Kris focuses his practice on technology transaction, data security and privacy, and intellectual property protection. In addition, he serves as Chair of Benesch’s multidisciplinary AI Commission, leading the firm’s efforts to guide clients in safely and legally deploying AI technologies and tools to enhance operations, drive innovation, and optimize and customize customer experiences. The team advises B2B and B2C businesses in wide-ranging industries, AI tech and tools developers, investors, collaborators, service providers and users/integrators on the legal implications of AI innovations and associated risks while proactively monitoring proposed laws, regulations and litigation.
As an intellectual property lawyer by trade, Kris represents clients in various sophisticated technology transactions, assisting high-tech companies market, protect, commercialize and distribute their intellectual property. Kris has experience navigating the various data security and privacy regulations of the United States, including the CCPA and the GDPR. Kris has represented numerous clients, with domestic and international business operations, in developing and implementing compliant data security and privacy policies and procedures. Kris also supports a number of mergers & acquisitions transactions, assisting clients with corporate, intellectual property, and data security and privacy related needs arising from these types of transactions.
In addition to intellectual property matters, Kris has experience navigating the difficult and intricate regulatory framework of cannabis at the federal, state, and local level across the United States. Kris represents numerous clients as they seek to enter into and succeed in the cannabis marketplace. He provides licensure assistance, successfully obtaining licenses in merit based, competitive jurisdictions as well as non-competitive jurisdictions. Upon licensure, Kris provides continual corporate governance, strategic assistance, and post-licensure compliance to successfully bring these companies to market and maintain compliance with all applicable laws and regulations Kris has represented clients in several cannabis related transactions across the United States and in foreign jurisdictions, including mergers, acquisitions, complex loan agreements, and various other corporate transactional matters. By utilizing his MBA in connection with his wealth of knowledge and experience in the cannabis marketplace, Kris is able to develop and implement creative and “outside the box” business strategies and solutions to ensure compliance in this heavily regulated industry while competing for, and obtaining, greater market share and higher revenues.
Representative Experience
- Assist clients in the navigation of certain legal compliance requirements related to use of AI tools for certain consequential use cases.
- Assist large energy and global materials science company with the development, deployment and implementation of enterprise wide responsible use and AI governance policy governing employee and contractor use of AI tools in furtherance of job functions, including ethical considerations, best practices and use case approval process.
- Assist large healthcare system with the development, deployment, and implementation of responsible AI security policy to govern security and data protection terms and conditions for procurement of AI tools.
- Assist several clients in the negotiation of vendor agreements for the procurement of technology solutions including and incorporating AI features and functionality.
- Provide guidance to several clients related to data use and compliance obligations as it relates to AI tool usage and data privacy concerns.
- Represent large client through a competitive RFP process in the procurement of enterprise IT services, including certain application development and management services that relate to AI development and deployment.
- Represented Gridiron Capital in the sale of Foundation Wellness, a leading consumer wellness platform that designs, manufactures, markets, and sells high-value branded wellness products, to Bansk Group.
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Represented springbig, the largest loyalty and marketing automation platform to serve the cannabis Industry, in entering into a definitive agreement for a $500 million de-SPAC transaction resulting in springbig being listed on Nasdaq through a merger with Tuatara Capital Acquisition Corporation. The merger accelerated springbig’s visions to serve cannabis brands by consolidating a highly fragmented cannabis technology ecosystem across loyalty, data analytics, advertising, and other areas influencing consumer experience and marketing effectiveness.
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Represented California cannabis company The Parent Co. its acquisition of dispensary and delivery company Coastal Holding Company for stock consideration.
- 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.
