News & Events

Computational Law & Blockchain Festival - DC Node

The practice of law is changing. In the same way that technologies like blockchain, IoT, and big data have stressed traditional approaches to doing business in finance, commerce, health, education and other major sectors, law and policy requires new skills and tools to be effective.

The series of presentations, discussions and hands-on learning opportunities and software demonstrations will offer practitioners and technologists an opportunity to LEARN, DISCUSS AND "HACK" on the technology and law and policy challenges leading this space. Participants will join a diverse community of lawyers, academics, policy makers, and technologists in more than forty locations around the world exploring and defining this exciting new area of law and technology, as part of the 2018 COMPUTATIONAL LAW & BLOCKCHAIN FESTIVAL
http://legalhackers.org/clbfest2018/

Legal practitioners, policy analysts, technologist and anyone interested in learning, discussing and hacking on these topics are encouraged to participate. The software demos are selected for both veteran software developers and participants new to the technologies opportunity to develop a stronger technical understanding of Computational and Blockchain law and policy implications.

The event will be livestreamed with live twitter feeds on #clbfest2018DC #legalhack #clbfest2018 #ailaw

The event is possible with the generous support of the American University, Washington College of Law, Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property; and The South Big Data Innovation Hub, http://southbdhub.gatech.edu/

Mindfulness Mondays

Join instructor Aurora Hutchinson for a mindfulness session in N100B Wellness Space (first floor of the library, to the left).

Public Performance Rights in the Age of Internet Streaming: A Discussion of Spanski Enterprises, Inc. v. Telewizja Polska, S.A.

This event is cosponsored by the D.C. Bar Intellectual Property Law Community and the AUWCL Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property.

What is the reach of U.S. copyright law when it comes to online video streaming services?  Addressing an issue of first impression in the courts of appeal, Spanski Enterprises, Inc. v. Telewizja Polska, S.A.; concerns whether a copyright owner’s exclusive right to control the public performance of an audiovisual work in the U.S. is infringed when the work is digitally streamed from foreign servers to viewers in the United States. The U.S. government filed an amicus brief arguing thatSpanski implicates both the interests of the Copyright Office in administering federal copyright law, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice’s ability to prosecute large-scale criminal piracy of copyrighted works by foreign entities that stream copyrighted works over the Internet to U.S. viewers. Come hear more about these issues, which are currently being considered in Spanski by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Featuring: Megan Barbero, the U.S. Department of Justice attorney who argued on behalf of the government before the D.C. Circuit, and Regan Smith, Deputy General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office. Ms. Barbero and Ms. Smith will discuss the facts and issues in Spanski and its potential impact on U.S. copyright law. In addition, Ms. Smith will discuss how the Copyright Office typically becomes involved in copyright litigation between private parties. They will also take questions from the audience.

Registration is free but required: tiny.cc/publicperformance

Pathways to Employment in International Law

International and Comparative Studies and the American Bar Association Section of International Law will host a diverse group of attorneys currently engaged in practicing international law, advising clients on legal issues involving international matters, doing research, advising governments or teaching international law. The speakers will share their experiences and advise JD and LLM students on how to pursue an interesting and successful career in international practice.

Speakers: to be announced

Moderator: Celestine Greenwood, Barrister-at-Law, LL.B., M.Sc., LL.M. (WCL ’17), LL.M. Career Counselor.

Registration is free, but required. To register, please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration.

For further information, contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education, 202.274.4075 or secle@wcl.american.edu

Wellness Consults with the AU Wellness Center

Looking for a knowledgeable ear? Want to check in about your current well-being status and needs? Book a Wellness Consult appointment with Abby Wolfe, MPH of the AU Wellness Center to talk through how you're doing. You can discuss everything from stress management to sexual health to sleep patterns to substance use and more. Read more here: https://www.american.edu/ocl/wellness/Programs.cfm