Computer Law

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Firm attorneys advise clients on the use of patent, copyright, and trade secret law to protect computer-related inventions that often include computer software.

Computer Law Example

Mai v. Peak
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that when an unauthorized user performs maintenance on a computer and causes an operating system to load diagnostic software into the computer, the resulting copyright is unauthorized and therefore, a violation of the copyright owner's exclusive rights.

Computer Law Fact

The US Copyright section 117 was amended in 1998 to allow the exception of making copies of software in a computer in order to repair the computer.

They advise on trademark and copyright issues related to the Internet and e-commerce. Firm attorneys also advise and defend clients against allegations of software patent infringement and copyright infringement related to use of protected software.

Clients are advised on issues regarding use of Open Source software application of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy, and clean-room software development strategies as well as other ways to avoid infringement allegations related to the use of third party software. Attorneys prepare software development agreements and software licensing agreements and assist clients with negotiations of these agreements.