Article by Vijay Pal Dalmia, Advocate, Supreme Court of India and Delhi High Court, Partner & Head of Intellectual Property Laws Division, Vaish Associates Advocates, India
email: vpdalmia@vaishlaw.com Mobile: +91 9810081079

What is a Due Diligence?

  • A fact finding

    • "What are the facts"
  • An assessment

    • "What do I think of this"
  • A validation or corroboration

    • "Is this what I'm told it is"
    • "am I getting what I understand I should be getting"
  • Types of due diligence

    • IP ownership and rights due diligence
    • patent position due diligence (validity and infringement)
    • scientific / technical due diligence

WHEN?

  • Acquisition
  • License agreement
  • Assignment of IP
  • Corporate merger
  • Financing
  • Takeover
  • Tax Benefits
  • Joint venture

WHY?

  • To ascertain IPRs used in the business
  • What is the value

    • Hence level of risk
  • Who owns it

    • could I sue or could someone sue me?
  • Better exploitation of IP

    • licensing in or out of technology
  • Risk Minimisation

WHO?

  • In case of all types of corporate ventures, both parties should undertake the due diligence.
  • In case of licensing agreement

    • Both licensor and licensee.
    • Licensor, to ascertain the licensee's ability to pay the licensor or exploit the licensed IP
    • Licensee, to ensure that the licensor has the power to grant the license.
  • Similarly, In case of assignment agreements, both the assignor and the assignee should conduct the due diligence on each other.

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