Cara R. Baer focuses her practice on transactions for life sciences companies and academic medical centers, the application of international privacy laws to medical research activities, and intellectual property counseling.
Overview
Cara R. Baer focuses her practice on transactions for life sciences companies and academic medical centers, the application of international privacy laws to medical research activities, and intellectual property counseling.
Practice Areas
About
Cara works with some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical, medical device, and biopharmaceutical corporations, facilitating business and commercial transactions and joint ventures and strategic collaborations. In addition to her deal work, she is experienced in the negotiation and drafting of drug and device development, manufacturing and products supply agreements as well as agreements relating to the conduct of medical research such as clinical trials, investigator initiated studies, consortiums, and the sharing of data and materials both within the United States and internationally. She regularly counsels academic medical centers on addressing international privacy concerns applying to the conduct of research around the globe. She also assists clients to formulate their international intellectual property strategies including trademark clearance, filing and protection as well as IP licensing.
She obtained her J.D. from The University of Memphis in 2004 and also holds a Master of Arts degree in mathematics from The University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Vanderbilt University. She has been published in Intellectual Property Litigation, Law360 and Pointe Innovation and has published a chapter in Aspatore’s book, Inside the Minds: Navigating Legal Issues in the Biotechnology Industry.
Cara is admitted to practice in the State of Tennessee, the U.S. District Courts Western District of Tennessee and the U.S. Patent Bar.
Experience
- Representation of Exact Sciences in the negotiation of an exclusive license from TwinStrand Biosciences to duplex sequencing technology. See "TwinStrand Biosciences and Exact Sciences Announce Exclusive License Agreement for Duplex Sequencing Technology," TwinStrand Biosciences Press Release, July 31, 2024
- Representation of Exact Sciences in the negotiation of a license agreement with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. See “Exact Sciences Advances Innovative Cancer Technologies and Approaches Through Visionary Collaborations,” Exact Sciences Press Release, June 21, 2023
- Representation of Exact Sciences in negotiation of a license agreement with Watchmaker Genomics. See “Watchmaker Genomics Announces Co-Exclusive License to Disruptive DNA Methylation Technology and Strategic Supply Agreements with Exact Sciences,” Watchmaker Genomics Press Release, August 30, 2023
- Representation of both acquirers and sellers in local, national and international corporate acquisitions where assets to be acquired or valuation of companies to be acquired involve selling company’s intellectual property.
- Assisting clients in licensing or acquisition of intellectual property rights.
- Negotiation and drafting of multi-billion dollar worldwide collaboration between two major pharmaceutical companies for co-development and co-promotion of multiple pharmaceutical products.
- Negotiation and drafting of agreements among pharmaceutical and medical device companies for development, manufacturing and supply of products.
- Registration of trademarks in United States as well as in over 40 foreign countries through extensive network of foreign associates.
- Drafting and implementing a new suite of sales templates and standard terms and conditions for a large ophthalmic medical device company including training the sales operations team on the new templates, acceptable fallback provisions, and who has authority to approve deviations from non-legal terms.
- Assisting a nationally-recognized academic medical center with review and negotiation of medical research agreements relating to industry and federally sponsored research, collaborations and consortium formations, and the establishment of an international privacy program to address personal data collected for medical research purposes outside the United States.
Distinctions
- Best Lawyers in America®
- Health Care Law, 2025
- Super Lawyers®
- Mid-South Rising Star, Mergers & Acquisitions, 2017
Bar Admissions
- Tennessee, 2004
- U.S. District Courts
- Tennessee: Western
- U.S. Patent Bar, 2003
Education
- University of Memphis, J.D., 2004
- University of Maryland, M.A., Mathematics, 2001
- Vanderbilt University, B.S., Mathematics, magna cum laude, 1999
Associations
- American Bar Association
- Association of Women Attorneys
- American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
- Tennessee Bar Association
- Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association (TIPLA)
- Treasurer, 2010
- Board of Directors, 2007-2009
- International Trademark Association (INTA)
- Memphis Bar Association
Papers, Presentations & Publications
- Co-Author, "Proposed Rule Published Restricting Data Sharing with China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela," October 30, 2024.
- Presenter, "Contracting with Academic Medical Centers - Primary Issues and Practical Solutions," Exact Sciences CLE, May 3, 2023.
- Presenter, "Human Subjects Research: Law, Contracting and a COVID-19 Vaccine Trial," Tennessee Bar Association, 33rd Annual Health Law Forum, October 22, 2021.
- Presenter, "Data Security and Privacy Update," Tennessee Society of CPAs Forensic and Valuation Services Conference, October 20, 2021.
- Author, "International Privacy Laws and Clinical Trials," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 14, No. 3, September 2021.
- Presenter, "International Privacy Laws and Medical Research,” Memphis Bar Association, Health Law Section, Mid-Year CLE, July 22, 2021.
- Presenter, “Copyright and Fair Use in an Educational Setting,” St. Jude, December 14, 2020.
- Co-Presenter, “Federal Regulation of Pharmaceuticals,” Memphis Bar Association, Health Law Section, November 16, 2020.
- Co-Presenter, “Copyright 101: Staying Out of Hot Water and Protecting the Institution's Reputation,” St. Jude, November 25, 2019
- Presenter, “Responsible Conduct of Research Workshop - Copyrights and Trademarks,” St. Jude, December 10, 2018.
- Co-Presenter, “So You Think You Know Your Contract: What Could Go Wrong?,” Adapting to a Changing World: CLE for In-House Counsel, December 3, 2018.
- Presenter, “Copyright and Fair Use in an Educational Setting,” St. Jude, May 25, 2018.
- Author, “Open Source and Crowdsourced Models in Pharmaceutical Development," Pro Te: Solutio, Vol. 10 No. 3, October 2017.
- Presenter, “Key Performance Indicator & Service Level Agreements: A Primer and Cautionary Tale,” Merck, June 20, 2017.
- Presenter, “Trends in Licensing,” Boehringer Ingelheim, March 29, 2017.
- Author, “Uncertainty in Biopharmaceutical Industry Presents Challenges for Manufacturers,” Inside the Minds: Navigating Legal Issues in the Biotechnology Industry 25 (Aspatore Books ed., 2015).
- Moderator, “Trademarks and Sports Logos,” From Music, Film and Television Arts to Sports: Hot Issues and Disputes in Entertainment, Mississippi Bar Intellectual Property Section, May 18, 2012.
- Co-Author, "Unfair Trade Practice Claims under State Law" Intellectual Property Litigation, Vol. 22, Number 2, Winter 2011.
- Co-Author, “Pursuing Phantom Counterfeiters: Serving Process via Email” Law360/Pointe Innovation, September 14, 2010
- Presenter, “Corporate and Patent Considerations for the Technology Start-Up Company,” Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association Bi-Annual Meeting, July 2010.
- Author, “Shutting Down Phantom Counterfeiters,” IP Law360, April 2009.
- Co-Author, “Protecting Trade Secrets in Patent Litigation,” Intellectual Property Litigation, American Bar Association, Spring 2009.
- Author, “How to Enforce IP Rights in China,” Intellectual Property Litigation, Volume 19, Number 4, American Bar Association, Summer 2008.
- Presenter, “Recent Developments in Trademark and Copyright Law,” Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association Semi-Annual Conference, May 2008.
- Presenter, “Starting an Innovation-Driven Technology Company,” Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, April 2008.
- Co-Author, “Patents and the Obvious: Can Your Idea Pass the Test?” Pointe Innovation Magazine.
- Presenter, “Indian Patent Law . . . Business as Usual, Mostly,” Tennessee Intellectual Property Law Association, November 2006.