IP, Copyright, & Trademark & Intro to Smart Contracts

IP, Copyright, and Trademark

Course description:

Virtual assets are often created, stored, and transacted with the help of an immaterial medium. They are intangible, digital, or electronic, and have certain unique issues such as: how can you own virtual assets; who owns them; and whether can they be copied or modified by others. Do the developers of open-source software lose their rights to any improvements made outside the central project? The answers to these questions are not always clear considering the technological advancements that were unimaginable when Intellectual Property laws were first created. Intellectual property laws cover a broad range of assets that include trademarks, patents, databases, and artistic works.

Learning objectives:

• Compare IP law, copyright, and trademark in physical and virtual assets
• Explore broad coverage of IP law and its extensions to virtual assets
• Identify IP Laws applicable to virtual assets beyond physical elements
• Examine regulation of IP laws applicable to virtual assets in the metaverse

Intro to Smart Contracts

Smart contracts are digital contracts that are programmed to execute specific actions when certain conditions are met. They are written using computer code and stored on a blockchain to provide a secure, self-enforcing agreement between two or more parties. This session will explain the purpose, real-life examples, and legal implications of smart contracts in various industries incorporating blockchain technology.

Learning objectives:

• Identify types, characteristics, and importance of smart contracts
• Explore best practices of industries where smart contracts are successfully used
• Evaluate risks and legal implications involved and recommend ways to mitigate
• Propose ways on how lawyers and regulators can implement and leverage this innovation towards business automation, time and cost reduction