united-states contract-law intellectual-property trade-secret negotiations
Which legal specialty covers the sale of potentially profitable information?
<p>In <em>There Will Be Blood (2007)</em>, there is a scene where Paul Sunday sells information about there being oil where he grew up.</p>

<p>This struck me as something very difficult to negotiate, because, while this information is very valuable, it's not a patent. Until the buyer investigates it, he does not know how valuable it is. But after the buyer knows the details, he has no incentive to pay for it.</p>

<p>If you were in Paul Sunday's shoes, and wanted a lawyer to represent you in the negotiation, which legal specialty would you go with?</p>

<h2>Pretty standard contract lawyer</h2>

<p>You negotiate a price for the information, put it in a contract, you give them the info they give you the money. Depending on trust levels you might set up an escrow system.</p>

<p>Essentially this is no different from what every profession does every day: a professional sells knowledge.</p>
