JOSH HOFHEIMER combines two decades of corporate, commercial, and technology law practice with the experience having run a public company to bring his clients focused, practical counsel to help them grow their business and maximize their value and returns. His practice focuses on representing clients in the life sciences, agribusiness and food and information technology sectors. Josh’s work spans a broad array of technology, intellectual property and commercial transactions ranging from agricultural technology to medical devices, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, software, internet and new media transactions and includes developing and implementing business strategies for the commercialization of multiple intellectual property platforms. Notably, he represented Nektar Therapeutics in its multibillion dollar global strategic development and collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb for the commercialization of a combination therapy using BMS and Nektar’s proprietary drugs, and Monsanto Company in its efforts to advance agriculture research and development leveraging gene-editing technology through a joint venture with Pairwise Plants. Josh also has negotiated research, funding and commercialization agreements, licenses and technology spin-outs, as well as developed strategies to exploit proprietary products growing out of the research programs of agri-tech and bio-tech clientele. He also advises clients on general corporate matters.
Josh co-leads the firm’s Global Agribusiness and Food industry group, which has been acknowledged as the only law firm consistently ranked Band 1 in Agribusiness: Global Market Leaders by Chambers Global (2016–2024). Josh is also a member of the firm’s Global Life Sciences Leadership Council. He has been recognized for his work by several publications, including recommendations by LMG Life Sciences as a “Life Sciences Star” in the Corporate category (2013–2024) and IAM Patent 1000 (2024). Managing Intellectual Property – IP Handbook named Josh a “California: Transactions Star” (2020–2023) and a “California: IP Star” (2013–2020). In 2021, Josh accepted the “International Business Advocate of the Year” award on Sidley’s behalf at the Los Angeles Business Journal’s inaugural International Business Forum and Awards.
From 2008–2010, Josh was the CEO/Managing Director of Australia’s first publicly listed ag-biotech company, Hexima Limited (HXL: ASX). While at Hexima, Josh led the company’s successful effort to forge a commercial path for its disease control platform, entering into a development and commercialization agreement with DuPont company, Pioneer Hi-Bred. The company established further commercial relationships with leading agribusinesses, Monsanto and Bayer Crop Science, and Australian research centers.
Prior Sidley work includes representing start-up companies, agriscience companies, convergence technology companies, a semiconductor tooling manufacturer, and broadband Internet content providers for whom Josh has acted as general outside corporate counsel, negotiating business development and strategic agreements such as content syndication agreements, licensing agreements, distribution agreements, e-commerce agreements, marketing and co-promotion agreements, joint venture agreements and web design agreements. He advised Los Angeles County and other large customers on a variety of software related matters, including the county’s acquisition of a new voting system for its election processes, several complex healthcare services systems, and a new multilayered county-wide traffic control system.