Description

This presentation will explore the persistence of vertical integration in patent-intensive fields. Recent scholarship has highlighted the emergence of small, nimble technology companies that coordinate production via contracts and networks. However, this presentation will show that in biopharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology, information technology, and even university-industry technology transfer, firms are increasingly absorbing other technology providers rather than simply licensing their patents. The result, contrary to theory, is a resurgence of vertical integration in innovative fields. The presentation will explore the factors driving such vertical integration, assess its costs and benefits, and suggest mechanisms for tempering its excesses.

About The Speaker

Peter Lee teaches and writes in the areas of patent law, innovation, and technology transfer. His current scholarship explores the institutional context of innovation as well as the intersection of intellectual property law and academic science. His recent works have appeared in The Yale Law Journal, California Law Review, Duke Law Journal, Michigan Law Review, and other leading journals. Professor Lee has received numerous awards for his scholarly work, including the UC Davis Chancellor’s Fellowship, the SamsungStanford Patent Prize, and inclusion in West/Thomson’s annual Intellectual Property Law Review. He has served as a Visiting Scholar at Melbourne Law School and speaks widely on intellectual property matters in the United States and abroad.

Professor Lee received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University, where he studied the history and philosophy of science. He received his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he was a member of The Yale Law Journal. Professor Lee joined the UC Davis faculty after clerking for Judge Barry G. Silverman of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

At UC Davis, he teaches Patent Law, Intellectual Property, International Intellectual Property and Development, Property, and a seminar on Innovation and Technology Transfer. Professor Lee received the Distinguished Teaching Award in 2016.