Samuel (Sandy) B. Sterrett, Jr.

Mr. Sterrett advises business, exempt or non-profit and individual clients on corporate, governance, technology, tax and general business law. He works with start-up and emerging growth companies, privately held businesses, and large multinational corporations as well as exempt or non-profit organizations. He represents both US and foreign based clients, particularly in Australia, China, Europe and New Zealand.

Mr. Sterrett serves or has served as principal outside counsel for multiple biotechnology, medical device, business services, information technology, software and other technology companies. He has substantial experience handling mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and angel, venture capital and other financing transactions.

He focuses on the unique aspects of intellectual property and technology oriented business relationships, including licenses and cross-licenses, product development, joint ventures, collaborations, material transfer, and research and development. He has been involved in multiple highly complex mergers and acquisitions involving intellectual property and technology.

Mr. Sterrett assists clients with their key business relationships, including manufacturing, distribution and supply agreements, marketing and sponsorship agreements, employment, consulting and severance agreements, confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements, purchase orders, standard terms and conditions, and personal and real property leases. He also assists clients with their corporate and governance documents, stockholder, investor rights and voting agreements, limited liability company operating agreements, and stock option and executive compensation plans.

He regularly works with exempt or nonprofit organizations, including charities and trade associations, on business, corporate, governance, intellectual property, and federal and state tax matters. He has obtained federal and state tax exemptions for multiple non-profit organizations. Mr. Sterrett has advised on and has closed several complicated corporate restructurings and mergers involving exempt organizations.  He regularly handles the daily business transactions undertaken by exempt or nonprofit organizations.

Following law school, he worked at Allens Arthur Robinson, in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, and clerked for Judge James S. Halpern of the U.S. Tax Court.

Mr. Sterrett has authored several articles on business, tax and technology, including in The Intellectual Property Strategist, Legal Times, and Washington Business Journal.

REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE

• Closed acquisition of optical switch technology for Fortune 500 client
• Closed acquisition of ag-biotechnology assets by international joint venture
• Closed sale of foreign software company to U.S. defense contractor
• Closed several acquisitions of student travel businesses by industry leader
• Closed multiple acquisitions and sales of TV and radio stations
• Closed acquisition by foreign company of services business in animal health industry
• Closed acquisition of an important African-American Art Collection
• Closed substantial number of angel and venture capital financings
• Advised client in a winning proxy fight for control of a privately held technology business
• Negotiated substantial number of patent/know-how licenses, material transfer agreements, and collaboration and research agreements with Federal government agencies, US colleges and universities, foreign universities and US and foreign research institutes
• Negotiated numerous collaboration, license, joint development, marketing and services agreements with global pharmaceutical and major laboratory reference companies
• Negotiated substantial number of consulting, services, collaboration and product development agreements with most of the leading medical device manufacturers
• Negotiated multiple trademark and copyright agreements for internationally known private historic home
• Closed corporate restructuring of Mid-Atlantic’s leading residential services business
• Negotiated complicated lease termination agreement with international biotech manufacturer
• Closed sale of bio-manufacturing plant after resolving multiple complex Federal, state and local issues arising from public-private partnership that funded and built the facility and from related tax exempt financing
• Assisted in formation of a consortium of over 40 universities and research institutes (mostly, European) focused on translation research in cancer
• Negotiated and closed several complicated corporate restructurings and mergers and acquisitions involving exempt or nonprofit organizations

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Mr. Sterrett is involved with several charitable and community organizations, including Mount Vernon, Home of George Washington. He serves or has served as a director of Australia America Association (Washington, DC), Global Ties US, Learning Undefeated, Inc. (a charitable partner of Maryland Technology Council), and Volunteers of America Chesapeake, Inc.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• AV Preeminent – For Ethical Standards and Legal Ability, Martindale-Hubbell (Internet Brands), 2020