Legal Risks in University Patent Commercialization: Identification and Stage-Based Distribution

HRMARS - University patent commercialization refers to the process by which universities bring granted patents to the market through evaluation, protection, transaction negotiation, and implementation. In the university context, commercialization involves multiple actors, strong institutional constraints, and high transaction uncertainty. These conditions may lead to legal consequences, including ownership disputes, contract disputes, infringement litigation, and compliance liability. Such risks often materialize during negotiation and contract performance. However, many risk drivers emerge earlier and may be amplified by delayed risk control. The key problem is that existing research and practice often address legal risk through fragmented type lists or isolated dispute cases. As a result, a structured risk register that can support risk measurement and management allocation remains limited. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate recurring risk cues from a full-process perspective and develop a clear and reusable core risk register. This paper addresses two research questions. Which legal risks repeatedly occur across the full process of university patent commercialization and can be consolidated into core types? In which stage are these risks mainly concentrated? This study applies inductive content analysis. It draws on prior studies and relevant normative texts to develop a core legal risk register. It summarizes the typical manifestations and legal consequences of each risk. The study argues that legal risk management should not be treated as an ex post remedy or a single-step supplement. It should be embedded throughout the commercialization process. The risk register developed in this paper provides a direct content basis for subsequent quantitative measurement, process improvement, and priority setting in management resource allocation.