The Impact of Open Source Software on Transactions: What In-House Counsel Need to Know

Open source software is now embedded in virtually every modern codebase, powering products, platforms, development pipelines, and increasingly, generative AI tools. But as companies rely more heavily on open source to create value, the legal, operational, security, and transaction-related risks have become harder to ignore. For in-house counsel and deal teams, understanding how open source is used, licensed, documented, and remediated is essential to managing risk in M&A, commercial contracts, vendor relationships, and other high-stakes transactions. Join us on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at 12pm ET, as Tony Decicco and Leon Schwartz, Principals at GTC Law Group, explore how companies use open source software, where misuse or poor controls can create exposure, and how those risks often surface — and become magnified — during transactions. Drawing on decades of experience in open source diligence, Tony and Leon will share practical, real-world approaches for identifying issues, analyzing scan results, developing remediation plans, and negotiating contract provisions that address open source risk. Key topics will include: Open Source 101: What open source is, why it matters, and how it has become foundational to modern software development. Open Source Risk: Licensing, compliance, business, development, operational, security, remediation, litigation, and enforcement risks, including the growing impact of AI code generation tools. Open Source Diligence: How to identify risks, analyze SCA scan results, and prepare legal and code remediation plans. Open Source and Transactions: How open source issues affect M&A, customer contracts, vendor agreements, and other transactions, with practical approaches to triage and diligence. Open Source Contract Provisions: Reps, warranties, covenants, conditions, indemnities, and the practical differences between what buyers ask for and what sellers can provide. Who Should Attend: This program is designed for in-house counsel and deal teams who advise on technology transactions, M&A, commercial contracts, product counseling, vendor management, software development, IP, cybersecurity, privacy, compliance, or risk management. It will be especially useful for legal teams working with software-enabled businesses, AI tools, technology vendors, or companies where open source use may become a key diligence or negotiation issue. There is NO COST to attend this program! This program is FREE, thanks to our gracious sponsor, GTC Law Group! If you can’t make it to the live program, the recording will be available for viewing via our paid CLE library, In-House Connect On-Demand!