Sharon L. Tasman is the Founder and Partner of HTBiz Law, with over 30 years of legal experience. She combines 15 years of practice at Hogan Lovells, one of the 10 largest law firms in the world, with in-house experience at MedImmune, the global biologics arm of AstraZeneca. Sharon founded HTBiz Law to provide clients of all sizes with “big law” experience coupled with the personal attention of a boutique law firm.

Sharon represents domestic and international clients, from startups to multinational companies, in the areas of: technology and intellectual property development, acquisition, protection, and commercialization (including computer information systems, telecommunications, and engineering); consulting and other business services agreements; and life sciences counseling and transactions (including clinical studies, sponsored research and technology transfer for biotechnology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies).

Sharon has a proven ability to negotiate complex contracts and manage large-scale transactions from inception through completion, including transactions exceeding $200,000,000. Sharon also has extensive experience creating comprehensive suites of template agreements to enable clients to manage contracting cost-effectively. In addition, Sharon has developed and conducted training for clients on a variety of legal issues and is a published author.

As a 40+ female entrepreneur herself, Sharon has a special interest in helping women and members of the BIPOC community start and grow businesses. Combining her years of legal experience, with “real world” technical experience and first-hand business background, Sharon is uniquely suited to understand all of the different demands and obstacles that solo and small businesses face - and how to overcome them.

Sharon attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and obtained her Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from the University of Maryland College Park. Prior to entering law school, Sharon worked as a computer systems programmer and instructor at General Electric Plastics and MCI Telecommunications. Sharon received her Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1992, where she was an Assistant Editor of the Maryland Law Review. Sharon also studied at the Université Paris Sorbonne (Paris IV), in Paris, France, where she received a Certificate in European Legal Studies in 1990.

Following law school graduation, Sharon worked at Fisher, Wayland, Cooper, Leader & Zaragoza, a communications and telecommunications boutique law firm in Washington, D.C. Sharon joined Hogan & Hartson (now known as Hogan Lovells US LLP) in 1995, practicing in both the Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. offices. After 15 years at Hogan & Hartson, Sharon joined MedImmune, LLC to gain the in-house client perspective. Sharon launched the Health & Technology Law Firm in October 2013 (now known as HTBiz Law).  When she isn’t practicing law, Sharon is a champion competitive International Ballroom dancer.

Sharon is admitted to practice law in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.

Kate Duffy Mazan, an Of Counsel in HTBiz Law, has over 30 years of experience in the area of food and drug law, with an emphasis on the regulation of clinical research.  Kate has extensive experience in the drafting and negotiation of clinical trial agreements, as well as advising a variety of life sciences companies and institutions with regard to compliance with federal and state laws and regulations governing the conduct of clinical trials.  Kate also regularly assists clients with regard to academic and commercial sponsored research, technology transfer and materials transfer.

Prior to entering private practice, Kate worked for nine years at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  As a technology transfer professional at NIH she managed the intellectual property portfolio of NCI’s Natural Products Branch, negotiating CRADAs and international agreements with countries in Africa, Central and South America, and the Pacific rim.  Kate also worked with scientists from several other institutes within NIH to develop a wide range of technology.  She began her career at NIH as Chief of NCI’s Cancer Information Service (CIS), a nationwide network of cancer information and education programs located at major cancer centers across the country.  In that capacity she was responsible for developing a training program on the conduct of clinical trials to assist information specialists in explaining clinical research to patients and the public.

Kate holds a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., a Master of Science in Public Health Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and an A.B. from Stonehill College, North Easton, Massachusetts.

Kate is admitted to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.