Lanning G. Bryer

Lanning G. Bryer is a Partner in the New York Office of Ladas & Parry and is Director of the firm’s Mergers, Acquisitions, and Licensing Group. Lanning’s career spans almost three decades of distinguished service at Ladas & Parry. His practice consists of counseling clients on complex IP commercial transactions; drafting and negotiating international and cross-border licensing, stock, asset purchase and sale transactions; counseling clients on the adoption, clearance, and use of trademarks; preparation and recordation worldwide of documentation relating to the transfer and licensing of patents, trademarks and copyrights – ensuring that they conform to local law and practice; performing due diligence of IP rights and agreements prior to, during, and post commercial transactions; foreign trademark and copyright prosecution; rendering of IP-related opinions in major acquisitions or finance transactions; drafting/negotiating agreements and opinions with respect to collateralization of intellectual property rights; serving as expert witness in foreign and domestic IP disputes; collaboration with economists and accountants on the preparation and use of IP valuations. Lanning and his practice group have counseled clients on numerous worldwide transactions associated with the sale, acquisition, licensing and collateralization of their intellectual property rights. Among such matters he has represented:

-PPG Industries in the stock acquisition of Whitford Worldwide Company and subsidiaries and affiliates and running IP due diligence and providing strategic counseling on and managing the worldwide transfer of acquired IP rights.

-PPG Industries in the negotiation and drafting of IP sections of the Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreement with The Pittsburgh Penguin Group regarding PPG PAINTS ARENA.

-PPG Industries in the negotiating and drafting of the IP sections of the Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreement with Carnegie Mellon regarding the PPG SCIENCE PAVILLION.

-Shiseido Corporation in the acquisition and transfer of IP rights from a number of entities including Bare Escentuals and Gurwitch Products.

-Stanley Black & Decker in strategic counseling and managing the worldwide transfers of the CRAFTSMAN acquired from Sears Holding Company.

-Stanley Black & Decker in strategic counseling and managing the transfers of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios acquired from Irwin Industrial Tool Company and its subsidiaries.

-Merck & Co. in managing the worldwide transfers of thousands of patents and the corporate reorganization of IP ownership related to the acquisition of Cubist Pharmaceuticals and its subsidiaries.

-PPG Industries in the negotiation and drafting of agreements related to the licensing in of trademark rights from Nautica, Inc. and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation.

-Merck & Co in managing the corporate reorganization of IP ownership and managing the worldwide transfer of thousands of patent assets resulting from the $40 billion dollar merger with Schering-Plough.

-Stanley Black & Decker Europe in strategic counseling regarding the transfer of all IP rights for certain tax benefits and managing the transfer of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios to a newly formed entity outside of Europe.

-PPG Industries in conducting due diligence, strategic counseling, drafting and negotiation and managing the worldwide transfer of IP rights related to the acquisition of the North American paint and coatings business from Akzo Nobel.

-Bridgestone Corporation in the strategic counseling and managing the acquisition and transfer of the FIRESTONE brand and restructuring of Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc. in a 1.3 billion dollar transaction.

-Albemarle Corporation in the strategic counseling and managing the acquisition of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios related to the catalyst business from Akzo Nobel N.V.

-PPG Industries in strategic counseling and managing the acquisition and transfer of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios from SigmaKalon in a 3 billion dollar transaction.

-Phillips Petroleum Company in strategic counseling and managing the acquisition of the worldwide Alaskan patent portfolio of Atlantic Richfield Company.

-F H Faulding in strategic counseling and managing the acquisition of the worldwide SEA & SKI trademark portfolio.

-RJR Reynolds in the population of IP assets in the data room for inspection by potential bidders, counseling on the sale of foreign trademark rights, negotiation and drafting of transactions documents with Japan Tobacco in a deal valued at $8 billion dollars.

-PPG Industries in strategic counseling, negotiation and drafting relating to the acquisition of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios related to the vehicle coatings business of Imperial Chemical Industries in a transaction valued at $684 million dollars.

-Merck & Co. in strategic counseling and managing the transfer of worldwide trademark rights arising from their joint venture arrangement with Rhone-Poulenc forming a new entity focusing on animal health products and poultry genetics businesses in a transaction valued at $500 million dollars.

-Pfizer, Inc. in strategic counseling and managing the acquisition of the worldwide patent portfolio related to the animal health business from SmithKline Beecham Corporation.

-Orion Pictures in the strategic counseling, negotiation and drafting of commercial documents related to the use of Orion’s trademark portfolio as collateral for commercial financing and lending transactions. This transaction occurred when business IP owners were only beginning to understand the process, possibility and advantages of financing and securing capital using their intellectual property portfolios as secured collateral.

-Chrysler Corporation in the negotiation, drafting of security commercial documents and perfection of entire patent portfolio with the US Treasury Department in connection with the 5 billion dollar loan by the US government.

-Revlon in the strategic counseling and managing the transfer of the MAX FACTOR trademark portfolio to Proctor & Gamble Company.

-General Electric Company in managing the transfer and acquisition of worldwide patent and trademark portfolios related to the plastics business from Borg-Warner valued at over $2 billion dollars.

-Thompson Consumer Electronics in strategic counseling and managing the worldwide licensing in and purchase of RCA brands associated with consumer electronics products.

In his administrative capacity at Ladas & Parry, Lanning currently serves as the firm’s Financial Partner engaged in full oversight of accounting, banking and audit activities and is the primary liaison with certified public accountants in U.S. and in Europe. A proud father of three, in his spare time Lanning enjoys tennis, hiking, performance and visual art, and traveling.