Helen’s practice focuses on technology transactions (including software licensing and SaaS), online contracting, and related data privacy matters. Moderately preoccupied with process, Helen eagerly helps clients improve their contracting practices and procedures, including by developing template agreements of all kinds and by training both lawyers and other contracting professionals and the “form” and “substance” of contracting. She is passionate about language and takes pride in her ability to find the right words to memorialize a party’s intent.
Her work involves advising on cloud computing, software-as-a-service (SaaS), strategic sourcing, artificial intelligence (AI), intellectual property (IP) licensing, information technology (IT) services, information management, data protection, cybersecurity, hardware-as-a-service (HaaS), mobile app and web app development, payment processing and other financial services, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Working across numerous industries (including retail, food service and hospitality, transportation and logistics, healthcare, and consumer products) on both the customer side and vendor side of technology contracts has resulted in broad exposure to a wide variety of contracting issues and dynamics. Helen is well-versed in balancing the legal risks presented by a particular engagement with the practical considerations of closing matters in a business-conscientious manner.
She regularly speaks at conferences and other gatherings, most recently on the topic of neurodiversity in the legal profession. Helen lived in Japan for a number of years and is conversational in Japanese.
Helen previously practiced law in-house at a Fortune 100 insurance company for three years, an experience that has significantly shaped how she works with clients and practices law. She is a member of Benesch’s Risk & Ethics Committee, as well as of Benesch’s Transportation & Logistics Practice Group.
Her experience includes:
- Drafting and negotiating business-critical software licenses, data processing, SaaS, IaaS, PaaS, HaaS, IT service, inbound license, outsourcing, development, and collaboration agreements.
- Preparing privacy notices and complex clickwrap terms in both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) contexts, always in cooperation with the client’s relevant stakeholders, including technology, information security, marketing, and human resources team members.
- Working with product counsel to launch new and improved customer loyalty programs and marketing campaigns, including email and SMS (text message).
- Implementing processes and procedures for the review of open source software (OSS) and their license terms.
- Leading an enterprise-wide effort to develop and implement modernized confidentiality agreement templates and processes, including training paralegals and law clerks to take a greater role in the review and management of confidentiality agreements.
- Actively representing artists, creative professionals, and nonprofit organizations on a pro bono basis through Chicago-based Lawyers for the Creative Arts.
- Supporting mergers and acquisitions with IP, IT, and data protection due diligence matters.
Representative Experience
- We serve as a lead outside transactional counsel to Infosys in connection with the negotiation and documentation of a variety of IP oriented technology transactions.
- Represented a private equity sponsor in its acquisition of the assets of a domestic and international intermodal drayage and transportation logistics company.