data usage and information security advisory services.”

“Vinson & Elkins’ demonstrated commitment to growth in New York, as well as its reputation as a leader in key areas such as M&A and capital markets, private equity, litigation and restructuring, are what attracted me to the firm,” Kurzer said. “Companies today are regularly faced with IP and other technology-related issues in various aspects of their business that create immediate synergies with my practice, allowing me to quickly jump in and integrate with my new colleagues throughout the firm.”

Kurzer earned his law degree from UCLA School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review.  He  also earned a bachelor of mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech and prior to becoming an attorney worked as a product engineer for the Hewlett Packard Company. He is licensed to practice in New York and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

A cross-section of Intellectual Property and Corporate practices, including attorneys who devote their practices to technology and commercial transactions, Vinson & Elkins’ Technology Transactions team combines vast transactional experience with understanding of the critical legal and technical aspects of intellectual property rights. Vinson & Elkins’ Intellectual Property team combines technical knowledge and deep litigation experience in handling all types of IP cases in district courts across the country and before the Federal Circuit involving patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition and trade dress.