Robert J.Sell
Partner
Corporate
rsell@seyfarth.com
Bob brings extensive experience in the negotiation and structuring of sophisticated corporate transactional agreements, paired with technology industry and intellectual property knowledge.
More About Bob
Bob is a corporate transactional attorney and corporate law counselor. He assists all of his clients with general corporate advisory matters, transactional contract drafting, and negotiation. He is a member of the Corporate practice, and the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Financial Products & Technology sub-practices at Seyfarth.
Bob advises early stage companies in connection with entity formation, structuring, and equity financing matters, including early stage equity financings, private security offerings, convertible debt offerings, and founder ownership and equity compensation matters. He advises later-stage companies in connection with venture capital financings, strategic partnership transactions that facilitate sales and growth, and contractual matters relating to the monetization and enhancement of a company’s products and services. Bob advises mature companies, and their boards of directors, in connection with sophisticated contractual matters, the development of exit strategies, and acquisitions for growth and mergers, stock, and asset sales in connection with an exit.
Bob also regularly assists individual management level executives, and management teams, in connection with executive employment agreements and equity compensation matters in venture capital, M&A and private equity investment settings, in collaboration with the firm’s employee benefits and labor and employment lawyers.
Although he has worked with companies in many industries throughout his career, Bob has a particular focus on, and interest in companies that are in the technology industry or have technology-enabled products. He is regularly involved in contractual matters that involve the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property assets, and strategic partnership and joint venture transactions involving technology collaborations. Bob also regularly prepares and negotiates the terms of enterprise computer software license and implementation agreements, hardware purchase agreements, software development, services and software as a service agreements, data processing agreements, value-added reseller agreements, and software marketing and distribution agreements. In connection with his work on such technology transaction matters, Bob has developed extensive experience and knowledge with respect to outsourcing, antitrust, data confidentiality and security issues, and the independent contractor, inventor, and intellectual property ownership issues that frequently arise in such projects.
Bob has assisted national and international financial, accounting, insurance, food, consumer product, defense, construction product, telecommunications, nanotechnology, biotechnology, hardware, software, marketing, and metals finishing and metals manufacturing companies, among many others, in connection with corporate advisory matters, M&A transactions, and technology transactions—at all stages of development, from early stage to publicly held.
Bob advises early stage companies in connection with entity formation, structuring, and equity financing matters, including early stage equity financings, private security offerings, convertible debt offerings, and founder ownership and equity compensation matters. He advises later-stage companies in connection with venture capital financings, strategic partnership transactions that facilitate sales and growth, and contractual matters relating to the monetization and enhancement of a company’s products and services. Bob advises mature companies, and their boards of directors, in connection with sophisticated contractual matters, the development of exit strategies, and acquisitions for growth and mergers, stock, and asset sales in connection with an exit.
Bob also regularly assists individual management level executives, and management teams, in connection with executive employment agreements and equity compensation matters in venture capital, M&A and private equity investment settings, in collaboration with the firm’s employee benefits and labor and employment lawyers.
Although he has worked with companies in many industries throughout his career, Bob has a particular focus on, and interest in companies that are in the technology industry or have technology-enabled products. He is regularly involved in contractual matters that involve the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property assets, and strategic partnership and joint venture transactions involving technology collaborations. Bob also regularly prepares and negotiates the terms of enterprise computer software license and implementation agreements, hardware purchase agreements, software development, services and software as a service agreements, data processing agreements, value-added reseller agreements, and software marketing and distribution agreements. In connection with his work on such technology transaction matters, Bob has developed extensive experience and knowledge with respect to outsourcing, antitrust, data confidentiality and security issues, and the independent contractor, inventor, and intellectual property ownership issues that frequently arise in such projects.
Bob has assisted national and international financial, accounting, insurance, food, consumer product, defense, construction product, telecommunications, nanotechnology, biotechnology, hardware, software, marketing, and metals finishing and metals manufacturing companies, among many others, in connection with corporate advisory matters, M&A transactions, and technology transactions—at all stages of development, from early stage to publicly held.
- JD, Northwestern University School of Law
- BA, University of Illinois
Cum laude
The Phi Beta Kappa Society
Pi Sigma Alpha
- Illinois
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Attorney Publication
Nov 6, 2020
Seyfarth lawyers update Illinois Corporate Practice and Forms: The Seyfarth Shaw Manual
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Sep 9, 2020
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Robert Sell and Whitney Schmidt to Speak at TEI Virtual Presidents' Symposium of Chicago
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Robert Sell to Serve as a Moderator and Panelist at The Entrepreneurship Institute of Chicago's 2018 President's Symposium
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section and Intellectual Property Law Section
- Contributor, Illinois Corporate Practice and Forms: The Seyfarth Shaw Manual (2017–2020)
- Moderator, "Getting Your Business Transition/Succession Plans Back on Track," The Entrepreneurship Institute's 2020 Virtual Presidents' Symposium of Chicago (September 9, 2020)
- Moderator and Panelist, 2018 President's Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 13, 2018)
- Moderator, "Will a Data Breach or Cyber Security Attack Bankrupt your Company? (and how to Avoid it!)," 2017 The Presidents' Symposium of Chicago, presented by TEI (September 12, 2017)
- Co-Presenter, “Driving Sales With On-Line Marketing,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 15, 2016)
- Moderator, “Business Transactions 501: Growing Through M&A,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 15, 2016)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on data security risks and security breach prevention, Schaumburg, IL (June 16, 2016)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on lessons learned by two prominent Chicago technology company entrepreneurs, Northfield, IL (March 10, 2016)
- Co-Presenter, “Investing in, Financing & Acquiring Tech Companies,” ACG Chicago (February 11, 2016)
- Moderator, “Re-recruiting Your Best Employees,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 6, 2015)
- Co-Presenter, “Supplementing Organic Growth with Acquisitions,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 6, 2015)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on lessons learned by two Chicago area technology company entrepreneurs (September 30, 2015)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on angel financing and bank financing for technology companies (May 14, 2015)
- Presenter, “Selecting a Form of Business Entity, and Funding Your Entrepreneurial Company,” University of Illinois at Chicago Business School (April 16, 2015)
- Author, “Preparing Your Entrepreneurial Business For Financing,” presented at the Chicago Association For Corporate Growth Entrepreneurship Bash (November, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Compensation Strategies,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 10, 2014)
- Moderator, “Capitalizing the Business,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 10, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Employment Agreements and Equity Based Compensation in Private Equity Transactions,” Webinar (July 15, 2014)
- Moderator, "The Legal Issues of Social Media: It's Complicated," presented by The Northwestern Law Alumni Club of Chicago (April 30, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Employment Agreements and Equity Based Compensation in Private Equity Transactions,” ACG Chicago (April 9, 2014)
- Moderator, “Improving Business Performance Through The Use of Technology,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 1, 2013)
- Co-Presenter, “Social Media and Its Impact on Your Business," President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 4, 2012)
- Moderator, “Attracting Capital: What is the Current Environment?,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 4, 2012)
- Moderator, “Business Transition Strategies” panel presentation," President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 21, 2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Managing Your Workforce From the Outside In,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 21, 2011)
Bob brings extensive experience in the negotiation and structuring of sophisticated corporate transactional agreements, paired with technology industry and intellectual property knowledge.
More About Bob
Bob is a corporate transactional attorney and corporate law counselor. He assists all of his clients with general corporate advisory matters, transactional contract drafting, and negotiation. He is a member of the Corporate practice, and the Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) and Financial Products & Technology sub-practices at Seyfarth.
Bob advises early stage companies in connection with entity formation, structuring, and equity financing matters, including early stage equity financings, private security offerings, convertible debt offerings, and founder ownership and equity compensation matters. He advises later-stage companies in connection with venture capital financings, strategic partnership transactions that facilitate sales and growth, and contractual matters relating to the monetization and enhancement of a company’s products and services. Bob advises mature companies, and their boards of directors, in connection with sophisticated contractual matters, the development of exit strategies, and acquisitions for growth and mergers, stock, and asset sales in connection with an exit.
Bob also regularly assists individual management level executives, and management teams, in connection with executive employment agreements and equity compensation matters in venture capital, M&A and private equity investment settings, in collaboration with the firm’s employee benefits and labor and employment lawyers.
Although he has worked with companies in many industries throughout his career, Bob has a particular focus on, and interest in companies that are in the technology industry or have technology-enabled products. He is regularly involved in contractual matters that involve the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property assets, and strategic partnership and joint venture transactions involving technology collaborations. Bob also regularly prepares and negotiates the terms of enterprise computer software license and implementation agreements, hardware purchase agreements, software development, services and software as a service agreements, data processing agreements, value-added reseller agreements, and software marketing and distribution agreements. In connection with his work on such technology transaction matters, Bob has developed extensive experience and knowledge with respect to outsourcing, antitrust, data confidentiality and security issues, and the independent contractor, inventor, and intellectual property ownership issues that frequently arise in such projects.
Bob has assisted national and international financial, accounting, insurance, food, consumer product, defense, construction product, telecommunications, nanotechnology, biotechnology, hardware, software, marketing, and metals finishing and metals manufacturing companies, among many others, in connection with corporate advisory matters, M&A transactions, and technology transactions—at all stages of development, from early stage to publicly held.
Bob advises early stage companies in connection with entity formation, structuring, and equity financing matters, including early stage equity financings, private security offerings, convertible debt offerings, and founder ownership and equity compensation matters. He advises later-stage companies in connection with venture capital financings, strategic partnership transactions that facilitate sales and growth, and contractual matters relating to the monetization and enhancement of a company’s products and services. Bob advises mature companies, and their boards of directors, in connection with sophisticated contractual matters, the development of exit strategies, and acquisitions for growth and mergers, stock, and asset sales in connection with an exit.
Bob also regularly assists individual management level executives, and management teams, in connection with executive employment agreements and equity compensation matters in venture capital, M&A and private equity investment settings, in collaboration with the firm’s employee benefits and labor and employment lawyers.
Although he has worked with companies in many industries throughout his career, Bob has a particular focus on, and interest in companies that are in the technology industry or have technology-enabled products. He is regularly involved in contractual matters that involve the licensing and commercialization of intellectual property assets, and strategic partnership and joint venture transactions involving technology collaborations. Bob also regularly prepares and negotiates the terms of enterprise computer software license and implementation agreements, hardware purchase agreements, software development, services and software as a service agreements, data processing agreements, value-added reseller agreements, and software marketing and distribution agreements. In connection with his work on such technology transaction matters, Bob has developed extensive experience and knowledge with respect to outsourcing, antitrust, data confidentiality and security issues, and the independent contractor, inventor, and intellectual property ownership issues that frequently arise in such projects.
Bob has assisted national and international financial, accounting, insurance, food, consumer product, defense, construction product, telecommunications, nanotechnology, biotechnology, hardware, software, marketing, and metals finishing and metals manufacturing companies, among many others, in connection with corporate advisory matters, M&A transactions, and technology transactions—at all stages of development, from early stage to publicly held.
- JD, Northwestern University School of Law
- BA, University of Illinois
Cum laude
The Phi Beta Kappa Society
Pi Sigma Alpha
- Illinois
Related Services
Related Key Industries
Related News & Insights
-
Attorney Publication
Nov 6, 2020
Seyfarth lawyers update Illinois Corporate Practice and Forms: The Seyfarth Shaw Manual
-
Sponsored Events
Sep 9, 2020
Seyfarth to Sponsor and Robert Sell and Whitney Schmidt to Speak at TEI Virtual Presidents' Symposium of Chicago
-
Firm News
Mar 5, 2020
Seyfarth Provides Pro Bono Assistance on YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and StreetWise Merger
-
Speaking Engagement
Sep 13, 2018
Robert Sell to Serve as a Moderator and Panelist at The Entrepreneurship Institute of Chicago's 2018 President's Symposium
- American Bar Association, Business Law Section and Intellectual Property Law Section
- Contributor, Illinois Corporate Practice and Forms: The Seyfarth Shaw Manual (2017–2020)
- Moderator, "Getting Your Business Transition/Succession Plans Back on Track," The Entrepreneurship Institute's 2020 Virtual Presidents' Symposium of Chicago (September 9, 2020)
- Moderator and Panelist, 2018 President's Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 13, 2018)
- Moderator, "Will a Data Breach or Cyber Security Attack Bankrupt your Company? (and how to Avoid it!)," 2017 The Presidents' Symposium of Chicago, presented by TEI (September 12, 2017)
- Co-Presenter, “Driving Sales With On-Line Marketing,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 15, 2016)
- Moderator, “Business Transactions 501: Growing Through M&A,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 15, 2016)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on data security risks and security breach prevention, Schaumburg, IL (June 16, 2016)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on lessons learned by two prominent Chicago technology company entrepreneurs, Northfield, IL (March 10, 2016)
- Co-Presenter, “Investing in, Financing & Acquiring Tech Companies,” ACG Chicago (February 11, 2016)
- Moderator, “Re-recruiting Your Best Employees,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 6, 2015)
- Co-Presenter, “Supplementing Organic Growth with Acquisitions,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 6, 2015)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on lessons learned by two Chicago area technology company entrepreneurs (September 30, 2015)
- Moderator, “Chicago Suburban Tech Talk Meetup,” panel focused on angel financing and bank financing for technology companies (May 14, 2015)
- Presenter, “Selecting a Form of Business Entity, and Funding Your Entrepreneurial Company,” University of Illinois at Chicago Business School (April 16, 2015)
- Author, “Preparing Your Entrepreneurial Business For Financing,” presented at the Chicago Association For Corporate Growth Entrepreneurship Bash (November, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Compensation Strategies,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 10, 2014)
- Moderator, “Capitalizing the Business,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 10, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Employment Agreements and Equity Based Compensation in Private Equity Transactions,” Webinar (July 15, 2014)
- Moderator, "The Legal Issues of Social Media: It's Complicated," presented by The Northwestern Law Alumni Club of Chicago (April 30, 2014)
- Co-Presenter, “Executive Employment Agreements and Equity Based Compensation in Private Equity Transactions,” ACG Chicago (April 9, 2014)
- Moderator, “Improving Business Performance Through The Use of Technology,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 1, 2013)
- Co-Presenter, “Social Media and Its Impact on Your Business," President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 4, 2012)
- Moderator, “Attracting Capital: What is the Current Environment?,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (October 4, 2012)
- Moderator, “Business Transition Strategies” panel presentation," President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 21, 2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Managing Your Workforce From the Outside In,” President’s Symposium at the University of Chicago, presented by TEI, Chicago, IL (September 21, 2011)