International Video Game Law Summit

Overview

Jointly presented by the ILT and the IBA’s Electronic Entertainment and Online Gaming Sub-Committee, this is the conference where the law and business of video games meet. It is an important event for lawyers, game company executives, game developers and entrepreneurs.

Highlights will include:

• The future of video game technology
• 10 things you must know and do when starting your business
• Concurrent reviews of relevant tax, finance and litigation concerns; and of IP worries, business structures and crowd funding
• Hacking and how to deal with it

Download the Brochure (pdf)

For more details, download the online brochure.

Conference Co-Chairs

Agenda and Faculty

Monday, June 23

8:00 am

Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:50 am

Introduction and Welcome

Conference Co-Chairs

• Douglas W. Kenyon, Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Mark Methenitis, T-Mobile USA, Dallas, Texas
• John Vernon, The Vernon Law Group, PLLC, Dallas, Texas

9:00 am

The Future of Video Game Technology

In this session, game industry visionaries will, together with the Summit attendees, explore the following questions as they apply to the coming decade:

1. What advances do you predict will be made in video game technology?
2. How will those advances affect the development, content, and distribution of video games?
3. If you envision significant are barriers to further advances, what are they? (4) How do current trends, from digital distribution to social gaming to gamification, continue to play out moving forward

Moderator:

Mark Methenitis, T-Mobile USA, Dallas, Texas

Panelists:

• Joshua Howard, Denius-Sams Gaming Academy, Moody college of Communication, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 
• Randy Pitchford, President and CEO, Gearbox Software, Dallas, Texas
• Sheri Graner Ray, Schell Games, Austin, Texas
  

10:00 am

The Future of Video Game Law and Regulation

Holt Foster, Thompson & Knight, Dallas, Texas

10:45 am

Coffee Break

11:00 am

Women in Gaming Technology and Law

The role of women in gaming—whether as gamers, content developers, or cultural and business leaders— continues to evolve as new platforms and ways of thinking about what constitutes gaming expand the opportunities for women to offer new and unique perspectives to the industry. The panel and audience will discuss that evolution, what it means for the future of the industry, how gender differences affect how games are being made and will be made in the future, and how to harness new perspectives to enhance the potential for future success. Stepping back to address the bigger picture, the panel will also examine the role of women in business, an area where women in law and women in games have faced similar issues, and how broader questions like gender discrimination may effect the development and publication side of the industry. 

Moderator:

Sandy Collins, Hunton & Williams LLP, Richmond, Virginia

Panelists:

• Kate Edwards, International Game Developers Association, Mount Royal, New Jersey
• Sheri Graner Ray, Schell Games, Austin, Texas
• Audrey Mross, Munck Wilson Mandala, Dallas, Texas

12:15 pm

Networking Luncheon

2:00 pm

10 Things You Must Know and Do When Starting Your Business

Many game developers choose to retain their independence by setting up their own businesses. What are the pitfalls which they and their advisors need to look out for? Our speaker will discuss ten important considerations for every new business owner. 

Marco Mereu, Chief Executive Officer, Gameblyr, Boston, Massachusetts

3:00 pm

Concurrent Sessions

The Digital Economy - An International Tax Update

A discussion of key cross-border tax issues affecting the technology and other digital industries including an overview of the latest developments from the OECD and relevant taxing jurisdictions around the world as well as perspective on the taxation of cloud computing arrangements. 

Jamie Wolfe, Ernst & Young, Austin, Texas

Crowd Funding – How Will it Work?

Crowd funding has been hailed as the new solution for entrepreneurs seeking finance for their businesses.  How will it work in practice?  How can a small business owner take advantage of crowd funding?  Will it live up to expectations?

Kevin Vela, Vela Keller, PC, Dallas, Texas

4:00 pm

Break

4:15 pm

Concurrent Sessions

Intellectual Property Considerations for Video Game Developers

The game is the thing – but is it really? Developers need to look beyond the game itself to protect their ideas from being exploited by others without permission or payment. Our speaker will outline the basic intellectual property protections of which every developer should be aware.

David W. Carstens, Carstens & Cahoon, LLP, Dallas, Texas

Financing Your Ideas

So you or your client have this great idea for a new video game, or a new business. There is some capital available to develop the idea, but not enough. Where can you get finance? Will the terms be reasonable? Will you be able to retain control over your idea or business? What will potential financiers be looking for? 

• Joe Babcock, Epic Games, Cary, North Carolina
  
• Matt Himelfarb, Dallas Ventures Partners, Dallas, Texas

5:15 pm

Networking Reception

Tuesday, June 24

8:00 am

Continental Breakfast

9:00 am

Concurrent Sessions

Lessons Learned from Litigation

Video game companies are complex technology innovators. At the same time, they are corporate actors with legal rights and obligations. Understanding those legal rights and obligations can be the difference between operational and financial success and failure, especially when the company becomes embroiled in litigation related to its most valuable assets, including its intellectual property. In this session, seasoned litigators and game company lawyers will discuss lessons they’ve learned from hotly contested technology matters and provide guidance for implementing or fine-tuning a legal strategy for enhancing the company’s operational efficiency and value. 

• Dennis Fairbanks, Hunton & Williams LLP, Richmond, Virginia
• Doug Kenyon, Hunton & Williams LLP, Raleigh, North Carolina

What’s the Best Way to Structure Your new Business?

Startups have only been complicated by the digital economy. What entities make the most sense for these kinds of ventures, and where should they be formed? That can be a difficult question to answer, and touches on elements of tax law, intellectual property law, employment law, and, of course, business entity law. This session endeavors to point out the big questions in this realm, and provide some answers that might be situationally appropriate for some start-up ventures. 

Mark Methenitis, T-Mobile USA, Dallas, Texas

10:30 am

Break

10:45 am

The Perils of Hacking

Hacking is at best a nuisance, and at worst can be expensive and potentially dangerous. Our speaker will discuss hacking and how you can help prevent it, and also consider what protections the law offers to the victims of hacking. 

Peyton Engel, Hurley, Burish & Stanton, Madison, Wisconsin

12:15 pm

Adjourn

CLE Credits

MCLE Credit

This program is approved by the State Bar of Texas for 9.5 hours, no ethics. Course ID Number: 901295840. Sign-in sheets and/or certificates of attendance will be available for ALL states.

Specialization Credit

This program is approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 9.5 hours in the following areas: Civil Appellate Law and Civil Trial Law

Hotel Accommodations

Other Information

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