As the new year quickly approaches, many entrepreneurs and investors alike are looking closely at the biotech industry. In the past year, biotech and healthcare service companies have been acquired for record-setting premiums, and many are wondering if 2019 will see the same flurry of deals.

Whether you’re a team of one or twenty, there are certain challenges every legal department faces, and that’s especially true when it comes to contract management. If your old tools aren’t up to the task, or if you see growth and change hovering on the horizon, now is the time to reimagine your contract management.

It's pretty clear that 2018 was a banner year for mergers and acquisitions in the media and telecom industry. According to Forbes, compared to the third quarter of 2017, M&A activity this year increased by more than 30% for the third quarter equaling almost $1.67 trillion and marking, "the highest US YTD value on record."

Mergers and acquisition deals are some of the most complex in the business world. There are many points along the way where things can get off track, and even your mindset can contribute to the success (or failure) of the deal. Here are some of the most common pitfalls of M&A deals you should try to avoid.

Investment banking is a specific sector of the financial industry designed to help organizations raise capital for their businesses. The industry also supports companies by providing various financial services including proprietary trading, mergers, and acquisitions.

Today, governments, companies, and businesses all actively use investment banking and the bankers that service it to assist in offering strategic advice on how to utilize their funds. To get a better understanding of the investment banking industry, here are three great reads that can give you a more in-depth look at the industry and how it's developed over the last several years.

In a digitally dependent world, VDRs (Virtual Data Rooms) provide businesses with the privacy and security they need to manage their business information in a cloud-based environment. But VDRs are much more than just another cloud computing solution. Virtual data rooms give companies the tools they need to manage contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and business fundraising rounds throughout a secure and transparent interface.

There are many VDR providers to choose from, however, each of which presenting their own advantages and disadvantages when compared against each other. So how does a business choose? Picking a provider that fits your specific needs is vital, but there are universal standards to look out for when ensuring you maximize the value of your investment.

Here are four factors to keep in mind when vetting a VDR provider.

In the last few years, the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry has experienced enormous growth and over $9 billion in funding. In fact, the latest projections predict the biotech industry could end up being worth over $727 billion by 2025.  With so many investment opportunities and fundraising activities surrounding biotech, it makes sense that investors want to learn all they can about the industry and its future potential. With that in mind, here are our four must-read books about the past, present, and future of biotech.

Complex deals can involve thousands of questions, which must be tracked and answered quickly and securely. If you’re using spreadsheets, emails or another outside method to handle your inquiries, you already understand the stress and frustration involved. Who sees your documents? Who is authorized to answer? How do you track it all? 

Ready for a simple, straightforward and secure Q&A process? Introducing SecureDocs new Q&A tool designed to make the Q&A process fast, easy, and manageable.

In 2015, law firm Baker McKenzie took a peek into its crystal ball, writing a report about global trends in business transactions over the next several years. The report’s authors predicted “continued strong upturn in M&A and IPOs over the next three years” thanks to trends such as accelerating global economic growth, low interest rates, and easy credit conditions. However, they also cautioned that “moderate corrections in developed stock markets will soften interest in deal-making worldwide by 2019.”

As a Venture Capitalist eyeing a new startup, the decision to invest involves weighing risk and measuring opportunity. Making the right choice can lead to big payoffs, but taking too long during the consideration phase can cause you to miss out on a promising idea or a hidden gem. To help you navigate the delicate balancing act between due diligence and striking while the iron is hot, here are the top five questions any VC should ask a startup entrepreneur.