Doneld G. Shelkey
Don Shelkey is the global leader of the firm’s technology transactions, outsourcing, and commercial contracts (TOC) practice. Don represents clients across a wide array of complex and strategic transactions involving intellectual property, technology, and other commercial matters. Don regularly negotiates deals that focus on artificial intelligence (AI), data rights, assets, software as a service (SaaS), cloud computing, data acquisition and services, enterprise resource planning (ERP), blockchain, software licensing and development, social media, sponsorships, and strategic joint ventures and business collaborations. He advises on AI-related issues, including AI policy creation, contract negotiation, issue spotting, representations and warranties–related issues, and AI-related diligence support.
blog contributor
Tech & Sourcing @ Morgan Lewis
Don applies his skillset across a variety of industries, with a particular focus on emerging technologies, ecommerce, sports, esports, electronics entertainment, retail, consumer goods, and digital health sectors.
Don is also a frequent speaker and thought leader on legal issues surrounding emerging technologies. His most recent speaking engagements were focused on blockchain technologies, including the rise and collapse of the NFT bubble, and legal issues involved with AI.
- Represented a major US-based energy drink brand in connection with the full spectrum of commercial negotiations to bring its product to market, including formula development agreements, ingredient supplier relationships, co-packing arrangements, transportation and logistics agreements, distribution agreements, retailer merchandising agreements, marketing and sponsorship opportunities, and social media influencer relationships
- Represented an electronics entertainment developer in connection with the development of a blockchain-based massively multiplayer online video game; as the client was both developing middleware technology while creating a game, the representation required in-depth knowledge of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain infrastructure, and related technology as well as in-depth market knowledge of publication and development transactions
- Represented an international energy supplier in connection with the outsourcing of its networking and information technology (IT) infrastructure with multiple vendors in more than 30 countries
- Represented various US professional sports franchises in connection with the naming rights for stadiums, the creation of other related sponsorship entitlements, food and beverage transactions, television rights, and other commercial matters
- Represented a major Japanese ecommerce company in connection with the rollout of its ecommerce platform and related services into the US market
- Duquesne University, 1999, B.A.
- Duquesne University School of Law, 2002, J.D.
- Massachusetts
- Pennsylvania


Ranked, Technology, Massachusetts, Chambers USA (2022–2025)
Leading Partner, Media, technology and telecoms: Technology transactions, The Legal 500 US (2024, 2025)
Next Generation Partner, Media, technology and telecoms: Technology transactions, The Legal 500 US (2018–2023)
Next Generation Partner, Media, technology and telecoms: Outsourcing, The Legal 500 US (2017)
Recommended, Media, technology and telecoms: Outsourcing, The Legal 500 US (2020, 2023–2025)
Recommended, Media, technology and telecoms: Technology transactions, The Legal 500 US (2025)
Recommended, Industry Focus: Sport, The Legal 500 US (2024)
Recommended, M&A/corporate and commercial: Commercial, The Legal 500 US (2018)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Intellectual Property, Law360 (2019, 2024)
