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Daniel Yost

Partner

Silicon Valley Office

Daniel Yost is co-chair of the Technology Transactions Group at Orrick and a former co-chair of Orrick’s Technology Companies Group. He is recognized for negotiating complex commercial and technology transactions and intellectual property counseling.

Highly regarded for his expertise, Chambers USA has ranked Daniel for his expertise in Technology Transactions and noted that “His work is solution-driven and his positive personality helps both sides of a negotiation work towards the outcome.” Legal 500 describes his practice as “exceptional” and recommends the practice for its “high client service ethic and great commercial awareness." He is known for his ability to handle complex transactions for science-based technology companies, with work ranging from intellectual property and licensing to distribution agreements and cross-border collaborations, counseling clients on commercial law, copyright, licensing, marketing, patent, privacy, strategic alliances, trademark and trade secrets matters.

Daniel has represented companies in various industries, including biotechnology, cleantech, energy, consumer electronics, entertainment, hardware, internet, media, semiconductor, services, software, telecommunications and wireless. His energy clients include clients in the solar, biofuels, waste to energy and geothermal sectors.

Daniel has acted as key legal counsel in:

  • Manufacturing, distribution and sale arrangements for makers of software, chips, security devices, batteries and solar technologies, among others.
  • Technology transactions with universities, governments and non-profit entities.
  • Copyright, privacy and online pitfalls applicable to Internet companies.
  • Domestic and international collaborations for developers of pharmaceutical products, medical devices, semiconductors and software, among others.
  • Mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and asset divestitures in a wide range of industries, including biotechnology, health databases, semiconductors medical software, entertainment, Internet browsers and e-commerce.
  • Open source policy development and compliance.
  • IT and business process services agreements.
  • Venture capital investments in technology-based enterprises.

Daniel is a thought leader on technology transactions issues and programs that focus on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property having advised on clients such as Weta Digital, Fulcrum BioEnergy, CelLink Corporation, Telenor, Luminar, and Motorola Solutions. He is regularly called up to speak about intellectual property and technology matters and has done so at UC Berkeley, Stanford and other universities and conferences. His work on incentivizing innovation have been published in major papers, including Forbes, the Daily Journal San Francisco and the San Jose Mercury News.

Daniel’s current volunteer work includes serving on the Board of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, the Advisory Counsel for UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment and California Environmental Voters. Daniel also advises state and local elected officials on policies to encourage the development and deployment of zero emissions technologies. Daniel’s prior volunteer work includes serving as Mayor and Councilmember in Woodside, California and serving as a founding Board Member of Peninsula Clean Energy – the community choice energy provider serving San Mateo County.