Joseph Olin | Executive Director, VGBA

Intellectual property is a cornerstone of the video game industry. The industry requires constant guidance in how best to not only protect their own work, but also avoid infringing on the work of others.  This panel will discuss intellectual property issues within the games industry and provide insight to how best to handle these issues when they arise.

Moderator: Sean Kane | Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
Speaker: Ross Dannenberg | Banner Witcoff

As the dynamic game industry continues to grow and business models expand to match new platforms and new devices, the video game practitioner benefits from understanding which technology trends will become revenue streams, partnership deals, and licensing agreements.  This section will cover what’s been happening in the games industry and where the industry might be heading.

Speaker: Michael Pachter | Wedbush Securities

Combatting toxicity is an important aspect of video game companies, yet what is the most effective way to do so? The panel will discuss a few methods of managing online harassment of employees, and suggest a few solutions that would resolve the situation without putting the employees more at risk.

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: TBA

As the dynamic game industry continues to grow and business models expand to match new platforms and new devices, the video game practitioner benefits from understanding which technology trends will become revenue streams, partnership deals, and licensing agreements. This section will cover what’s been happening in the games industry and where the industry might be heading.

Speakers:

Jennifer Kelly – Fenwick & West LLP
Steve Smith – Fenwick & West LLP

As connected games and mobile experiences collect increasing amounts of user data, and personally identifiable information, the more liable game developers and publishers become in terms of safe-guarding that information. Compliance with US and international government privacy requirements also becomes a crucial matter for the continued survival of the game industry. This session looks at where data comes from, defense, legal countermeasures, and response to data breaches, cross-border privacy, and children-specific privacy regulations and best practices.

Moderator: Courtney Barton | Wirewheel.io

Panelists:

Felix Hilgert | Osborne Clark
Joe Newman | Fenwick & West
Nick Mitchell | Wizards of the Coast

Don’t Try This at Home: The Questionable Ethics of Better Call Saul

As lawyers, we can learn a lot from the antics of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman – the popular character from the hit television shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.* This 1 [or 1.5] credit ethics CLE program uses humorous clips from Better Call Saul as a launching pad to discuss a wide range of ethics issues. Topics include:

• Ethics in Negotiations
• Litigation ethics
• The duty of candor to the court
• Attorney advertising
• Legal fees and retainers

Be entertained and learn about ethics at the same time!

* No prior knowledge of Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul is required.

Moderator: Nicole Hyland | Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz

Following a year of the two largest economies in the world exchanging retaliatory tariffs and after months of negotiations, the U.S. and China appear to be inching closer to an agreement. Steven Mnuchin, the current Treasury Secretary, has called the recent trade talks in Beijing “constructive.” While current trade sentiment seems positive, some economists warn that if such a deal does not come together soon a potential global recession could be on the horizon. Speakers discuss how we got here, the recent developments related to the trade negotiations, the implications of a possible trade agreement or lack thereof, the impact on future U.S.-China relations, and how potential trade developments may affect the video game industry given China’s position as the largest market for video games in the world.

Moderator: Greg Pilarowski | Pillar Legal, P.C.

Panelists: Amy Porge | Law Offices of Amelia Porges PLLC

As esports continue grabbing headlines, the experienced attorney must stay informed of the legal issues that can arise in competitive gaming. From the licensing and legal status of players on collegiate teams, to contracts within the leagues, to possible legal repercussions of the public actions of these athletes, the legal issues in the space are new and growing along with the esports industry.

Moderator: TBA

Panelists: Krista Hiner | ESG Law

The explosion in popularity of video content to reach gaming audiences has made using popular influencers a great way for game companies and brands to engage and recruit players. However, as the Machinima and CSGO Lotto enforcements have shown, it can also be a risky area to navigate. The Federal Trade Commission is paying increased attention to influencers and brands using them for marketing on social media and video platforms to ensure that they are following the FTC Endorsement Guides. This panel will discuss best practices for working with influencers and influencer agencies to ensure compliance with the Guides and staying out of #trouble.

Moderator:

Chrissie Scelsi | Wargaming
Omeed Dariani | Online Performers Group

In-house video game attorneys often experience different legal issues than attorneys who work in law firms because large, multijurisdictional corporations often face a complex weave of federal, state, and local labor and employment laws. With the prolific layoffs from Tell Tale, Activision, and Riot—what are some lessons we can learn from these unfortunate events, and are there better ways to handle these situations?

Moderator: Teddy Joe | Zynga

Counsel within a company face a unique set of issues different from that of a law firm. The panelists will discuss the perspective of being in-house counsel, such as managing the day-to-day aspects, the importance of maintaining a budget, and when to need outside counsel.

Moderator: Chrissie Scelsi | Wargaming

Panelists: Teddy Joe | Zynga

This section will review and discuss business and legal trends in the financing of games, including how to realize the benefits of certain tax incentives in the U.S. and Canada. Panelists will discuss initiatives such as the JumpStart program in Louisiana and the Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit in British Columbia, Canada.

Moderator: Patrick Sweeney | Interactive Entertainment Law Group

Panelists:
Bill Hines | Louisiana Development Commission
Ryan Black | McMillan LLP
Alana Wagner | Pacific Southwest, of Trade & Invest British Columbia from the BC government

After one year has passed since the enforcement of GDPR, the EU has implemented another piece to the EU Digital Single Market: the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. The panel will provide insight on the updates to European privacy law, copyright law, and other directives under the EU.

Moderator: Konni Ewald | Osborne Clarke