Steve Charkoudian is a partner in Goodwin’s Strategic Technology Transactions and Licensing practice, a practice that he co-founded and led for 15 years. Mr. Charkoudian is a member of the firm’s Technology Companies group. He concentrates on technology, data and intellectual property transactions, including technology and data transfers and licensing; collaboration, strategic alliance and joint development agreements; open source issues; and due diligence and other intellectual property issues in joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions and venture capital and private equity transactions. He is a regular contributor to Founders Workbench and frequently speaks to start-ups and early-stage companies about IP issues. Mr. Charkoudian is also former Co-Chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and serves on its Partnership Committee.

Jennie Pries Friend is a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley where she is an officer in the firm’s real estate investing practice in New York. Jennie currently oversees 5MM sf (~$4B) of Class A office, life science and retail assets and is responsible for the ongoing oversight and redevelopment of One Post Office Square and several regional malls. She also leads Morgan Stanley’s investment activity in the Greater Boston market, executing ~$1.5B of acquisitions, including the core fund’s expansion into the life science market.

Russell DeMartino, is Executive Vice President of Skanska Commercial Development, Boston. Russ is responsible for managing the development efforts for Skanska Commercial Development US (CDUS) in the Boston and New England Market. His duties include managing all of the development professionals in the CDUS Boston office, overall responsibilities for all aspects of Skanska USA Commercial Development projects in Boston, including sourcing of new development opportunities, design and construction, leasing, and disposition of assets. He has been in the real estate development industry for 17 years and in the Boston community for twelve years. He has experience with the development, design and construction of retail, condominium and mixed-use office projects. Prior to joining Skanska, Russ was Senior Director of Design and Construction with Tishman Speyer Properties, working on the Pier 4 office and condominium mixed-use project. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Development with Vornado Realty Trust where he completed the Bryant Back Bay condominium Project in Boston, as well as condominium projects in California and Florida. With Vornado he also developed several large-scale mixed-use retail projects in Florida and New Jersey, as well as the acquisition and entitlements of the One Franklin mixed-use Tower (now known as the Millennium Tower).

Sam Schafer is the President and CEO of Hobbs Brook Management LLC which a wholly owned subsidiary of FM Global. Hobbs Brook is a commercial real estate investment, development and management company based in Waltham, MA. Hobbs Brooks owns and operates approximately 4.5 million feet in the greater Boston area. Prior to joining Hobbs Brook, he spent 18 years at Tishman Speyer where he served as Global Head of Leasing, Property Management and Corporate Outreach. In this role he coordinated Tishman Speyer’s property management and leasing across all markets, lead business development efforts, and managed the firm's relationships with corporate clients and real estate executives. Sam holds a BA from DePauw University, and is a member of ULI, BOMA, CoreNet and NAIOP and he also serves on the Board of Directors of Good Sports.