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Rockridge has its finger on the pulse of industry and culture. Our practice spans a vast diversity of strengths and interests — always prioritizing the goals of our clients and their businesses.

Our clients come in all sizes and decidedly run the gamut of industries. They range from sprawling biotechs with significant IP assets, to your classic two-coders-and-a-dream. Large and small, established or startup, we help both individuals and companies at various stages protect, assert, and monetize their intellectual property — everything from slogans and inventions, to back-of-napkin books and songs. You name it, if it’s IP in any form, we’ve had a hand in fortifying it.

We like a casual, one-on-one approach to our partnerships. For our corporate clients, we act as outside general counsel, offering an expanse of regulatory, securities, and transactional services on a first-name, text-if-you-like, no-hiding-behind-secretaries basis. Check out some of the sectors we serve.

Artists, Artisans & Creative Agencies
Corporate Social Responsibility
Commercialization
Biotech & Medical Device
Energy
Consumer Products
Technology and Ecommerce

Artists, Artisans & Creative Agencies

We’re widely recognized as top-caliber tech allies. But although this is a major space in which we’ve achieved distinction, we don’t identify as strictly tech lawyers.

We’re fluent with the ins and outs of the creative sphere, having cultivated extensive knowledge and experience in the worlds of publishing, performance, and agency deals. Some of our favorite clients include hip-hop artists, novelists, photographers, and producers. We recognize how creative individuals benefit from well-informed counsel for a slew of day-to-day practical matters.

  • Trademark Law — Branding a product or business always brings up issues of clearance, use and protection. We’re here to advise on the trademarking details clients must consider and weigh.
  • Copyright Law — To develop and profit from any creative asset necessitates a clear-eyed look at copyright registration, licensing and transfers, and in some cases, the process of obtaining rights from outside parties. RVL® has versed itself in every contractual element that comes into play.
  • Agency-Client Relationships — The partnership of artists and businesses with agents and agencies rests on critical legal structures that maintain rights ownership and transfer, client confidentiality, contracts, commissions, distribution deals, and a spectrum of other formalized agreements.
  • Freelancing — The freelance workforce often creates tensions related to rights, compensation, and fair competition. We consult on the best practices and protections for freelance careers.
  • Creative Marketing Agencies — In mastering media, agencies typically don’t bother with intellectual property or regulatory concerns, such as trademark infringement and impermissible therapeutic claims. RVL® provides general counsel to agencies on important legal matters that might arise in the design and branding of the agency’s client campaigns.
  • Social Media Law and Content Marketing Law — Digital campaigns are at the forefront of today’s marketplace. Social media and content marketing frequently rub up against the trademark, copyright, and employment law we’re on hand to address.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Companies ranging from Patagonia® to Warby Parker® to Hootsuite have set themselves apart with an emphasis on ethics and social responsibility. Each of these companies has successfully scaled while adopting triple-bottom-line business practices, and then incorporated these socially-conscious attributes into their branding.

Essentially, these companies show us how to be both profitable businesses and great corporate citizens. A B Corp authorization designates a businesses as operating with specific missional objectives. As Tennessee’s only B Corp® law firm and Best for the World awardee, RVL® is aligned with your pursuits and uniquely knowledgeable about corporate social responsibility. Whether you are an investor building a portfolio of social enterprise companies, or an emerging venture aligned with triple-bottom-line principles, we are well positioned as your daily or strategic counsel. We help any company in this space, and are well-equipped to advise in a range of areas promoting positive social enterprise. Some considerations we speak to include:

  • Business Code of Ethics — The code specifying company policies and goals surrounding values, environment, diversity, employee treatment and customer service.
  • Workplace Health and Safety — RVL® helps client businesses maintain full industry compliance with government legislation that prevents workplace accidents and injuries.
  • Environmental Commitment — We can help you implement the policies and practices that meet and exceed your company’s legal mandates while encouraging a greater move toward sustainability.
  • Charitable Giving — When you advocate for meaningful causes and plan your donations accordingly, we provide counsel on which organizations best align with your company’s mission and demonstrate the best for fit for your contribution.

Commercialization

Our attorneys are experienced commercialization agents. We’ve helped companies like Atomic Energy, Google, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Samsung, and Synthetic Genomics transition early stage inventions out of academic and federal labs, and into products that benefit society. In representing licensors, licensees, and spinouts, we are knowledgeable of the various angles, considerations, and financials that make deals work. We advise companies in areas such as:

  • Sales Reps — Many states ask for a written contract between a company and its sales representatives that notate their exclusivity or non-exclusivity among other details.
  • Franchising — A franchise setup comes with increased marketing obligations and unique regulations from The Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
  • Joint Ventures — An arrangement where intellectual property is licensed to a party who also holds an ownership interest.
  • Direct Sales — Wherein an owner of intellectual property oversees large areas of the business and individually handles markets and sales.
  • Distribution — A familiar situation where a third-party distributor buys product from a manufacturer and sells to other people. These come with varying terms of agreements related to pricing and discounts.
  • Licensing — A flexible leasing situation where royalties determine income for the IP holder and must often be individually determined.

Biotech & Medical Device

Medical devices occupy a pronounced presence in contemporary life. As technology evolves to shape the world we inhabit, the technologies of medical devices will play a significant role. From a regulatory viewpoint, manufacturing medical devices comes with its own set of challenges and demands we can help you meet.

RVL® can assist with any question or issue involved with the regulation and compliance of your medical device or product. We provide complete FDA consulting to review and unpack everything relevant to your particular medical device. Our know-how extends to medical devices across numerous indications and classifications.

We are ready to advise and guide through all phases of product development — from the approval process to post-marketing. We consult on:

  • Device Regulatory Strategies
  • FDA Meetings
  • FDA Submissions
  • FDA Registration & Listings
  • Quality Management & Compliance
  • Risk Management & Human Factors Engineering

Wherever your medical device stands in its development process, we’re here to help. In preparing you to face the FDA, we can arm you with scientific knowledge, technical expertise, and our own first-hand experience.

Energy

We help clients in the energy space — primarily with advocacy, intellectual property, permitting, and regulatory needs. RVL® is a member of the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, Tennessee Renewable Energy & Economic Development Council, and Tennessee Energy Mentors Network.

If you’re in need of legal support for energy and infrastructure projects related to  renewable and conventional power generation, we help facilitate transactions with business executives, project managers, engineers, lenders, and investors. We want to expedite your development process and get the ball rolling. Some of our energy projects agreements include:

  • Power purchase and sale
  • Renewable energy credit (REC) purchase and sale
  • Fuel supply
  • Fuel transportation
  • Water supply
  • Operation and maintenance
  • Equipment purchase

We can help you form partnerships, limited liability companies, and other joint ventures that will see your project to fruition. We’ve got the experience to accelerate your steps with the speed and action that extends your vision into the wider world and make it a reality — all of this while keeping you compliant with some of the toughest regulations in the business world.

Consumer Products 

From apparel to fitness apps, we help clients navigate challenges in branding, corporate compliance, franchising, investment, licensing, manufacturing, online sales, real estate, taxation, and many other aspects of day-to-day business.

We comprehend all of the business implications of decisions made at any stage of your product’s development and marketing life cycle. As state and federal agencies exert more regulatory scrutiny over your operation, we’re here to advise you on best practices for compliance and areas of individual concerns.

  • Product Development — We advise them throughout product development, design and implementation of clinical studies where necessary, approval from particular regulator bodies, production compliance, and marketing.
  • Approvals — We know how to land for those approvals — Particularly for cosmetics or food products needing FDA approval. from  approval from the FDA, the FTC, and NAD, and pitch in for areas like business negotiation and crisis management.
  • Copyright — Companies rely on RVL® to assist with cases of infringements, registrations, licensing, work-for-hire agreements, ownership disputes and a range of other matters. Make sure that you don’t run into any hangups — and to take the offense if somebody appropriates your own work.

Technology &

E-Commerce

A number of federal, state, and international laws dictate the specifics of e-commerce, which frequently leads to complicated contract and tax issues, along with security, and privacy issues. On top of this, the laws themselves change as rapidly as the technology as legislators work to keep pace.

Because E-commerce often consist of selling goods and services over the internet, and because the two parties are not face-to-face, technology is left to conduct the transaction remotely. Electronic contracts can still occupy an area of uncertainty on the legal side, and RVL® work to make sure all details are elucidated and enforced.

Blend tech and law together and you’ve created a cocktail with enough industry jargon to make you wonder whether you’re still working with the English language. But we speak tech AND law. SaaS, domain names, internet privacy, IP licensing, website terms and agreements, and regulatory compliance are just a few of the areas we help our clients decode so they can focus on their business.

  • SaaS — Software as Service is now its own expansive industry as more and more companies and individuals require new and increasingly specific software to meet their niche needs. We oversee a kosher SaaS exchange — whether you’re the buyer or purveyor.
  • Domain Names — Complicated scenarios arise over who owns and maintains particular domain names online. Sometimes you’re buying up a particular name to keep it from others’ reach — other times you’re pursing one that you need for yourself. Either way, we’re here to assist.
  • IP Licensing — When another group will be using your intellectual property, all the contractual terms and details should be crystal clear to everyone involved. RVL® fastidiously oversees this effort.
  • Website Terms and Agreements — If you want all that fine print to be authored in a way thats clear, official and valid, we’re here to make sure it’s all in place. Anyone visiting your site will have all the accurate verbiage in front of them.

CHEERS

WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING

“We worked with Rockridge on our initial provisional patent filing and licensing agreement. They have been great to work with, very thorough, professional, and insightful regarding how to position our patent scope and application properly. In addition, I have been involved with licensing agreements for more than 15 years and Rockridge provided excellent guidance on some specific nuances for our licensing agreement that properly protected both parties and positioned the document well for follow on license scope expansions.”

Relay Life Science

“Rockridge really know their stuff. Our operating agreement and other entity docs are rock-solid, and we already avoided problems by creating a new master service agreement for use with clients. All in all, we're very pleased. It's hard to imagine working with anyone else at this point.”

Balernum

“Working with Rockridge has been fantastic. It’s the first time in the 20+ year history of our company that I’ve worked with an Attorney who truly understands our business. He has been a fantastic advisor and negotiator on our behalf. I would wholeheartedly recommend Rockridge Venture Law to any business looking for help with the trademark process.”

Epion

“Rockridge Venture Law has proven to be a valuable asset for my start up. Not only could they answer any legal questions, but did so in a supportive and friendly way. Highly recommend them to anyone needing legal counsel.”

MetaFlex

“As a small business and start up I needed trademark advice and help with a licensing contract. The team at Rockridge Venture Law has been a wealth of information and support. I needed legal services to ensure my business is protected and that I sign contracts that are in my best interest. I am very pleased with the support I have received and look forward to growing my business and protecting it with their support of great legal services.”

Sisterhood of the Outdoors

“Rockridge Venture Law has proven to be a valuable asset for my start up. Not only could they answer any legal questions, but did so in a supportive and friendly way. Highly recommend them to anyone needing legal counsel!”

Squeaky Clean

“The Ridgeline Venture Law team consistently goes above and beyond what they are asked to do, and you will always feel valued as a client. Ridgeline takes the time to truly understand what’s going on with your situation, and they make a point to ensure you understand the game plan going forward. Ridgeline is the only practice my organization uses, and we are so thankful to have them in our corner!”

Turdcules

“Awesome! Fast and dependable! Definitely experts in their field.”

BeeCool

“"It has been a true pleasure to work with Kevin Christopher on my patent filing endeavors and new product development. His expertise, counsel, professionalism, dedication.... basically everything!.. has been more than just invaluable, but a driving force in creating a strong foundation and the launch platform for this pursuit. Kevin Christopher does all this while remaining personable and approachable (amazing!!).”

Mike, Inventor

“Starting a new venture can be a daunting experience for a novice. The Rockridge group handled it all for me, including excellent advice and getting everything filed with the proper agency in a timely matter. I never could not have accomplished all of this on my own.”

Darlene, Inventor

“Rockridge has brought our company to a whole new level with the contracts they’ve written. The value they have brought far exceeds any expense. In fact, doing business with Rockridge has been completely painless. In many occasions I’ve wondered if we were their only client. Then I remember their track record and realize this is just how they do business. Thanks guys for having an unmatched work ethic in the business of doing business!”

Interstudy

“We asked Kevin to update the by-laws for the nonprofit Chattanooga Technology Council (ChaTech) with certain changes in mind. He uncovered some important flaws in the existing version that were not on even our radar. He corrected the flaws and addressed the original issues we were concerned about. I enjoyed working with him on this.”

Chattanooga Technology Council

“As a fellow attorney in the community, I can say it does not get better than Kevin Christopher and his team at Rockridge Venture Law. I have referred numerous clients to RVL without hesitation, and they have always done a great job no matter the complexity. I could not recommend enough!”

Bo, Tennessee Attorney

“A great firm is made up of great people. Rockridge Venture Law is as good as you can get. Highly recommended!”

Tucker, California Attorney

”As a creative agency we have greatly benefited from the depth of knowledge and responsiveness of Rockridge Venture Law and, more importantly, so have our clients. It’s reassuring to know that we have such an experienced and highly competent legal team ready to take on whatever we may throw at them.

WDStone & Associates
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Historic James Building
735 Broad Street, STE 1001
Chattanooga, TN 37402

Nashville Entrepreneur Center
41 Peabody St.
Nashville, TN 37210
(For client and partnership meetings only)

The Yale Club
50 Vanderbilt Ave.
New York, NY 10017
(For client and partnership meetings only)

 

RVL® is a business, intellectual property, and technology firm, building today’s companies for tomorrow’s economy.