VIDEO GAMES AND THE LAW 

[1.5 hours California MCLE credit available*

Program

This MCLE presentation will cover the most important judicial decisions of 2015 affecting the video game industry. The players include: Blizzard, Zynga and Electronic Arts, among others. Topics include: gambling in virtual environments; video game arbitration agreements with consumers; copyrighting video game characters; potential pitfalls when drafting a complaint for copyright infringement; Rule 11 sanctions against a patentee and a law firm; and a $13.2 million attorney fee award in right of publicity class-action litigation.

Presenters

Dan Nabel, Esq. is an in-house attorney at Riot Games. Prior to joining Riot Games, Mr. Nabel directed the Intellectual Property Law & Technology Clinic at the USC Gould School of Law. Mr. Nabel also practiced law at Greenberg Glusker in Los Angeles, handling litigation, arbitration, and negotiation of all types of disputes. He has published more than fifty articles in the Daily Journal and other legal trade publications. Mr. Nabel currently teaches “Topics in Entertainment: Video Game Law” at USC Gould and has a strong commitment to public interest work. He has provided pro bono legal services to numerous clients of the Alliance for Children’s Rights and Public Counsel and also serves as a Director for CASA of Los Angeles.

Jerod Partin, Esq. is Senior Licensing Counsel at Activision Publishing, where he handles transactional matters for the newly-formed Activision Blizzard Studios as well as licensing and partnerships for the hit properties Call of Duty, Destiny and Skylanders. Prior to joining Activision, he was Executive Director of Business and Legal Affairs at Saban Brands, where he handled licensing, distribution, brand protection, production and talent issues for Paul Frank, Digimon, and the iconic Power Rangers Franchise. Jerod started his legal career as an associate in the Entertainment, Intellectual Property, Technology & Media practice group at Greenberg Glusker in Los Angeles where he counseled clients regarding IP, entertainment and new media issues. He also writes about internet technology and branding issues, having contributed articles to World Trademark Review, M/E Insights, Law 260 and the Daily Journal, and has guest lectured at USC Gould School of Law.

SmithHouse Tap and Grill

Address

10351 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025

Validated Valet Parking is provided.

*CLA is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. This program qualifies for 1.5 hours of general MCLE credit and zero hours of Legal Ethics, Elimination of Bias in the Legal Profession and Prevention, Detection or Treatment of Substance Abuse credit. This event may meet the requirements for continuing legal education credits in other states.  Please check with the bar in the state in which you are seeking credits to determine if this event is eligible. 

These seminars are made possible, in part, by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs.  Additional support provided by the California Arts Council.