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The Intellectual Property StrategistFeaturesIntellectual PropertyPatent Licensing and Transactions

The Dark Side of Licensing: How to Prepare for the Audit

By David Schnider
February 01, 2021

In the classic movie When Harry Met Sally, Harry says, "When I buy a new book, I always read the last page first. That way, in case I die before I finish, I know how it ends. That, my friend, is a dark side." At the beginning of any licensing relationship, things always seem rosy and full of potential. We talk about royalties, advances, and guarantees with the dream of a relationship that will be enduring and fulfilling for both licensor and licensee. But licensees would do well to heed the advice of young Harry by giving in to their dark side and looking to what lies at the end of the story. Because what may be waiting for them there is an audit for which they are ill prepared.

Audit clauses are standard in almost every license agreement. They typically provide that the licensor has the right to review the licensee's records related to the sale of licensed products at least once a year. They also usually provide that if the auditor finds an underpayment of a certain scale (usually around 5%) then the licensee is responsible for the costs of the audit.

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