David is a Managing Partner and the founder of Pelorus Advisors.
Prior to founding Pelorus, David served as corporate and investment counsel to both The Hartford Financial Services Group and its investment management company, Hartford Investment Management Co. Prior to The Hartford, David was in private practice with the law firm Brown Raysman LLP with a focus on intellectual property, information technology and complex litigation.
David has over a decade of experience advising large, mid-sized and early-stage companies on matters involving intellectual property transactions and litigation, technology procurement, data security and compliance, strategic sourcing and complex outsourcing transactions, including business process, application development and IT infrastructure outsourcing.
With a deep understanding of the business, legal and transactional issues involved in technology licensing, procurement and outsourcing, David has broad experience representing clients in the drafting and negotiation of complex strategic transactions, including:
Software Licensing and Application Development
Patent and Trademark Licensing and Assignment
Consulting and Professional Services
Systems Integration and Implementation
Outsourcing and Managed Services
Application Service Provider (ASP) and Software as a Service (SaS)
Market and Research Data Licensing
New Media and Content Licensing
Hardware and Software Maintenance and Support
Equipment Leasing
Technology-Based Joint Ventures
In addition to providing legal counsel on a transactional basis, David is often retained by Pelorus’ clients to supplement their legal departments on an “in-house/outside counsel” basis.
Known by his clients for his ability to solve problems effectively and fuse creative thinking with practical business experience, some of the most respected and successful companies have relied on David to help them optimize their overall technology sourcing strategies, including the drafting of entire libraries of form agreements for use throughout their respective enterprises.
David has also been awarded the “AV Preeminent Rating” by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. The AV Rating is the highest possible given by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review for a lawyer and is established wholly on a peer-review basis. The AV Preeminent designation signifies that David has been rated by judges and fellow attorneys as having the highest possible rating for legal abilities and ethical standards. The rating is awarded to less than five percent of all attorneys across the United States, and is the highest rating offered by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. The legal ability portion of the rating is based upon the lawyer’s legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability, and legal experience. The ethical portion of the rating is based upon the lawyer’s adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities.
Testimonials
“David is an exceptional businessman and attorney. He was a great business partner to me, and was instrumental in our outsourcing of numerous functions, including most of our IT and procurement operations. He understands the law, the underlying business and, most importantly, the corporate culture of those with whom he works. When he makes a recommendation, you can count on it being technically correct, legally sound, practical and consistent with the company’s culture. In short, his ideas are original and he is able to make them work in the real world. I highly recommend David. If you have the opportunity, hire him.”
- Steven B., Vice President and Corporate Secretary, Top 5 Global Energy Company
“David is one of the brightest, most ethical people that I know. His business solutions are creative and effective. He brings a clear sense of ethics to all that he does.”
- Richard B., Assistant General Counsel, Global Financial Services Company
“I have known and worked with David over the past ten years and find him to be a person of high integrity and honesty. He is extremely hardworking and his business acumen and legal expertise have been invaluable to me and the companies I have worked for over the years. David’s intelligence and ability to make complex legal concepts understandable makes him a fantastic partner. He brings a very ‘down to earth’ approach to all his relationships.”
- Joanne S., Vice President Sourcing, Contracting & Procurement, Fortune 100 Life Insurance Carrier
“David is a highly-skilled lawyer and entrepreneur. His legal background and business acumen makes him uniquely qualified to navigate complex issues and drive innovation and profitability.”
- Richard A., General Counsel, Global Insurance Carrier
Education
University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
University of Connecticut, B.A.
Admissions
State of Connecticut
State of New York
U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Past and Current Professional Affiliations
American Mensa – Connecticut/Western Massachusetts Chapter
International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP)
Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA).
International Trademark Association (INTA)
American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
Connecticut Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
David B. Benoit
David is a Managing Partner and the founder of Pelorus Advisors.
Prior to founding Pelorus, David served as corporate and investment counsel to both The Hartford Financial Services Group and its investment management company, Hartford Investment Management Co. Prior to The Hartford, David was in private practice with the law firm Brown Raysman LLP with a focus on intellectual property, information technology and complex litigation.
David has over a decade of experience advising large, mid-sized and early-stage companies on matters involving intellectual property transactions and litigation, technology procurement, data security and compliance, strategic sourcing and complex outsourcing transactions, including business process, application development and IT infrastructure outsourcing.
With a deep understanding of the business, legal and transactional issues involved in technology licensing, procurement and outsourcing, David has broad experience representing clients in the drafting and negotiation of complex strategic transactions, including:
In addition to providing legal counsel on a transactional basis, David is often retained by Pelorus’ clients to supplement their legal departments on an “in-house/outside counsel” basis.
Known by his clients for his ability to solve problems effectively and fuse creative thinking with practical business experience, some of the most respected and successful companies have relied on David to help them optimize their overall technology sourcing strategies, including the drafting of entire libraries of form agreements for use throughout their respective enterprises.
David has also been awarded the “AV Preeminent Rating” by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. The AV Rating is the highest possible given by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review for a lawyer and is established wholly on a peer-review basis. The AV Preeminent designation signifies that David has been rated by judges and fellow attorneys as having the highest possible rating for legal abilities and ethical standards. The rating is awarded to less than five percent of all attorneys across the United States, and is the highest rating offered by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory. The legal ability portion of the rating is based upon the lawyer’s legal knowledge, analytical capabilities, judgment, communication ability, and legal experience. The ethical portion of the rating is based upon the lawyer’s adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities.
Testimonials
“David is an exceptional businessman and attorney. He was a great business partner to me, and was instrumental in our outsourcing of numerous functions, including most of our IT and procurement operations. He understands the law, the underlying business and, most importantly, the corporate culture of those with whom he works. When he makes a recommendation, you can count on it being technically correct, legally sound, practical and consistent with the company’s culture. In short, his ideas are original and he is able to make them work in the real world. I highly recommend David. If you have the opportunity, hire him.”
- Steven B., Vice President and Corporate Secretary, Top 5 Global Energy Company
“David is one of the brightest, most ethical people that I know. His business solutions are creative and effective. He brings a clear sense of ethics to all that he does.”
- Richard B., Assistant General Counsel, Global Financial Services Company
“I have known and worked with David over the past ten years and find him to be a person of high integrity and honesty. He is extremely hardworking and his business acumen and legal expertise have been invaluable to me and the companies I have worked for over the years. David’s intelligence and ability to make complex legal concepts understandable makes him a fantastic partner. He brings a very ‘down to earth’ approach to all his relationships.”
- Joanne S., Vice President Sourcing, Contracting & Procurement, Fortune 100 Life Insurance Carrier
“David is a highly-skilled lawyer and entrepreneur. His legal background and business acumen makes him uniquely qualified to navigate complex issues and drive innovation and profitability.”
- Richard A., General Counsel, Global Insurance Carrier
Education
University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D.
University of Connecticut, B.A.
Admissions
State of Connecticut
State of New York
U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
Past and Current Professional Affiliations
American Mensa – Connecticut/Western Massachusetts Chapter
International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP)
Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA).
International Trademark Association (INTA)
American Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
Connecticut Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section
Intellectual Property Owners Association (IPO)