Experience In-House Counsel / Technology Attorney with 10 years exp.

S H

TERLING AWKINS

**** ****** *****, *******, ******* 30013 404-***-**** * *****************@*****.***

I N - H OUSE COUNSEL / T ECH NO LO GY A TTO RNEY

Experienced technology & business lawyer with over ten years experience negotiating tech-related deals including

software licensing agreements, hosting & server agreements, domain name purchase agreements, mobile

application development agreements, and user experience design agreements. Industry experience in Information

Technology, Internet, Human Resources, Pharmaceuticals, Energy and Petroleum. Excellent interpersonal skills

(both written and oral). Proven to build positive relationships with clients, employees, advisors and management.

P ROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. Atlanta, Georgia March 2011 – Present

General Counsel (part-time). Independently handle pharma-related business development transactions, including

intellectual property in-licenses & out-licenses, asset purchase & sales transactions, and merger & acquisition

transactions, focused in the specific areas of allergy, upper respiratory (including nasal, chest congestion and

cough), antibiotics and dermatology (including head lice and dermatitis).

Shionogi Pharma, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia March 2007 – March 2011

Manager, Legal Affairs. Responsible for supporting the day-to-day operations of the legal department.

Independently handled domestic and international business development transactions (pharmaceutical product in-

licenses, out-licenses, asset purchase & sales transactions and mergers & acquisitions) while working closely with

the executive team. Responsible for all tech-related legal matters including software licensing agreements, hosting

& server agreements, domain name purchase agreements. Handled corporate office and satellite office real estate

lease drafting and negotiations. Implemented a contract management database for the U.S., Grand Cayman and

Irish offices that maintains all company agreements. Coordinated and manage outside counsel on litigation (i.e.

Paragraph IV’s, False Claims Act, EEOC, and contract disputes). Advised company on legal matters including

employment law, trademarks, HIPAA requirements, and non-competition/non-solicitation agreements. Responsible

for developing internal polices for confidential disclosures, HIPAA privacy rules, Sarbanes-Oxley compliance,

computer software use.

Marshall & Lueder, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia November 2005 – March 2007

Associate. (Left Swift Currie with partner to join Marshall & Lueder, LLC). Regularly advised local, national and

international businesses in the areas of corporate law, commercial real estate, human resources and employment law,

intellectual property and taxation. Assisted corporate clients regarding business launch, development, purchase and sales

transactions and related endeavors. Assisted and guided clients in the development of internal and corporate

policies/procedures involving federal, state and local regulations and governance. Negotiated and drafted all relevant

documents and agreements ancillary to such matters.

Swift, Currie, McGhee and Hiers, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia January 2002 – November 2005

Associate. Regularly advised large and small corporations, limited liability companies and limited liability

partnerships on a variety of transactional and operational issues, including employee stock ownership matters,

officer/director/manager liability and bankruptcy reorganization. Negotiated and drafted stock and asset purchase

and sale agreements, shareholders’ and employment agreements, non-disclosure & non-compete agreements and

other sophisticated documents ancillary to entity formation and expansion transactions. Regularly assisted clients in

a variety of estate planning and asset protection strategies including structuring of family business entities, drafting

wills and trusts and using qualified disclaimers.

Page 1 of 2

Swift, Currie, McGhee and Hiers, LLP, Atlanta, Georgia Summer 2001

Summer Associate. Completed several Georgia and Illinois incorporations for corporate team. Drafted various corporate

and general business documents. Researched and drafted legal memoranda involving deed transfer, intellectual property,

cyberlaw, employer liability, insurance defense and labor law issues. Attended mediations and hearings on various

commercial matters.

Colonial Pipeline Company, Atlanta, Georgia December 2000 – May 2001

Law Clerk. Drafted and edited various types of contracts including Confidentiality, Facilities Access, Indemnification,

Joint Tariff, Throughput and Deficiency, Capacity Lease, Pipeline Connection, Financial Assurances and Asset Purchase

Agreements. Ensured corporate satisfaction of closing obligations to facilitate merger and acquisition activity. Assisted

business development and purchasing and procurement sections with legal options regarding various corporate business

ventures. Researched legal issues and drafted memoranda on contractual obligations, rights-of-way limitations and

corporate director liability and indemnification provisions.

Office of the Judge Advocate General, (The Pentagon), Crystal City, Virginia 1998

Law Clerk. Researched legal issues and drafted memoranda involving Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act

requests, mandatory Anthrax vaccinations and sexual harassment. Supported U.S. Army court-martial trial practice.

Earned Judge Advocate General’s Coin and Honorary JAG Member Award.

United States Army, Fort Clayton, Panama May 1993 – August 1995

Crime Analyst. Identified and tracked crime trends in Republic of Panama. Conducted critical battlefield intelligence

during the Military Police Command’s Post Exercise. Conducted monthly intelligence briefings for various military

police companies on changes in crime trends. Earned Army Commendation Medal and Overseas Service Medal.

Protective Service Agent. Provided personal protection for the Commanding General U.S. Army South, various foreign

presidents, ambassadors and other dignitaries. Supervised eight-person security team. Earned Army Commendation

Medal and Humanitarian Service Award.

E DUCATION

Emory University School of Law, Atlanta, Georgia May 2002

Juris Doctor Degree

Federalist Society, Atlanta Council of Younger Lawyers, Black Law Student Association

Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia May 1999

Bachelor of Arts Degree, summa cum laude, Political Science

Dean’s List, eight out of eight semesters; Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor Society, Distinguished Graduate

T RAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS

Millennium, Inc 2008-2010

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Programs: The Manager’s Toolbox, Communicating for Results, Leading Successful

Change, Presentation Skills, Team Excellence, Conflict Resolution, Coaching and Team Building

Fierce, Inc. 2009

Fierce Negotiations, Fierce Conversations and Fierce Accountability Programs

Karrass USA Ltd. 2009

Effective Negotiating Program

P ROFESSIONAL AFFILLIATIONS

American Bar Association - Taxation, Real Property & Probate and Business Law Sections

Atlanta Bar Association - Corporate Counsel and Estate Planning & Probate Sections

State Bar of Georgia - Business and Corporate Counsel Sections

Page 2 of 2

Contact this candidate