Russell Weiss is a partner in the Los Angeles and Century City offices of Morrison & Foerster LLP and a Co-Head of its Technology and Entertainment practice. Mr. Weiss specializes in transactional matters and counseling in the fields of technology, entertainment, media and intellectual property.

Mr. Weiss has represented technology, life science, consumer electronic and Internet companies on a broad range of transactions, including: outsourcing projects; software and technology development; inbound and outbound licensing; strategic alliances and joint ventures; drug discovery and development deals; joint research and development collaborations; manufacture and supply arrangements; distribution and reseller relationships; co-marketing agreements; venture capital deals; and mergers and acquisitions. He also has represented motion picture, television, cable, music, video game and multimedia companies in structuring, negotiating and drafting a broad range of agreements involving the financing, acquisition, development, production, marketing, promotion, distribution, publishing, sale and other exploitation of motion pictures, television and Internet programming, video games and music.

Mr. Weiss regularly counsels clients on intellectual property and commercial law matters, including, without limitation: piracy; privacy; fair use; the Digital Millennium Copyright Act; digital rights management; advertising; contests, sweepstakes and gaming; right of publicity; and unfair competition. In addition, Mr. Weiss has experience litigating cases involving intellectual property and commercial law issues in federal and state courts. Mr. Weiss has spoken on many panels concerning issues faced by the technology, entertainment, music and video game industries and has been widely quoted in USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, CNET News, Entertainment Law and Finance, and other publications.

Prior to his joining Morrison & Foerster in 1999, Mr. Weiss served as Counsel both in the Motion Picture Division of Columbia Pictures as well as in the Business and Legal Affairs Department of Disney Interactive, Inc.

Mr. Weiss received his J.D. in 1994 from Loyola Law School where he was a Staff Writer for the Loyola Law Review. He received his B.A. in 1990 from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Weiss is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association where he serves on the Executive Committee of the Intellectual Property, Internet and New Technologies Section.

Mr. Weiss is a member of the California bar.

Selected List of Speaking Engagements

• “Innovation, Technology Transfer and Biotechnology”, Moderator, November 11, 2004, Los Angeles, California, Project T2, Larta Institute
• “International Outsourcing: A Comparative Analysis of Offshoring Destinations”, Speaker, October 12, 2004, Huntington Beach, California, Sourcing Interests Group
• “Video Games Take Center Stage: Legal & Business Issues Of The Video Game Industry”, Speaker, October 6, 2004, Los Angeles, California, Morrison & Foerster In-House CLE Program
• “Spyware, Adware and Pop-Ups: From Annoyance to Illegality”, Moderator, July 20, 2004, Los Angeles, California, WebCredenza/Bar Association Teleseminar
• “Video Games: The New Center Stage For Entertainment”, Speaker, June 25, 2004, Denver, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Intellectual Property & Technology Law Institute
• “Motion Picture Development and Production: From Concept to Creation”, Speaker, June 21, 2004, Los Angeles, California, Film and Television Law Symposium/CLE International
• “Subscription Gaming: Will Consoles Broaden the Market?”, Speaker, April 28, 2004, Los Angeles, California, Digital Medial Summit/iHollywood Forum
• “Digital Rights and Fights”, Panelist, April 28, 2004, Los Angeles, California, Digital Medial Summit/iHollywood Forum
• “The Future Of Games”, Speaker, April 13, 2004, Beverly Hills, California, Digital Coast Roundtable
• “Taming the Peer-to-Peer Beast”, Moderator, December 9, 2003, Los Angeles, California, Music 2.0 Conference/iHollywood Forum
• “DMCA Section 512 Safe Harbors”, Speaker, September 4, 2003, Palo Alto, California, 2003 Morrison & Foerster LLP Internet Law Symposium
• “Music Licensing In The Digital Age”, Speaker, April 17, 2003, Los Angeles, California, Inside Digital Media
• “Licensing Trends for the Gaming Industry”, Panelist, April 2, 2003, Los Angeles, California, gameMARKETWATCH Conference/Jupitermedia
• “Music, Post Napster”, Panelist, March 27, 2003, Los Angeles, California, Digital Media Summit/iHollywood Forum
• “Music Licensing In The Digital World”, Speaker, January 16, 2003, Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills Bar Association
• “Software Licensing And Revenue Recognition”, Speaker, March 22, 2002, La Jolla, California, Semiconductor Software Symposium
• “Web Site Audits”, Speaker, November 1, 2001, Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills Bar Association
• “Anatomy Of A Strategic Alliance Agreement”, Speaker, April 14, 2001, Beverly Hills, California, Beverly Hills Bar Association