Gratz Addresses Association of Corporate Counsel

Boyle Fredrickson shareholder Michael Gratz addressed the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel during the group’s annual conference in May. According to Gratz, who was joined by U-Line corporate attorney Kristen Chapman, companies involved in mergers and acquisitions are wise to take stock of their intellectual property assets so the value of those assets can be integrated into the overall valuation of their companies.

“Many companies do a great job of keeping inventory of their physical assets but struggle to put a dollar amount on their intellectual property, which can be substantial,” advised Gratz, who added that intangible assets often account for as much as 75 percent of a company’s value. “Unfortunately, the pace of business today, especially during a merger or acquisition, often pushes the task of IP valuation to the bottom of the to-do list. Fortunately, a little due diligence doesn’t have to require a ton of time.”

Gratz provided attendees with a worksheet to use in quickly evaluating IP assets. For a copy of the worksheet, contact your Boyle Fredrickson attorney.