Sam Conforti

The bulk of my experience has been in the Software Industry and the Financial Services Industry for the procurement of High Technology. I have been responsible for the drafting and negotiation of contracts pertaining to technology issues, intellectual property, and vendor contracts of all kinds. The deals I closed required me to lead teams to coordinate worldwide deals and execute US specific technology acquisitions. I have worked closely with my Client’s Legal, Finance, IT Management and Procurement departments to refine and define, communicate and apply standard processes and terminology to be used when negotiating, executing and managing technology contracts. This process also included providing counsel to senior management on legal risks related to these transactions.

As a skilled negotiator focused on the goal until the desired ends are achieved, I have been the lead negotiator in the purchase of numerous software packages and complex enterprise agreements that range in size, complexity and contract duration. I have closed deals across the United States and all over the world from the UK to Germany to Brazil to Australia to Switzerland to Hong Kong to Turkey to Canada and to Spain.

I have had the opportunity to go head-to-head in contract negotiations with Fortune 500 legal representatives from General Motors, Ford, Caterpillar, IBM, Oracle, SunGard, Proctor & Gamble, and more. I also served as contract support for SAP’s national network of VAR’s.

As an Assistant Professor at Loyola University Chicago from August 1989 to May of 1993, I lectured to CPA and MBA candidates in the areas of contract law, corporations, partnerships, commercial paper, and business torts. I was named Faculty Person of the Year 1991. My duties as a Corporate Counsel have included such other matters as authoring a licensing contracts manual, editing professional consulting services manuals, and conducting national training sessions.

Sam Conforti’s Specialties:

The Purchase and/or sale of High Technology, specifically Software Licensing and Master Service Agreements and all the supporting documentation that is necessary for the deal to close.

Sam Conforti’s Experience

Attorney at Law

Sam Conforti LLC

(Law Practice industry)

September 2007 — Present (2 years 3 months)

I negotiate and draft contracts for commercial transactions. My main focus has been on the sale and procurement of high technology and the consulting contracts that are a necessary part of these types of transactions. These negotiations culminate in a mutually aceptable Software License Agreement and a Master Services Agreement. Such negotiations also include all supporting documentation such as:

Addendums
Amendments
Appendices
Statements of Work
Service Level Agreements
Project Change Requests
Confidentiality Agreements
Outsourcing & Hosting Agreements
Bills of Sale
Release Agreements
Referral Agreements
Reseller Agreements
SaaS Agreements
Corporate Counsel

Hewitt Associates

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; HEW; Human Resources industry)

February 2006 — September 2007 (1 year 8 months)

Assisted with technology issues, intellectual property, and vendor contracts of all kinds. Worked with people at all levels of the company. Provided full legal services to all departments. Had ongoing relationship and accountability for the department being served. Was the operational attorney in the organization for software licensing. Work assignments consisted of major legal tasks involving issues with the highest degree of difficulty and facts that were occasionally in question for which considerable legal judgment, experience and independent reasoning were required. Main focus included review, drafting and negotiation of vendor contracts in close support of the Procurement Group, with contract subject matter approximately half of the time IT (software, ASP agreements, consulting, hardware, services, outsourcing, nondisclosure agreements). Acted as one of the primary software licensing attorneys for the company.
Corporate Counsel

Zurich Financial Services

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; ZURN; Insurance industry)

February 2004 — February 2006 (2 years 1 month)

Responsible for the negotiation and procurement of technology & other products for Zurich North America.

Key responsibilities included negotiation of contracts, "deal" analysis of IT contracts (hardware, software and services), vendor management, project facilitation, analysis of industry trends, and analysis of potential vendors. Responsibilities also included the coordination of contract requirements with internal Business Units managers, coordination of legal review with the corporate law department and administration with the Procurement organization.
Senior Contract Specialist

SAP

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; SAP; Computer Software industry)

January 1999 — December 2003 (5 years )

Duties centered on negotiating and administering complex new and existing software licensing agreements; professional, training, and maintenance services; and non-disclosure, outsourcing, and partner customer contracts to sustain corporate profitability. Maintained the highest level of responsiveness and service to senior and legal customer representatives in negotiating contract terms and conditions. Responsibilities included drafting contract documents in conformance with SAP policy, determining price quotes, and verifying customer user and pricing information supplied by Account Executives. Overall responsible for handling a significant number of contracts with potential revenues of several million USD.
Assistant Professor of Business Law

Loyola University Chicago

(Educational Institution; 1001-5000 employees; Higher Education industry)

August 1989 — May 1993 (3 years 10 months)

Lectured to CPA and MBA candidates in the areas of contract law, corporations, partnerships, commercial paper, and business torts. Faculty person of the year 1991.

Sam Conforti’s Education

University of Miami - School of Business

MBA , Finance , 1993 — 1995

I was enrolled in a Double Masters Degree Program and graduated Magna Cum Laude with 88 graduate credit hours. My Second Master Degree is a Master of Science in International Business (MSIB).
Loyola University Chicago School of Law

J.D. , 1982 — 1985
Loyola University of Chicago

BBA , Public Accounting , 1976 — 1980
St. Domitilla