McDermott Will & Emery LLP

Corporate Advisory

Shawn C. Helms is co-head of the Firm’s Technology Transactions & Outsourcing Practice. Shawn has broad experience in the areas of information technology, outsourcing, blockchain, crypto, artificial intelligence (AI), digital health and telecommunications. He focuses his practice on complex transactions involving technology and intellectual property, including information technology outsourcing (ITO), business process outsourcing (BPO), licensing, cloud computing arrangements (IaaS, SaaS and PaaS), technology maintenance and services, technology development/customization (including iPhone and Android), wireless infrastructure, AI, generative AI (such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion), social media issues, strategic alliances, e-commerce, internet of things (IoT), confidentiality, strategic sourcing and data security/privacy. Shawn has considerable experience in blockchain and cryptocurrency matters including NFTs, DAOs and enterprise blockchain applications. Shawn regularly works on the transactional aspects of cryptocurrency bankruptcy and liquidation matters. Shawn also regularly works on digital health matters involving wearables, data licensing and strategy issues, AI and mobile applications. He also advises clients on IT and IP diligence, transition services agreements (TSAs) and other technology and intellectual property matters relating to the acquisition or divestiture of businesses. Shawn also has significant experience in advising clients through software audits and related negotiations and settlements, open source software issues and software escrow matters.

Shawn has been working in the field of AI for more than 10 years and is the founding member of the McDermott AI cross-practice group and resource center (ailawcenter.com). Shawn is regularly working with clients in connection with issues related to utilizing generative AI, particularly in the implementation and utilization of technologies like ChatGPT, Bard, Dall-E 2, Stable Diffusion, and GitHub Copilot.