Registration for the 9th VGBA Game Business & Legal Affairs Summit is now open.

Regular Pricing for 2022: $1200 for VGBA Members, $1400 for Non-Members.

WHERE TO STAY
Downtown San Jose is a short ride from the Santa Clara Law campus. Many of the visiting VGBA Members will be staying at the Signia Hotel by Hilton (formerly the famous Fairmont). The San Jose Marriott, Westin San Jose are alternatives that are a block or so from the Signia.

Session Descriptions & Speakers

Return to the Workplace
The 2022 Summit will kick off with a look at the various legal issues involved in planning to return employees in gaming and interactive entertainment to the office. What will it be like? Do employees have to be vaccinated to return? Do they have to wear masks? What about free food and snacks? How do we hold meetings? While these and other legal questions about returning to the office are hardly limited to the U.S., this first panel will focus on the variations between federal and state law across the U.S., as well as state versus local laws, and all the gray areas in between the regulations (or lack thereof). But seriously, will there be snacks at the office?
Moderated by — Chrissie Scelsi, General Counsel, Wargaming North America

Privacy
As connected games and mobile experiences collect increasing amounts of data, user data, and personally identifiable information, the more liable game developers and publishers become in terms of safe-guarding that information. Compliance with government privacy guidelines also becomes a crucial matter for the continued survival of the game industry. This session looks at where data comes from, defense, legal countermeasures, and response to data breaches, cross-border privacy, and children-specific privacy regulations and best practices.
Moderated by: Joe Newman — Counsel, Tyz Law

Game Finance and M&A Development
The global Pandemic appeared to be the catalyst that threw the world of interactive entertainment into a non-stop series of acquisitions of both large and small proportions. This section will review and discuss the business and legal trends in the financing of games and game companies in recent M&A.
Moderated by — Ryan Black, Partner , DLA Piper Vancouver

Legal Issues with Blockchain Games, NFTs and Metaverses
Panel will cover an array of legal issues that arise with Blockchain Games, NFTs and Metaverses:

• IP protection, licensing and enforcement
• Securities and Sanctions Issues
• Money Laundering
• Gambling
• Effective Terms of Service and Governance
  Moderator: Jim Gatto, Partner, SheppardMullin
  

International Industry Update (including European Union, United Kingdom & Canada)
As the game industry continues worldwide growth, publishers and developers seek to sell games to—and operate in—foreign territories. Understanding the legal framework for those regions, as well as the regulatory climate, market size, and consumer landscape is a key requirement for the modern interactive entertainment attorney.
Konstantin “Konni” Ewald, Partner, Osborne Clarke Germany  //    Tom Harding, Partner, Osborne Clarke United Kingdom //Ryan Black, Partner, DLA Piper Vancouver

Intellectual Property & Copyright
This panel will overview current and pending issues regarding Intellectual Property and Copyright within the world of games and interactive entertainment.
Moderator: James Pearce, Partner, SoCal Intellectual Property Group

Ethics: More Than Fun and Games: The Legal Ethics of Video Game Lawyers
Tyler Maulsby takes a deep dive into the ethical - or not so ethical - world of lawyers depicted in video games. The presenters will review clips of some video games' most famous lawyer characters and analyze those characters' conduct under the ABA's Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Based on an array of specific ABA Model Rules, the program will contrast the often-question antics of lawyer characters in video games with real-life case examples. Topics include:
• internet-Based Scams
• Data Breaches and Cybersecurity
• Consideration for Remote Work
• Candor and Investigation
• Frivolous Claims
This CL will award 1 California Legal Ethics Credit and 1 New York Ethics and Professionalism Credit.
Presenters: Tyler Maulsby, Partner,  and Frances Jensen, Associate, Frankfurt Kurnit

BioMetrics
This session will cover biometrics and related legal issues - especially BIPA and other state biometrics laws focusing on the issues specifically seen in XR (extended reality) products in development that may rely on voice and/or facial recognition technologies and on tracking of hand movements.
Presented by: Tyler G. Newby, Partner, Co-Chair Privacy & Cybersecurity, Fenwick, San Francisco

Litigation Update
Litigation is a keystone for precedents in the games business, and in this lively session, expert industry litigators review recent actions, with discussion of the ramifications and outcomes that every game lawyer should take into consideration.
Co Presenters: Marc E. Mayer, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp  & Karin G. Pagnanelli, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp

Why Should I Care About The Metaverse
Join a conversation on the Metaverse. The Metaverse may just sound like the buzz word de jour but in its most ambitious incarnations the Metaverse aims to reinvent commerce, IP ownership, integrity and host of other important issues.
Moderated by — Janna Smith, Lead Counsel, Meta Reality Labs

Esports Update
Current legal issues and challenges facing the leagues, teams, players and publishing communities that are behind the continuing success of game-based sports competitions.
Moderator: Ryan Morrison, Partner Morrison/Rothman and co-founder Esports Bar Assoc.

SUMMIT SPEAKERS (more being added)

• Chrissie Scelsi – General Counsel, Wargaming North America
• Anne Marie Painter – Partner, Perkins Coie
• Morgan Forsey – Partner, SheppardMullin
• Joe Newman – Counsel, Tyz Law
• Stacy Feuer – Sr. Vice President Privacy Certified,  Entertainment Software Ratings Board
• Brandi Taylor - Partner, Eversheds Sutherland
• Ryan Black - Partner, DLA Piper Vancouver
• Greg Roussel - Partner, Latham & Watkins
• Tom Ara – Partner, DLA Piper USA
• James Gatto - Partner SheppardMullin
  
• Will Conley - Associate, Perkins Coie
• Ira Lam - General Counsel, Superlayer Labs
• Jeremy S. Goldman - Partner, Frankfurt Kurnit
• Konstantin “Konni” Ewald, Partner, Osborne Clarke Germany
• Tom Harding, Partner, Osborne Clarke United Kingdom
• Jonathan Pearce, Partner SoCal Intellectual Property Group
• Kimberly Culp, Counsel, Fenwick
• Adam Sullivan - General Counsel, Square Enix Corporation
• Tyson Gratton - Associate, DLA Piper Canada
• Chris Ponder - Partner, SheppardMulliin
• Tyler Maulsby -Partner Frankfurt Kurnit
• Frances Jensen - Associate, Frankfurt Kurnit
• Tyler G. Newby - Partner, Co-Chair Privacy & Biosecurity, Fenwick
• Marc E. Mayer - Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp
• Karin G. Pagnanelli - Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp
• Janna Smith - Associate General Counsel, Meta Reality Labs
• Felix Hilgert - Partner, Osborne Clarke San Francisco
• Debbie Rosenbaum, Director & Associate General Counsel, Meta
• Michael Cheng - Vice President and Head of M&A, Dapper Labs
• Natalie Camacho - Associate, Morrison/Rothman
  
• Robert Quiles - Associate, Hanson Bridgett
• Oliver Shapiro - Business Affairs, United Talent Agency
• Ryan Fairchild - Of Counsel, Odin Law