Adam Aft | People | Baker McKenzie

Biography

Adam Aft is global head of Baker McKenzie’s Technology Transactions practice. He advises clients across a broad range of sectors, particularly technology and healthcare/life sciences, on complex intellectual property, data privacy and security, information technology, and AI issues. Adam regularly supports sophisticated technology and commercial transactions, including transformational matters such as M&A and joint ventures, as well as multijurisdictional product counseling, governance, and regulatory strategy.

A recognized leader in Baker McKenzie’s globally ranked AI practice, Adam is widely regarded as one of the Firm’s standout AI practitioners. Chambers USA Nationwide describes him as a “solution‑oriented lawyer” for AI matters. With more than 15 years of experience at the forefront of AI law and regulation, Adam frequently publishes and presents on AI adoption, governance, data issues, and AI ethics. He is also a trusted voice on these topics in the broader market and is regularly quoted by leading media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Fortune.

Before joining Baker McKenzie, Adam clerked for the Honorable Leslie H. Southwick of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Honorable Theresa L. Springmann of the US District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

Practice Focus

Adam advises clients on the intellectual property, data, AI, and emerging technology aspects of transformational technologies, transactions, and operations, including:

AI Transactions - Drafting and negotiating AI agreements with vendors, customers, and transactions such as data licenses and data use agreements related to the data underlying AI development and deployment
AI Governance - Fully enabling rapid enterprise AI adoption while managing and mitigating enterprise risk, including managing vendor intake, use case review, and AI policy and governance
M&A, JVs, and Strategic Investments - Advising on all aspects of transformational projects including structuring and negotiating purchase agreements, ancillary agreements including transition services and licensing agreements, and conducting due diligence and issue identification (including on an AI-assisted basis)
Product Counseling - Multijurisdictional counseling related to new products and services, new functionality, digital transformation, and new technology adoption
Intellectual Property and Data Strategy - Advising on licensing, monetization, privacy, data privacy and security addenda and data contracting, cross-border data transfer, and AI governance
Cloud, SaaS/XaaS, Digital Transformation, and Emerging Technology - Drafting and negotiating agreements for cloud services, application development, software licensing, digital platforms, and emerging technologies

Representative Legal Matters

M&A - Intellectual Property, Data/Data Privacy, and Technology

Regularly advised publicly listed and private company clients on IP, data/data privacy, and technology issues in billions of dollars of acquisitions, divestitures, and strategic investments, including:

Technology, Media, and Telecom (including software, OEM, AI, IoT, FinTech, and tech-enabled industrial applications)
Health/Pharma (including software, medical devices, and healthcare technology)
Consumer Goods and Retail (including technology aspects of packaging, home goods and food products)
Manufacturing (including automotive, packing delivery, traditional manufacturing, and chemicals)

Data, Cloud, and Software

Drafted and negotiated cloud and XaaS agreements for clients (both buy and sell side) in industries including pharmaceutical, internet of things/communication infrastructure, and consumer electronics
Structured data licensing and processing agreements for big data analytics application for pharmaceutical client seeking to use data analytics to drive better care outcomes
Developed open source policy and guidelines for clients enabling effective use and management of open source

Telecom, Connectivity, and IoT

Represented automotive OEM on multiple transformational telecommunications agreements, including all telecommunications connectivity to and within its production facilities
Drafted terms and conditions for IoT devices for clients in industries including energy, office supplies, and consumer electronics and advised regarding related IoT requirements