Academic Research & Medical Center
ACADEMIC RESEARCH AND MEDICAL CENTERS
Dunlap Codding is unusually experienced in representing academic institutions, having represented the University of Oklahoma for more than 30 years. Dunlap Codding was instrumental in helping to fund and establish the University’s first technology transfer efforts in 1981 which resulted in the development of the Office of Technology Development in 1988. Additionally, the Firm has represented the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation and is under contract with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Learning to provide intellectual property counsel and services to smaller state institutions.
The University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a doctoral degree-granting research university serving the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and the nation with an annual operating budget of approximately $1.2 billion. The University’s research serves as a principal engine for Oklahoma’s economic growth. The University set a record high of $252 million in external funding for research and sponsored programs in 2007, for example. In order to enable researchers to capitalize on developed intellectual property and assist them in commercializing their projects, the University established the Office of Technology Development (OTD) in 1988. The establishment of the OTD marked the culmination of efforts begun in 1981, with funding and assistance solely provided by Dunlap Codding. Since then, the University has participated in the creation of more than 36 companies that have generated approximately $82 million in capital, more than $10 million in cash and more than $30 million in current estimated equity value for the University.
Dunlap Codding was instrumental in helping the University of Oklahoma establish its Office of Technology Development in 1988, with efforts beginning in 1981. Since that time, we have been honored to participate in the University’s technology commercialization programs and have generously invested our expertise and financial assistance in the relationship. With a 30-year history of representing the University’s intellectual property portfolio, we have a meaningful depth of academic and research institution knowledge and experience. Our insights and stewardship of the University’s technologies have strengthened its ability to attract licensees and world-class faculty.
Our work for the University has helped OU garner an income stream for use in promoting its mission. The quality of the patents obtained has made the University’s overall IP portfolio extremely attractive to subsequent licensees.
All of the members of Dunlap Codding enjoy the business side of technology as well as the law and have spent a considerable amount of time—billable and non-billable—educating ourselves as to industry trends and the competitive marketplace in which academic and research institutions reside, so that we can provide pragmatic, useful and—most importantly—actionable advice. We like to think of ourselves as people who can figure out how to accomplish a client’s given business objective and we rarely just say “no” without offering alternatives or novel approaches to move the project forward. We routinely offer strategic and business-focused advice to the University and we often serve as the bridge between the business community and the academic community.