W. Frank Taylor
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Frank leads the firm's Technology & Intellectual Property Transactions group. His varied practice spans the software and computer technologies, wireless and telecommunications, computer gaming, content licensing, Internet services and business-to-business e-commerce industries. He provides strategic business counseling to industry leaders and start-up companies alike. Frank's background includes music and other content licensing, conducting trainings in software license negotiations, the negotiation of numerous transactions in the retail and customized software arenas, advising customers about cloud computing and other service-based software and content distribution, OEM licensing agreements, IT procurement contracts, on-line sales and distribution agreements, video game licensing and distribution, domestic and international distribution of technology and products, formation of joint ventures, protection of trade secrets, patent licensing and biotechnology agreements and intellectual property protection strategies.

Frank counsels Web businesses in the development of effective strategies for revenue generation through e-commerce, including advertising and linking relationships, co-marketing and co-promotion agreements, and royalty and subscription based licensing models. He also assists clients with branding, Internet taxation and online privacy issues. His clients include software companies, online content providers (including digital and audio content and encoding companies), hardware designers and manufacturers, wireless companies, large and small video game developers and publishers, Internet portals, extranet providers, and Web developers.

Examples of particular experience:

  • On behalf of Microsoft, negotiated software licenses, service agreements and/or strategic alliances with a large percentage of the Fortune 500
  • Lead counsel in negotiating billions of dollars in IT outsourcing contracts, including Microsoft/Accenture BPO contract
  • Negotiated some of the very first digital music licenses with all of the major record labels, on behalf of client Loudeye (now part of Nokia)
  • Key role in early development and implementation of cloud services offerings for client Microsoft
  • Counsel to Valve Corporation, leading independent video game developer, in connection with roll-out and creation of terms for Steamworks offering and various other matters 
Frank's assistant, Rose, can be reached via email, or by phone at 206.254.4406.

Education
  • University of Virginia (B.A., magna cum laude with departmental honors, 1988)
  • University of Virginia (J.D., top 15% of class, 1992)
Admissions
  • Washington State Bar Association
Awards/Honors and Organizational Memberships
  • Super Lawyer Award Recipient, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
  • Top 40 Intellectual Property Lawyer Award Recipient, Washington Law & Politics Magazine
  • Top Lawyer Award Recipient, Seattle Magazine
  • Top Business Lawyer Award Recipient, Seattle Business Monthly
  • Top Ten Attorney in Washington Award Recipient (in area of Internet Law and Licensing Law), Washington CEO Magazine, in conjunction with Avvo, Inc.
  • Member, Washington Technology Industry Association