Legal counsel for federal research collaborations
CRADA Law
I help protect what your company contributes when the government is at the table.CRADAs, CTAs, MTAs, DUAs, IP Licenses, Research Collaboration Agreements, Clinical Trial Agreements.
Your Research Agreement
Whether your research is a CRADA, CTA, MTA, DUA, Research Collaboration Agreement, or a Clinical Trial Agreement, if your company is conducting research with the federal government, I can help you structure it, draft it, negotiate it, and protect your contributions to the research.
Your Rights to Data and IP
Who owns what? Can you publish? Can you commercialize? I help your company secure the terms that determine what you get out of the collaboration, and what you’re able to do with the results.
Your Deal, Inside Their System
Federal research isn’t built for private companies. I will help you structure and negotiate agreements that work inside their rules, without losing sight of your goals.
Because good science deserves strong agreements
About Sarah
I have over 15 years of experience in research agreements and intellectual property across the federal government, higher education, and private practice. I've worked with biotech and pharmaceutical companies, technology startups, nonprofits, and healthcare institutions, and I understand the complexity of moving research forward when federal agencies are at the table.Before launching my practice, I served as Associate General Counsel at the University of Arizona, where I handled intellectual property matters, research contracts, and complex licensing arrangements with private industry. I advised on AI, data privacy, and digital health in academic and clinical research settings, and worked closely with research and technology transfer teams on IP protection and strategy.I also spent over 5 years as an attorney at the Department of Veterans Affairs, where I architected, drafted, and negotiated CRADAs, license agreements, and multi-site research collaborations.I started my career as a patent attorney in private practice, drafting and prosecuting patent applications in medical devices, aviation, biotech, software, and mechanics. That work taught me how ideas become assets, and how easily they can get lost in translation.Now, I help companies navigate federal research collaborations with clarity, structure, and protection, so that they can focus on the science.
Practice Areas
Government Research Agreements (CRADAs, CTAs, MTAs)
Life Sciences Transactions
Technology Transactions & Commercial Contracts
IP Strategy & Licensing
Copyright
Education
J.D., Creighton University School of Law
B.S., Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Minnesota
Admissions
Arizona
USPTO Registered Patent Attorney
Because federal research isn’t plug-and-play.
A Company’s Guide to Federal Research Agreements
Collaborating with the government on a research project? This short, practical guide walks through CRADAs, CTAs, MTAs, and more—what to ask for, what to watch for, and how to protect what matters.
Download instantly. No email required.
Contact Me
The next step is setting up a consultation. Please send me a message and we can get started right away.
© CRADA Law is the trade name of the Law Office of Sarah Hestad Law, PLLC.. All rights reserved.Legal services provided by Sarah Hestad, Esq., licensed in Arizona and before the USPTOThis website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. Legal services are provided by Sarah Hestad Law, PLLC, licensed to practice in Arizona and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Practice limited to federal law matters such as CRADAs, IP, and Federal research collaborations.