Tag Archives: SXSW

SXSW panel explores law on Mars

With Elon Musk’s SpaceX unveiling plans for manned missions to Mars and NASA’s Mars Exploration Program, the concept interplanetary inhabitation isn’t as far-fetched as it once was. “A new physical frontier is also a new legal frontier,” said Berin Szoka, an attorney and president of policy think tank TechFreedom and panelist for the session Making … Continue Reading

SXSW: A guide to legal-related sessions at the Austin festival

Austin’s most anticipated yearly event is back and lawyers have many opportunities to learn about legal trends and the future of the profession while taking part in the festivities. South by Southwest has been offering continuing legal education and other law-related programming since 1998, and this year it features panels on everything from cybersecurity and … Continue Reading

SXSW legal: where to go, what to do, who to see.

It’s not all fun, games, and schmooze at the year’s most buzzed about event in Austin. Forward-thinking attorneys interested in learning about legal trends, caselaw, and the future of the industry have options—many of them. Since 1998, South by Southwest has been offering continuing legal education and additional legal-related programming, and this year features panels … Continue Reading

SXSW panel: SEC updates change the crowdfunding scene

Thousands of actors, producers, and filmmakers assembled for this year’s South by Southwest Film Conference & Festival to attend screenings, keynotes, and workshops. At the Austin Convention Center, attorney Dan Satorius was on hand to offer advice to independent filmmakers hoping to raise money in support of their projects. During his panel “Other People’s Money: … Continue Reading

Sound recordings, composer rights, and performance use

Music streaming platforms and the legal issues that come with them were the focus of two CLE panels during SXSW 2015. Leading attorneys from across the nation took the stage to address both fellow lawyers and industry professionals about the current situations. During “Unhappy Together,” panelists Bob Donnelly, Steve Gordon, and Henry Gradstein delved into … Continue Reading

SXSW panelists present litigation update

During the SXSW panel “Litigation: The Cases We Need to Know,” D’Lesli Davis, a partner in the Dallas office of Norton Rose Fulbright, and Stan Soocher, associate professor of music and entertainment industry studies at the University of Colorado Denver, offered an overview of some legal situations currently impacting entertainment law. In their allotted hour, … Continue Reading

SXSW panel on drones fever: benefits vs. privacy

“Drones are here to stay, and to me that’s a very good thing.” Presenting at SXSW Interactive—where just days before the Austin Police Department had banned all drones from flying in the skies above the festival—Lisa Ellman spoke enthusiastically about the benefits that drones bring and how industry and government can satisfy those who are … Continue Reading

SXSW panelists discuss intellectual property in media

If you’re a filmmaker wondering if you will be sued, ask yourself: “Have I created a very popular film?” That message came off loud and clear during the “Intellectual Property in Film and Interactive Media” CLE at SXSW. During the panel, Akin Gump attorneys Kellie Marie Johnson and Charles Everingham discussed trademark and copyright issues, … Continue Reading

SXSW documentaries focus on legal issues

Two films with vastly different themes highlighted legal matters during the South by Southwest Film tract this year. In A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story,audiences were introduced to Lizzie, a 25-year-old Texan with a rare syndrome that prevents her from gaining weight. Lizzie’s appearance made her a victim of bullying throughout school and the … Continue Reading

SXSW panels take hard look at U.S. justice system

Two SXSW Interactive panels on Monday focused on the inner workings and effects of the U.S. justice system. Panelists of “Ex-Prisoners Speak: We Deserve a Second Chance” spoke on the flaws of the country’s prison system, which they said does nothing to help incarcerated men and women reenter society. Later, a couple of blocks away … Continue Reading

SXSW panel asks if tech is law’s friend or foe?

“The world is becoming automated, and law is no exception.” This is an unavoidable reality, according to panelists of the South by Southwest Interactive session “Your Next Lawyer Could be a Machine,” who said that it is a “scary time” for lawyers who don’t embrace the possibilities of a technologically driven future but “an incredible … Continue Reading

SXSW CLE Wrap-up

Part I: Cool Things v. Consumer Privacy, Filming Unsuspecting Subjects, and Streaming Pay Scales By the end of South by Southwest 2014—held in Austin from March 7 to March 16—attorneys were referring to the festival’s official legal program as “Camp CLE.” Like the much larger SXSW spectacle, the CLE room was full of lawyers from … Continue Reading

SXSW Panel: Remixing, Mashups, and Copyright Law

Music and law experts explain how to reuse original compositions while staying in the legal clear.  The take-away from the South by Southwest Music Festival panel titled “Remixing, Mashups, and Copyright Law,” was to play it safe when creating derivative musical works. Panelists included Christiane Kinney, musician and partner in the LeClairRyan law firm’s Los … Continue Reading

Twibel, Tumblr, and the First Amendment: Ongoing themes at SXSW Interactive

With the option to hide behind avatars, handles, and screen names, people can be downright mean, even libelous, while communicating online. When defamatory statements are published online and a victim chooses to take action, who is to blame? For websites like Tumblr and Twitter, which provide outlets for anyone with a username to publish content, … Continue Reading

SXSW Interactive Wrap-up: With Lightning Speed

South by Southwest has a tradition of encouraging innovators to push the tech envelope. But with new developments come new legal questions, and technology often moves faster than the legislative process. During the opening days of SXSW Interactive, tech and law experts converged to discuss some of the legal issues currently at play regarding tech … Continue Reading
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