UVA Law Conference Will Examine Impact of Special Interests on U.S. Intellectual Property Laws

Update: "Judge Paul Michel '66 on the U.S. Patent System" (Video, Podcast). Paul Michel '66, who held the nation's top judicial position focused on intellectual property law matters as chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 2005-10, delivered the keynote address at a symposium hosted by the Virginia Journal of Law & Technology.


Experts and attorneys from Google, Netflix, private practice and academia will assess how much influence special interests are wielding in the evolution of the nation's copyright and patent laws at a symposium hosted by the University of Virginia School of Law on Oct. 26 in Caplin Pavilion.

Paul Michel '66, who held the nation's top judicial position focused on intellectual property law matters as chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit from 2005-10, will deliver the keynote address.

The event, "Copy Right, Patent Wrong? How Special Interests Are Influencing Intellectual Property Laws," will kick off at 9:30 a.m. with opening remarks and Michel's address, followed by a panel on patent law legislation, lunch, a panel on copyright and Internet law, and closing remarks at 2 p.m. The symposium is sponsored by the student-run Virginia Journal of Law and Technology.

"Special interest groups have a long history of influencing the intellectual property laws in the U.S. and their influence was especially prominent in the debate over the Stop Online Piracy Act last winter," said symposium organizer and third-year law student Valerie Barker. "The symposium will bring together a diverse group of people to discuss both the positive and negative effects of interest groups as well as the best path forward for IP law. It should be a really interesting discussion."
 

Schedule - Friday, October 26
All events are in Caplin Pavilion.