Kristie Prinz is a SaaS, Digital Health, technology, and IP business transactions lawyer in Silicon Valley,  who  has  been  providing  technical  IP  business  and business contracts advice  for more than 26 years.  She practices at The Prinz Law Office, which is based in Silicon Valley, California.

Kristie’s clients  are  primarily  in  the  software-as-a-service (“SaaS”), technology, and digital heath/health technology, and life sciences industries, although she her practice includes the hardware industry, the IT industry, the publishing industry, and a variety of other commercial industries.  Kristie generally advises her clients on transactions with  customers,  licensees/licensors,  resellers,  suppliers  &  distributors, business partners, and buyers/sellers. Kristie also has an IP practice, where she manages trademark portfolios, negotiates intellectual property licenses, and enforces intellectual property rights on behalf of clients, and a privacy law practice, where she advises clients on privacy compliance issues.

Kristie not only works with companies in Silicon Valley as well as other parts of California, but also in developing technology hubs across the U.S.

Kristie has significant experience in handling international technology transactions and has represented many international clients in  overseas  markets  such  as  Canada,  Mexico,  Central America, Europe,  the United Kingdom,  Australia, and New Zealand.   Kristie also currently serves as local IP counsel for a boutique IP law firm based in Paris, France.

Ms. Prinz is a frequent speaker and media contributor on software, technology, and intellectual property law issues, and is the author of multiple blogs, including the Silicon Valley Software Law Blog and the Silicon Valley Digital Health Law Blog.  She also founded the Silicon Valley Software Advisors Group, which is a national networking group of business advisors who focus on the software and SaaS industries, and the Life Sciences Advisors Group, which is a national networking group of business advisors who focus on the life sciences industry.

 Background

Kristie is originally from the Southeast, and grew up primarily in Tennessee.

Work Experience

Kristie launched The Prinz Law Office in 2004. Prior to founding The Prinz Law Office, Kristie was employed by the Palo Alto office of the 120-year-old boutique intellectual property firm of Pennie & Edmonds, LLP.  She began her legal career in Atlanta, Georgia in 1998.

 State Bar Memberships

Kristie is licensed to practice law in the states of California and Georgia.

Education

Kristie is a graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tennessee, where she received her J.D. in 1998, and she completed the Global Bio executive Program at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business in 2005. She also a graduate of Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where she received a B.A summa cum laude in Political Science and Spanish in 1995, and she studied as an undergraduate student at the Universidad de Nebrissenssis in Madrid, Spain in 1993.

 Business and Legal Affiliations

Kristie is a member of the Bay Area Chapter of the ProVisors professional organization, where she is the group leader of the Silicon Valley Virtual I chapter, which is an all-virtual group focused on business in the Silicon Valley ecosystem.  She is also a member of San Jose 2, the Silicon Valley Mergers & Acquisitions Affinity Group, the Silicon Valley Attorney Affinity Group, and the East Bay Attorney Affinity Group.

In addition, Kristie founded the Silicon Valley Software Advisors Group, which is a professional networking group of more than 300 software advisors in the United States, as well as the Life Sciences Advisors Group, which is a professional networking group of more than 150 life sciences advisors in the United States.   She is also active in the Cyberspace Committee of the Business Section of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), and was selected to become a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation, an honor which is limited to one third of one percent of the lawyers in America.

Kristie’s past leadership experience includes serving as an Executive Committee member of the High Tech Law Section of the Santa Clara Bar Association, as Advisory Board Member of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Licensing Executives Society, Co-Chair of the VOIP Committee and Chair of the Programs Committee for the Science and Technology Law Section of the ABA, serving on the Nominating Committee for the Science and Technology Law Section of the ABA, chairing the Copyright Licensing Subcommittee for the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section, and co-chairing the 2006 Selma Moidel Smith Writing Competition for the National Association of Women Lawyers. She also served on the U.S. Copyright Law Committee and the Corporate IP Management Committees of the Intellectual Property Owners Association, as Director of Life Sciences/ Biotechnology for the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (“NAWBO”), the Fundraising Committee for the Entrepreneur’s Network in Santa Clara, CA, and as a member of the Life Sciences and Entrepreneur Venture Catalyst Program planning committees for Astia in San Francisco, CA.

Honors

  • Kristie was named in 2024 as a "Super Lawyer" by her peers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Kristie was named in 2008 as a new fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

Languages

Kristie is fluent in both English and Spanish

Publications

  • Author of "Managing the Legal Risk of AI on Intellectual Property and Confidential Information" to be published by the Consulting Psychology Journal.
  • Author of “Managing the Risks of Blogging by Employees,” to be published by the American Bar Association, Science and Technology Section, Committee on Blogs and User-Generated Content on the Internet.
  • Co-author of “When a Business Begins a Blog: It’s Easy but Is It Safe?” published in the Business Law Today, Volume 16, Number 3, January-February 2007.
  • Author of “Unlocking the Secrets to Executive Coaching” published in the Women Lawyers Journal in Summer, 2005.
  • Co-author of the “Ruling Brings to Light DMCA’s Broad Scope” published in the New York Law Journal on June 9, 2003.
  • Authored numerous columns for the weekly “Ask a Lawyer” intellectual property column published by Lawyers.com.
  • Publishes the Silicon Valley Software Law Blog, the Silicon Valley Digital Health Law Blog, the Silicon Valley Privacy Law Blog, the Silicon Valley Business Law Blog, the Silicon Valley IP Licensing Law Blog, the SaaS Contracts Law Blog, the Digital Health Contracts Blog, and the California Biotech Law Blog.

Speaking Engagements

Kristie’s past speaking engagements include as follows:

  • Speaker, "Negotiating SaaS Agreements," Stafford Publications, Webinar, January 7, 2025 (Upcoming Program).
  • Speaker, "Advanced Internet of Things: Deeper Dive, Practical Wisdom, " Practicing Law Institute, San Francisco, October 9, 2024.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements,” Stafford Publications, Webinar, January 12, 2023.
  • Speaker, “Drafting Digital Health Contracts,” Webinar, Los Angeles Lawyers and Legal Professionals Affinity Group, Provisors, August 12, 2022.
  • Speaker, “Drafting Digital Health Contracts,” Webinar, Health Care Affinity Group, Provisors, April 5, 2022
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Negotiating and Drafting SaaS Agreements,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, November 18, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Key Contract Provisions and Protections,” Strafford Publications, Webinar, November 16, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices in Negotiating, Drafting and Managing Sublicenses, Tech Transfer Central, Webinar, September 28, 2021.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting Master Service Agreements in an Uncertain Economy, ” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, April 6, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting SaaS Contracts & Managing SaaS Customer Relationships,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, March 31, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, March 23, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Drafting & Negotiating SaaS Contracts: Best Practices for University Tech Transfer Offices, Tech Transfer Central, Webinar, December 10, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Legal Developments Impacting the Software Industry 2019, The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, November 21, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting SaaS Contracts & Managing SaaS Customer Relationships,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, October 8, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, August 9, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Drafting Software Hosting Agreements: Service Availability, Performance, Data Security, Other Key Provisions” Strafford Publications, Webinar, July 25 2019.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, May 6, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting Master Service Agreements & Managing the Service Relationship,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, March 8, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting Saas Contracts & Managing Saas Customer Relationships,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, February 19, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, February 8, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, October 26, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, June 11, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Drafting Software Hosting Agreements for ASP and SaaS,” myLawCLE, Webcast, March 11, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer and Vendor Interests”  Clear Law Institute, Webinar, February 21, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Drafting Software Hosting Agreements: Service Availability, Performance, Data Security, Other Key Provisions” Strafford Publications, Webinar, January 23, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, January 17, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Best Practices for Drafting SaaS Contracts that Reduce the Customer Sales Cycle & Avoid Disputes”, The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, October 26, 2017.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, September 12, 2017.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating SaaS Agreements: Drafting Key Contract Provisions, Protecting Customer & Vendor Interests,” Stafford Publications, Webinar, August 14, 2017.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Service Level Agreement Key Terms, ” Strafford Publications, Webinar, December 21, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, December 19, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, Sept. 9, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, May 6, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, February 25, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts,” Clear Law Institute, Webinar, November 2, 2015.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating Software as a Service Contracts: Guidance for Corporate and technology Counsel for Structuring Effective SaaS Agreements, ” Strafford Publications, Webinar, September 8, 2015.
  • Speaker, “Negotiating License Agreements with Start-Ups,” Certified Patent Valuation Analyst Program, Webinar, July 31, 2014.
  • Speaker, “Blog Law Developments,” Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association, Holder’s Country Inn Cupertino, October 10, 2011.
  • Speaker, “Licensing Tactics for University TTOs: How to Turn the Tables on Corporate Negotiators,” Webinar, May 31, 2011.
  • Speaker, “What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About the Legal Risks of Blogging,” NAWBO Silicon Valley 5 o’clock Seminar, November 17, 2009.
  • Speaker, “What Companies Need to Know About the Legal Risks of Blogging,” The Prinz Law Office, Webinar, September 9, 2009.
  • Speaker, “Secrets to Launching an Effective Blog to Promote Your Business,” Prinz Law Management Consulting, Webinar, August, 26, 2009.
  • Speaker,”Developments and Trends in Blog Law,” Teleconference, State Bar of California, Business Section, Ecommerce Subcommittee of the Cyberspace Committee, July 7, 2009.
  • Panelist, “Starting a Solo Practice,” J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Palo Alto, CA, April 23, 2009.
  • Panelist, “Rethinking the Boilerplate–How the Business Lawyer Should Address Data Issues in Standard Commercial Agreements,” Business Law Section Meeting, American Bar Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 17. 2009.
  • Panelist, “Social and Professional Online Networking: Just What is Twitter, Linked In, Facebook, et.al?” Business Law Section Meeting, American Bar Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 16, 2009.
  • Speaker, “Employee Blogs and Websites: Protect Yourself Against the Business and Legal Risks When Workers Go Online,” American Features Syndicate teleconference, August 1, 2008.
  • Speaker, “Employee Blogs and Websites: Protect Yourself Against the Business and Legal Risks When Workers Go Online,” American Features Syndicate teleconference, July 15, 2008.
  • Speaker, “Leveraging an Intellectual Property Portfolio in the Development of Partnering Relationships,” Ninth Annual Beyond Genome: Tools to Therapies Conference, The Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA , June 10, 2008.
  • Speaker, “IP Panel Presentation on Biotech/Pharma Processes,” Process Management–Route to Success, Peptalk, Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, CA , January 11, 2008.
  • Speaker, “Who is Watching Out for Your In-House Career: How A Professional Coach Can Help You Gain the Edge,” Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting, Hyatt Regency Chicago, October 31, 2007.
  • Speaker, “Verizon v. Vonage and Sprint v. Vonage: A Tale of Two Patent Infringement Cases and Their Impact on the VoIP Industry,” State Bar of California Annual Meeting (Anaheim, CA), September 29, 2007.
  • Moderator, “Ethical Issues in Deployment of VOIP Systems: Client Record Gathering and Voice & Data Storage,” ABA Annual meeting (San Francisco, CA), August 11, 2007.
  • Speaker, “Recent Developments in Blog Law,” State Bar of California, Business Section Cyberspace Committee, Silicon Valley Capital Club (San Jose, CA), June 14, 2007.
  • Panelist, “Understanding the Acquisitions Process: How to Use the Sale and Purchase of Assets to Grow Your Business,” Silicon Valley Capital Club Speaker Business Forum Luncheon (San Jose, CA), May 24, 2007.
  • Speaker, “Hottest Topics in Cyberspace: Cyberinsurance, Blogs, and On-Line Advertising”, Section Education Institute, State Bar of California, Claremont Resort and Spa (Berkeley, CA), January 20, 2007.
  • Panelist, “Understanding the Acquisitions Process: How to use the Sale and Purchase of Assets to Grow Your Business,” Sunnyvale Rotary Club, November 7, 2006.
  • Panelist, “Patent Protection/IP Strategy,” 2006 WTC Catalyst Program Life Sciences (Palo Alto), September 15, 2006.
  • Panelist “Understanding the Acquisitions Process: How to Use the Sale and Purchase of Assets to Grow Your Business” National Association of Women Business Owners, Silicon Valley Chapter (San Jose), July 18, 2006.
  • Panelist, “Who is Watching Out for Your In-House Career: How a Professional Coach Can Help You Gain the Edge,” Association of Corporate Counsel–America San Francisco Bay Chapter, May 25, 2006.
  • Program Chair, “Changing Face of Telecommunication (VOIP, WiFi),” International Technology Law Association, 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting and World Conference (San Francisco), May 5, 2006.
  • Panelist, “The Art of Telling Your Story Workshop,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce/ National Institute of Standards and Technology, Advanced Technology Program (San Jose), September 7, 2005.
  • Panelist, “IP Reps and Warranties Gone Wrong: Avoid Potholes in the Business Transaction,” ABA Business Section Meeting (Nashville), April 2, 2005.
  • Panelist, “Strategies for Modifying Electronic Standard-Form Agreements and Policies,” ABA Business Section Meeting (Nashville), April 1, 2005.
  • Speaker, “Protecting & Exploiting Software Conference,” Law Seminars International (San Francisco), August 5 – 6, 2004.
  • Panelist, “What You Need to Know about CAN-SPAM,” Santa Clara Bar Association and the California State Bar Cyberspace Committee (Palo Alto), June 8, 2004.

MEDIA APPEARANCES

  • IP Watchdog, “Waymo v. Uber: a Gordion Knot Gets Tighter,” Derek Handova, June 15, 2017.
  • World Trademark Review, "Responsive PR is a Must When Media Cries ‘Trademark Bully’," September, 2014.
  • Technology Transfer Tactics, "Do Poster Presentations Jeopardize Your TTO's Commercialization Efforts?" January, 2010.
  • TheSciTechLawyer, "Scitech Profile," Clara Cottrell, Winter, 2010.
  • IP Society Video Blog, Patrick Reilly, September, 2010.
  • Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News, Patent Reform Battle Pits Biotech Against High-Tech," March 6, 2009.
  • California Lawyer Interview in "The Search for Intelligent Life in the Blogosphere," May 1, 2008.
  • Featured in America's Premier Lawyers, Fortune Magazine, October 1, 2007.
  • Dow Jones Interview in "Lawmakers Take Aim at Patent Speculators," September 7, 2007.
  • Dow Jones Interview in "Speculator of Mundane Patents Casts a Long Shadow," September 7, 2007.
  • CNN Radio Interview on U.S. Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit's Ruling in AT&T Mobility, LLC v. National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc., August 14, 2007.
  • Sky Radio Interview on Recent Developments Affecting the Biotech Industry, June 26, 2007.
  • LexBlog Interview on "Five Questions," June 25, 2007.
  • American Public Media Interview in "Nuts & Bolts: The Basics of Building a Small Business," June 19, 2007.

Contact

Kristie can be contacted directly at kprinz@prinzlawoffice.com.  Alternatively appointments with Kristie can be booked at Calendly.