The 19th Annual Seattle Conference on Current Developments in Technology Law
December 9-10, 2010
Washington State Convention Center
Seattle, WA
Presenters: Holly K. Towle
Sponsors: Law Seminars International
As the distinctions between telephone, television and data services disappear, many of the old geographical and functional boxes that used to help us organize our thinking have become irrelevant. Super computing, almost ubiquitous broadband, advanced visualization and large-scale data gathering have created new competitive opportunities on a global scale. They also have unleashed a torrent of fragmented information and the pressing question of what is really valuable.
We now have news aggregation services to manage the torrent, but what are the limits on the aggregator’s use of copyrighted material? New social media services have created new marketing opportunities, but also new challenges for managing your online reputation. Distributed computing services are triggering a transition from point-of-sale product licensing to services access subscriptions and long term interactive relationships. New friction points, particularly those involving consumers, are leading to new regulatory requirements for technology companies.
At the same time, many popular assumptions about the functional and economic dimensions of intellectual property for technology companies are in dispute. Copyrights are colliding with free speech on the Internet, trademarks with keyword advertising, and the Bilski case left many questions about patentability for software and business methods. What works now? This annual gathering of technology experts from around the country provides valuable new insights and useful tips for answering that question and keeping your decision making on a solid footing.
Partner Holly Towle discussed “Recent Cases and Issues in On-Line Contracting” at 9:15 a.m. on December 12.