Why Virtual Worlds Matter for Lawyers

This program will raise awareness of the legal issues arising from virtual worlds with a particular focus on educating attendees about issues clients may encounter in these new spaces.

Virtual worlds, or the "3D Internet," are rapidly becoming big business. Gartner estimates that 80% of all Internet users will have a virtual world presence by 2011.  Virtual worlds like Second Life have real economies and offer intellectual property protection. As such, these worlds raise serious legal questions for virtual world participants ranging from intellectual property, to employment law, to governance. Teleconference and webcast participants will leave with a solid understanding of the basic legal issues facing clients who use these spaces, strategies for confronting those issues, and open questions in "virtual law."

The program will be offered in Second Life as a drop-in session. The panelists and the moderator will be "in world" during the conference, represented by avatars.  It is not mandatory, and not necessary to get the benefits of the teleconference, but instructions on how you can experience the teleconference “in world” are on the confirmation page after you sign up for the teleconference. You will create your own avatar through Second Life and join the teleconference there.

Exclusive Offer for Program Participants Register now and save 20% when you order Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds from the ABA Web Store. Details on the registration confirmation page

Benjamin Duranske (Moderator), Author, Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds, Boise, ID

David Elchoness, Executive Director, Association of Virtual Worlds; Founder and CEO, VRWorkplace.com, Boulder, CO

Lauren Gelman, Executive Director, Stanford Law Center for Internet and Society; Lecturer in Law, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

Steve Mortinger, VP & Associate General Counsel, IBM Systems & Technology Group, Somers, NY

Francis Taney, Chair, Technology Litigation Practice Group; Shareholder, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, PC, Philadelphia, PA

$100 Section of Science & Technology Law Members
$100 Section of Intellectual Property Law Members
$150 ABA Members – rate includes complimentary enrollment in the Section of Science & Technology Law
$165 General Public
$80 Young Lawyers Division Members
$80 Each additional registrant using the same phone line

All participants must register for the program.

Join the Section of Science & Technology Law or the Section of Intellectual Property Law and save money on this program, as well as a full range of products and services.

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