Peter Durant is engaged primarily in contract negotiation and related advice for domestic and foreign clients, usually in areas involving intellectual property issues. In particular, he counsels businesses, universities, and individuals on the sale, acquisition, licensing, and exploitation of their intellectual property assets. Such transactions have included negotiation of sophisticated contracts for computer hardware and software systems, drug and other technology licenses, trademark licenses, franchise and other distribution agreements, and for the sale and construction of sophisticated transportation signaling systems and other technology with state and federal governmental agencies. He also helps companies establish joint ventures and outsourcing and partnering relationships with their major vendors and suppliers. He has also advised companies on compliance with U.S. Export Administration Regulations (the EAR) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Mr. Durant helps universities and inventors realize the value of their intellectual property assets through the monetization or sale of pharmaceutical or other royalty streams. In particular, he has structured auctions for such assets and advised sellers on methods to achieve significant near-term payouts based on projected royalties and other income streams.
Mr. Durant also is heavily involved with publishing and New Media, Internet, and e-commerce issues such as digital rights management, website practices, privacy policies, and conflicts between U.S. and European policies and legislation. He regularly advises emerging and established businesses about the effects of these and other intellectual property and corporate issues on their policies and strategies.
Mr. Durant assisted the Library of Congress establish collaborative relationships with multiple consortia by drafting and negotiating cooperative agreements to support the content capture and preservation goals of the National Digital Information Infrastructure Preservation Project. In addition he has advised individual, corporate, and university clients on publishing issues in the digital age.
Mr. Durant served as the interim Technology Transfer Director of Roswell Park Cancer Institute where he helped the Institute establish commercial and collaborative relationships with other universities and businesses with respect to the Institute’s intellectual property. In particular, during his tenure he entered license negotiations with foreign and domestic licensees of Roswell Park technology and helped establish three “spin-offs to commercialize Roswell Park discoveries. He also has performed similar work for other institutions and for clients who are licensees of institutional technology. He also advises institutions on the intellectual property policies and procedures.
Mr. Durant is an adjunct professor at the University of Rochester Eastman School of Music where he leads a seminar on copyright and related issues for musicians.