Victoria (Tory) L. Hartmann

Victoria “Tory” Hartmann is an established corporate attorney specializing in advising private and public companies on a wide array of intellectual property, commercial contracting and corporate law matters, with a particular emphasis on complex, and often mission-critical, licensing transactions in the biotechnology (human and agricultural life sciences) and information technology industries. 

Before joining Smith Anderson in early 2021, Tory honed her skills at the Boston office of an international law firm, where she focused on drafting and negotiating license agreements and other commercial contracts. She continues to assist clients in navigating these matters and does so with care, and a fundamental understanding of the complexity, impact and significance of this work.

A North Carolina transplant by way of the northeastern U.S., Tory is thrilled to be working in the heart of the Research Triangle, a nexus of innovation at the intersection of multiple top-tier research institutions. A champion of intercultural exchange, Tory values the diversity and dynamism of the area, where her colleagues, clients, friends and neighbors from across the United States and around the world play a significant role in her life.

Outside of work, Tory loves spending time with her three young children (coaching soccer, swimming in the neighborhood pool, building Legos, dance parties, etc.), attending her tri-weekly 5:30 am group strength training class and traveling. Her favorite trips to date are a 500-mile walk across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago and a 150-mile walk across northern Portugal and western Spain.

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 Matter Specialties:

• Pharma/Biotechnology and Ag-Tech/Agbio Sector:
  • Collaboration agreements
  • Commercialization agreements
  • Research services agreements (including sponsored research)
  • Clinical Trial-related agreements
  • University licenses
  • Manufacturing and supply agreements
• Software/Information Technology Sector:
  • Software-as-a-service and On-Prem license agreements
  • Reseller and distribution agreements
  • Terms of service
• Commercial Contracts:
  • Master Services agreements
  • Distribution agreements
  • Supply agreements
  • White label agreements
  • Warehousing agreements
• IP Specialty Support on Strategic Transactions:
  • Financings
  • Public offerings
  • Mergers and acquisitions

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Education

• Harvard Law School, J.D., 2017
  • Boykin C. Wright Memorial Fund Prize Recipient
  • Marilyn Yetso Memorial Scholarship Recipient
  • Line Editor, Journal on Law and Technology
• Brown University, A.B., magna cum laude, 2011
  • Phi Beta Kappa

Bar & Court Admissions

• Raleigh Chamber, Leadership Raleigh, Class 50
• Mentor, Brown University Women’s Launch Pad Program
• Parent Representative, Wake County Public School System Advisory Board (District 8)
• Smith Anderson Associates Committee (2023-2024)

• Counsel to U.S. biotechnology company in R&D collaborations related to plant genome editing technologies with several of the world’s largest agricultural biotechnology companies.
• Drafted core customer-facing product and services agreements to commercialize complex, proprietary decentralized clinical trial (“DCT”)-related software product portfolio; lead counsel in negotiations relating to such commercialization activities.
• Advised biotechnology companies on multiple research collaborations and commercial partnerships with agricultural biotechnology companies focused on discovery of complex traits to improve certain row crops and other plants.  
• Represented platform technology service provider companies in human and agricultural life sciences industry to develop and commercialize proprietary products and services while protecting relevant intellectual property rights.
• Lead counsel to early-stage software-as-a-services company in out-licensing its proprietary software product to major agricultural and human life sciences biotechnology companies.  
• Counsel to online gaming company in out-licensing its platform technology.
• Represented various medical device companies in coordinating clinical trials and commercialization activities, including with contract research organizations and clinical trial sites.  
• Counsel to start-up companies in biotechnology (human, agricultural and veterinary) in out-licensing core technology from universities and developing core IP through collaboration and development agreements.
• Assisted various companies with intellectual property-related matters during their strategic corporate transactions, such as M&A activity (buy- and sell-side), financings and public offerings.
• Advised an online gaming company in a definitive agreement to acquire an online 3-D modeling company.