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Robert (Bob) Ford is a partner in Gowlings’ business law department working from the Gowlings Kanata Technology Law Office, a specialized office of Gowlings dedicated to servicing the particular needs of technology and life sciences companies and those investors that fund them.
Bob provides advice to both senior and emerging technology and biotechnology companies, investment banks, private equity and venture capital investors in domestic and cross border equity and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions, technology/life sciences licensing transactions and corporate reorganizations. Bob has advised clients in a variety of commercial industries, including medical devices, semi-conductor, networking systems, hardware, software, web-based and e-businesses.
Bob brings valuable practical experience and perspective to his clients having served as entrepreneur-in-residence with Celtic House Venture Partners (a leading venture capital firm), President & CEO of Ardesic Corporation (acquired December 2001) and General Counsel at TimeStep Corporation (acquired August 1999). Prior to that, Bob practiced law in private practice with a prominent Vancouver law firm.
- Acting as counsel to Teradyne Inc. (NSYE: TER) and its affiliates and subsidiaries in connection with the acquisition of assets and certain enabling test technology from MOSAID Technologies Incorporated (TSX: MSD).
- Acting as counsel to Tundra Semiconductor Corporation (TSX:TUN) in connection with the acquisition of Potentia Semiconductor Corporation.
- Acting as counsel to technology company on outsourcing transaction for assets and intellectual property with Nortel.
- Acting as counsel to Fortune 100 purchaser in it attempted acquisition of a publicly traded software company.
- Acting as counsel to US private equity firm in its attempted acquisition of a publicly traded software services company.
- Acting as counsel to independent software vendor entering into three-way distribution transaction with Fortune 100 technology company and prominent Canadian multimedia content company.
- Acting as counsel to several VC and private investors and issuer companies in venture capital and private placement financings.
- Acting as counsel to publicly traded client in the military technology sector in connection with the sale of its foreign subsidiary.
- Acting as counsel to large private equity investor in connection with its portfolio investment into a Canadian clean technology company.
- Co-authored “Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit Program” featured in Gowlings’ 2009/10 Issue of Life Sciences and Law.
- Interviewed in Biotechnology Focus discussing section 116 issues in the article titled “Section 116: Hindering venture capital investment in Canada" (February 2009).
- Speaker, Presentation for Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade regional trade officers – “Doing Business in Canada – what you need to know”, Ottawa, March, 2010.
- Speaker and Panellist, Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade life sciences mission to Denmark, Sweden and Belgium, “Canada’s SR&ED Tax Credit Program”, February 2010.
- Moderator, “Doing Business in Canada” THE MOLECULAR MEDICINE TRI-CONFERENCE, San Francisco, February 2010.
- Guest Lecturer, Queens University School of Business MBA 871- New Enterprise Financing and Creation - “Legal Issues for New Ventures”, Kingston, January 2010.
- Contributor, World Financier Joint Article: 2010 Biotech & Life Sciences e-book, December 2009.
- Speaker, Life Science Association of Manitoba – “The Investor Readiness Boot Camp for Life Sciences Companies”, Winnipeg, September, 2009.
- Speaker and Guest Lecturer, University of Ottawa School of Engineering – “Starting and Managing a Company in Troubled Times”, Ottawa, August, 2009.
- Speaker, Lead 2 Win executive education program for Technology Entrepreneurs – “Key Contracts that Enable Development, Sales and “Partnership Success”, Ottawa, June, 2009.
- Speaker, IRAP Sponsored Seminar – “Starting and Managing a Company in Troubled Times", Ottawa, Spring 2009.
- Co-authored “Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit Program” featured in Gowlings’ 2009/10 issue of Technology and Law.
- Co-authored “Doing Business in Canada: A Guide for U.S. and International Investors” published in March issue of Location Canada.
- Interviewed in Biotechnology Focus magazine discussing section 116 issues in the article titled “Section 116: Hindering Venture Capital Investment in Canada", February 2009.
- Speaker and Guest Lecturer, Queens University School of Business MBA 871- New Enterprise Financing and Creation – “Venture Capital Financing”, Kingston, January 2009.
- Speaker, Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade mission to Milan, London and Copenhagen – “Canada’s SR&ED Tax Credit Program”, November 2008.
- Speaker, Manitoba’s Life Sciences Business Symposium – “Buying and Licensing Innovative Solutions and Technology”, September 2008.
- Speaker, Pharma Finance 2008 (Italy) – “Doing Business With Canada - Forging Ties between Italy & Canada”, Rome, May 2008.
- Speaker, Life Sciences Seminar – “Know the Money”, Ottawa, 2008.
- Speaker, Bio Article – Gowlings Life Sciences and the Law “Canadian Biopharmaceutical and Life Science Investment”, 2008.
- Speaker, BIONetwork East – “Canada’s SR&ED Program”, Florida, 2008.
- Speaker, Presentation for Canada Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade regional trade officers – “Canada’s SR&ED Tax Credit Program”, Ottawa, 2008.
- Speaker, BIOContact 2007– “Canada’s SR&ED Tax Credit Program”, Quebec City, 2007.
- Co-presenter, Canadian Corporate Council Association (Ottawa) – “Mergers & Acquisitions – IP Due Diligence”, Ottawa, 2007.
- Co-authored article for L’expert-ALM Top 500 Lawyers in Canada Guide – “Canadian Biotechnology Industry”, 2007.
- Speaker, BIOContact 2006 – Venture Capital – “May the Maple Leaf Be With You”, Quebec City, 2007.
- Speaker, “Doing Business in Canada and Canadian Law”, Beijing Bar Assoc. Presentation, China, June 2007.
- Speaker, TSX Roadshow to China, June 2007 – “Public Listings in Canada”, China, 2007.
- Authored article for Gowlings Life Sciences & Law 2006 – A Year in Review – “Canadian Biopharmaceutical & Life Science Venture Capital Investment”, 2007.
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