Merrill Baumann is a partner at Dunn Carney and a member of the Corporate Counsel team. He also leads Dunn Carney’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice group. His twenty-five -year practice has focused on corporate and transactional matters for local, national, and international clients in dozens of different industries.
Merrill specializes in representing clients with substantial intellectual property assets, including software developers, production companies, advertising and branding agencies, performers, and artists. His work for these clients includes licensing and brand management advice (including trademark and copyright prosecution and enforcement), along with general corporate, transactional, and M & A advice. Merrill also has an active practice in the climate change field as general outside counsel to one of the nation’s largest purchasers and sellers of greenhouse gas offsets. Merrill has a deep understanding of climate change-related laws, policies, and business trends.
Prior to joining the firm, Merrill was a partner with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP in Portland, Oregon. He also served as general counsel to, and corporate attorney with, Graham & James LLP (now Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP) in Los Angeles and Tokyo before he moved to Oregon. As general counsel, he was responsible for all risk management, loss control and professional responsibility matters for the 400+ lawyer firm.
Bar Admissions
- Oregon, 1999
- California, 1986
Education
- University of Southern California School of Law, J.D., 1985
- Dartmouth College, A.B., Anthropology, with Distinction, 1981
Professional Associations
- Oregon State Bar, Member of IP and Business Law Sections
- California State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Metro Arts Inc., Board Member, 2006-2010
- International Trademark Association, Member
- District Enrollment Director, Dartmouth College
Representative Experience
- Representation of purchasers and sellers in structuring and negotiating mergers and acquisitions up to $1.1 billion in the manufacturing, mining, internet and eCommerce, advertising and trade promotion, photography, digital printing, software, video production, radio, transportation, travel, food, and agricultural industries.
- Licensing agreements covering software, audio, video, and web-based applications for software developers and purchasers, advertising firms, entertainment producers, and internet service providers.
- Structuring and negotiation of commercial loans, strategic joint ventures, greenhouse gas offset purchases, product manufacturing and distribution arrangements, venture capital and private equity investments, advertising production agreements, and other transactions.
- Serve as general counsel (including contract negotiation, employment, risk management, and litigation counseling) for manufacturing, advertising, technology, entertainment production, software, emissions trading, and agricultural businesses.
Publications and Presentations
- “IP 101: What Entrepreneurs Need to Know about Trademarks, Copyright and Trade Secrets,” to Mamapreneurs Inc., June 2009
- Article titled “The World of Carbon Offsets: What to look for and What to Expect” for the Thomson Reuters/West Report book Climate Change—Litigation, Regulation and Risk.
- Speaker: Global Warming: Implications and Opportunities for your Law Practice, Meritas Annual Meeting and Marketing Summit, April 23, 2009
Honors and Awards
- Executive Editor, Hale Moot Court Honors Program at University of Southern California School of Law
- Quarter finalist, Irving Kaufman National Moot Court Competition
