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Digital Media Law and Management

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Lecture for Erich Pommer Institute on “Annual Update Copyright and Media Law § 15 FAO – advanced education for lawyers and specialist lawyers in copyright and media law“ on the topic KI and Copyright.

Lecture for Erich Pommer Institute on “Annual Update Copyright and Media Law § 15 FAO – advanced education for lawyers and specialist lawyers in copyright and media law“ on the topic KI and Copyright.<hr>

Legal Lecture on Media and Copyright Law – Annual Update Copyright and Media Law § 15 FAO

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Christiane Stuetzle is a partner in Morrison Foerster's office in Berlin and Co-Chair of the firm's Global Film & Entertainment Practice. She is a Certified Specialist for Copyright and Media Law & Arbitrator on the International Arbitration Panel of the IFTA (Independent Film & Television Alliance, Los Angeles).Her practice focuses on all matters in the field of film, music & entertainment as well as legal and strategic advice and lobbying support at all stages of the development, financing, production, and distribution of audiovisual products and at the intersection of content and technology.In regards to production of audiovisual content, she advises several major Hollywood studios, independent producers, and gaming and toy companies on the development, financing, production, and distribution of films, series, and other content. For some clients, she also functions as their contact for external business & legal affairs in Germany. She is the go-to lawyer when it comes to aligning standards between the United States and Germany. Christiane’s projects include the TV series “Queen’s Gambit”, “Berlin Station,” and “Homeland,” and international feature films such as “The French Dispatch,” “Without Remorse,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Cure for Wellness,” “Book Thief,” “Monuments Men,” “Hitman: Agent 47,” and “Big Business,” among others. Berlin newspaper “Der Tagesspiegel” calls her “Hollywood’s lawyer in Berlin”.Another significant part of her work is the ongoing legal advice relating to the distribution and available of content, including the ongoing advice to TV channels, streaming services, social media, and other online platforms on all distribution--related matters from regulatory requirements, youth protection, statutory film levies, holdbacks, user terms, rights clearance as well as negotiations with rightsholders.Based on the increasing impact of the EU legislation to multi-territorial businesses, Ms. Stuetzle is also closely monitoring current and upcoming EU legislation, such as the EU Copyright Directive, and is assisting multiple clients with legal and lobbying support, strategic advice on alignment of their business model, and products with these new legal requirements and corresponding risk mitigation strategies.Christiane Stuetzle is the founder and organizer of the Berlin office's annual entertainment panel & reception held and co-hosted by the US Embassy to Berlin and the Motion Picture Association of America (MPA) for high-ranking guests from the creative industry, the finance sector and politicsChristiane Stuetzle is active in an organization for the top women in the German media industry and is a board member of the Female Supervisory Board of Hypo Vereinsbank/Unicredit. She regularly holds lectures on Copyright, Film, and Media Law at the Epi Media Institute in cooperation with the University of Potsdam and is Christiane Stuetzle is co-author of the Munich Handbook of Copyright and Media Law.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Several Hollywood studios and film production companies on the development, financing (including available film subsidies), production and distribution of series and films, including “Queen’s Gambit,” “Homeland,” “The French Dispatch,” “Without Remorse,” “Berlin Station,” etc.</li><li>Handling of business and legal affairs for the local language division of a major studio, handling of local language (co-)productions, e.g., “Heilstaetten,” “Golden Twenties,” “Antonio im Wunderland,” “Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten,” “Rico, Oskar und das Herzgebreche,” “Rico, Oskar und der Diebstahlstein,” “Doktorspiele,” “What a Man,” “Schlussmacher,” etc.</li><li>Toy company on the production and distribution of digital content (series, apps, games, lottery games), user-generated content and music rights clearance including GEMA</li><li>Streaming service on license and exploitation related matters and youth protection, including rights clearance of a film library for distribution on a worldwide family entertainment-related streaming service, youth protection aspects, including the app to the service, contractual questions, German statutory film levy, and music licenses and available film subsidies for new productions</li><li> Social media platform on the EU Copyright Directive and its European implementation process, including the extended liability for online content sharing service providers, strategic advice on alignment of the business model and its products with these new legal requirements</li><li>Pay-TV channels on the application for a German broadcasting license, German age rating for films and series, advertising and product placement regulations, EU content quota, etc.</li><li>Film library evaluation and due diligence.</li></ul>

Christiane Stützle ist Partnerin des deutschen Büros von Morrison Foerster in Berlin und Co-Chair der globalen Film & Entertainment Praxisgruppe von Morrison Foerster. Sie ist Fachanwältin für Urheber- und Medienrecht und Schiedsrichterin am internationalen Schiedsgericht der IFTA (Independent Film & Television Alliance).Ihr Beratungsschwerpunkt liegt im Bereich Transaktionen für Film und Entertainment sowie rechtliche und strategische Beratung in allen Stadien der Filmproduktion, vom Development, der Finanzierung, Herstellung und dem Vertrieb von audiovisuellen Produkten. Mit ihrem Team berät sie Hollywood Studios und Produzenten bei der Finanzierung, Durchführung und dem Vertrieb von Film- und Fernsehproduktionen und agiert häufig als Bindeglied zwischen Hollywood und europäischen Partnern.Ihre Produktionsprojekte beinhalten die TV Serien „Berlin Station” und „Homeland”, die die ersten internationalen TV Serien sind, die in Deutschland gedreht worden sind sowie internationale Kinofilme wie z. B. „The Grand Budapest Hotel”, „Cure for Wellness”, „Die Bücherdiebin”, „Monuments Men”, „Hitman: Agent 47”, „Big Business” etc.Chrsitiane Stützle agiert ferner als Business & Legal-Affairs Ansprechpartnerin für die deutsche Produktionsniederlassung eines Hollywood-Filmstudios. Zu den von ihr betreuten Projekten gehören „Rico, Oskar und der Diebstahlstein”, „Antonio, ihm schmeckt’s nicht”, „Doktorspiele”, „Der Schlussmacher” etc.Weiterhin berät Christiane Stützle zahlreiche Filmverleiher bei der Verhandlung und Gestaltung von Lizenzverträgen für den Kino-, Video- und Fernsehvertrieb, einschließlich Output-Deals. Darüber hinaus ist sie als Beraterin für verschiedene  Radio- und Fernsehsender im Bereich Medienrecht tätig. Dies beinhaltet die Beratung bei urheberrechtlichen und medienkonzentrationsrechtlichen Themen sowie bei Fragen des Jugendschutzes, des unlauteren Wettbewerbs, Presse- und Markenrecht sowie bei der Prozessführung.Christiane Stützle ist Begründerin des seit 2002 stattfindenden jährlichen Filmproduktions- und Filmfinanzierungspanels von Morrison Foerster, Fördermitglied der Deutschen Filmakademie und der Produzentenallianz. Frau Stützle hat umfangreich zu medienrechtlichen Themen publiziert und ist Mitglied einer Organisation für führende Frauen in der deutschen Medienbranche sowie des Frauenbeirats der Hypo Vereinsbank.<h4>Referenzen</h4><ul><li>Beratung verschiedener U.S. Filmstudios mit der Strukturierung und der Umsetzung von internationalen in Deutschland gedrehten Fernsehserien, wie zum Beispiel, „Homeland”, „Berlin Station”.</li><li>Beratung verschiedener Hollywood-Studios zur Strukturierung und Umsetzung von internationalen Koproduktionen, wie zum Beispiel „Cure for Wellness”, „The Other Side of the Door”, „Big Business”, „Hitman: Agent 47”, „The Grand Budapest Hotel”, „The Book Thief” etc.</li><li>Business & Legal-Affairs Ansprechpartnerin für die deutsche Produktionsniederlassung eines großen Filmstudios, Betreuung von deutschsprachigen Ko-Produktionen, wie zum Beispiel „Antonio im Wunderland”, „Rico, Oskar und die Tieferschatten”, „Rico, Oskar und das Herzgebreche”, „Rico, Oskar und der Diebstahlstein”, „Doktorspiele”, „What a Man,” „Schlussmacher” etc. </li></ul><ul><li>Beratung der Kino- und Home Entertainment Sparte eines großen U.S.-Filmstudios bezüglich des Kinofilmverleihs, sowie des Video- und DVD-Vertriebs in Europa, einschließlich von Digitalisierungsstrategien, kartellrechtlichen Themen und Fragen zu Produktpiraterie.</li><li>Beratung des deutschen Verbands der Filmverleiher VdF im Zusammenhang mit dem Digitalisierungsvertrag für sogenannte Kriterienkinos.</li><li>Rechtliche Beratung des History Channel zu in Deutschland produzierten dokumentarischen Formaten für seine deutschen Fernsehsender.</li><li>Bewertung der Filmbibliothek und Due Diligence u.a. der Filmbibliothek von KirchMedia und der Bibliothek der ehemaligen Kinowelt.</li><li>Beratung von NBC Universal Pay-TV Kanälen bei Lizenz- und Vertriebsfragen.</li></ul>

Christiane Stuetzle

Co-Chair Global Film & Entertainment Practice

Roman Swoopes is head of the litigation department for Morrison Foerster’s Palo Alto office. He focuses his practice on patent, copyright, and trade secret litigation and counseling. He represents clients in industries including computer software, hardware, and peripherals, data storage, digital imaging, consumer electronics, music, and graphic design. In a case the court dubbed the “World Series of IP Cases,” Roman successfully argued in court against partial summary judgment on a copyright claim and in support of a favorable claim construction at a Markman hearing. He has represented clients at intellectual property trials, where he worked closely with expert witnesses. Roman has considerable experience in the areas of copyrightable and patent-eligible subject matter for software. He has also represented clients in disputes involving open source software licenses, such as the GNU General Public License (GPL).In 2022 Roman was recognized as a “Lawyer on the Fast Track” as part of The Recorder’s California Legal Awards for his patent and copyright practice.  Roman was also profiled in 2020 by Bloomberg Law for its “They’ve Got Next” series which spotlights young lawyers who are raising the bar in their practices.Roman served as a law clerk to the Honorable Raymond T. Chen of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and to the Honorable Ronald M. Whyte of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Prior to law school, he worked at Accenture, one of the world’s largest information technology consulting companies.Roman received his J.D. from Stanford Law School. He received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Harvard University.Roman is admitted to practice in California and before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Roman Swoopes

Partner

Steven James is a Partner based in the London office of Morrison Foerster. He specialises in intellectual property disputes, and advises on the protection and exploitation of intellectual property, as well as a wide range of commercial matters.Steven practices in intellectual property, technology, and commercial law, with a focus on new technologies and innovation. His experience includes advising clients on both contentious and transactional intellectual property and commercial matters, predominantly in the tech, financial services, life sciences, retail and luxury goods, food & beverage, and media sectors. He advises on the full spectrum of IP rights, including trade marks, passing off, copyright, designs, patents and confidential information. Steven counsels clients on the development of IP and branding strategies and formulates strategic approaches for the licensing and enforcement of intellectual property rights. He also has experience of advising on commercial disputes, defamation and data protection matters.Steven has been recommended for Intellectual Property law and Technology, Media & Telecommunications Law multiple times over many years in the Legal 500 UK. He is described by clients as “an efficient, effective and an excellent, timely communicator … always on hand to provide confident and practical advice. His deep and technical knowledge of IP is unparalleled”. Steven has also been named a Trade Mark Star by Managing Intellectual Property and as a recommended individual by IAM Patent 1000.He has been awarded a Distinction in Intellectual Property Law from the University of Oxford. Steven has conducted matters before the U.K. Intellectual Property Office, the EU Intellectual Property Office, the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, the High Court and Court of Appeal, and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Steven is a Solicitor-Advocate with rights of audience in all civil proceedings in the higher courts of England and Wales.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Representing Wirex Limited, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency platforms, in its successful trade mark infringement claim and damages inquiry against Cryptocarbon Global Ltd & Others (Wirex Limited v. Cryptocarbon Global Ltd & Others ([2021] EWHC 617 (IPEC) and [2022] EWHC 1161).</li><li>Novaerus Patents Limited v Quest International (UK) Limited [2016] EWHC 95 (Ch): Represented medical technology provider Novaerus in a summary judgment claim in a complex contractual dispute about the sale of various patents and subsequent cross-licensing.</li><li>Advising World-Leading COVID Rapid Test Provider Excalibur Healthcare Services on a ground-breaking Licence and Development Agreement with Sensyne Health in respect of the use of Excalibur’s lateral flow diagnostic tests with Sensyne Health’s clinical AI software, ‘MagnifEye’.</li><li>Acting for an electrical wholesaler in relation to a passing off claim against a nationwide chain. </li><li>Acting for a software development company on a High Court Technology & Construction Court dispute with a global retail bank.</li><li>Acting for the acquirers of the iconic Crombie coat brand, and advising on its global IP portfolio.</li><li>Acting for an electrical wholesaler on a passing off action against a listed building merchants’ business.</li><li>Acting for an online fashion retail platform in respect of parallel trade mark infringement proceedings in the U.K. and United States.</li><li>Interflora Inc v Marks & Spencer plc (Case C-323/09): Acting for Interflora on a high profile trade mark infringement case relating to the use of keywords on Google’s AdWords program, which was referred to the Court of Justice of the European Union.</li><li>Orion Publishing Group Ltd v Novel Entertainment Ltd [2012] EWHC 1951 (Ch): Acting for a major commercial publisher in relation to a dispute over a royalty verification clause in a publishing agreement.</li></ul>

Digital Media Law and Management

12 Dec 2023