LAWYER PROFILE
Tessa Schwartz

Tessa Schwartz

USA 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Chambers ranking badge

Ranked in 1 practice area

About

Provided by Morrison Foerster

Practice Areas

Tessa Schwartz has an active practice counseling companies on intellectual property issues, and negotiating complex intellectual property and commercial agreements. She advises on a range of strategic transactions, including key patent licenses and acquisitions, technology procurement agreements, and complex development, collaboration, joint-venture and distribution deals. Tessa also regularly advises companies on the IP aspects of their M&A transactions.

In addition to maintaining an active practice and working with clients on a daily basis, Tessa is founder and co-chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Group and previously served as co-chair of the global Transactions Department.

Tessa advises clients primarily in technology and data intensive sectors, representing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning, software, SaaS, cloud computing, hardware, consumer electronics and products, social media, Internet, mobility and wireless, space and satellites, e-commerce, advertising, healthcare, fintech, transportation, semiconductor, and other companies. Tessa’s M&A experience includes advising Autodesk, BlackBerry, Fortive, Honeywell, Salesforce, Uber, Unilever, Unity, Walmart, and others on the IP aspects of strategic transactions.

Tessa provides clients with prelitigation and litigation advice. She frequently advises executives and senior management on strategic business, legal and commercial issues, including the structuring of transactions, risk management and contract compliance. She also counsels clients with respect to a wide variety of IP issues, including patent exhaustion and implied licenses, standing and standards, the protection of data and other trade secrets and the development and distribution of open-source software.

In addition to her transactional expertise, Tessa’s litigation background includes representing clients in arbitration, as well as in state and federal courts in such areas as antitrust, false advertising, unfair competition, breach of contract, securities, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. Her litigation experience includes complex, multidistrict and class action litigation, as well as appellate advocacy.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Technology - California

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Tessa Schwartz represents companies from the healthcare, fintech and transport sectors, among others. She deals with a broad range of matters, including M&A, joint venture agreements and IP issues.

Technology - USA - Nationwide

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial
Tessa Schwartz is highly experienced in the field of technology and intellectual property transactions, including patent acquisitions and development agreements. Her clients operate in hi-tech fields such as machine learning, e-commerce and social media.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • She is incredibly thorough, commercially-minded and well-versed in the most current topics.

    TechnologyChambers Guide to the USA
  • Tessa is a skilled legal strategist who gets the best outcome for her clients.

    TechnologyChambers Guide to the USA
  • Tessa has the great ability to draw on experience and provide practical and creative solutions

    TechnologyChambers Guide to the USA
  • Tessa is a fantastic technology lawyer.

    TechnologyChambers Guide to the USA

Ranked Individuals at Morrison Foerster (175)

California

What success is built on

Chambers is the leading data and intelligence partner for the legal sector.

Explore thought leadership