Law of the Game

I wanted to take a moment to post the following press release. Last year’s event was outstanding, and I think the upcoming conference will be even better. I will be a speaker again this year, and hope to see some readers in the audience. Registration is limited, so be sure to secure a spot soon.

News Release

Registration for 2010 Game::Business:: Law Summit Now Open via game-business-law.com
2nd Annual International Summit on the Law and Business of Video Games to be Held January 27-28, 2010 at SMU

SMU/Dallas-October 5, 2009- Registration is now open for the 2010 Game::Business::Law Summit, the second annual international summit on the law and business of video games, to be held January 27-28, 2010, at Southern Methodist University.

Hosted by SMU Dedman School of Law, The Guildhall at SMU, and The Center for American and International Law, the summit will once again bring top game industry leaders, developers, publishers, lawyers and members of the venture capital and financial industry from around the world to discuss current business trends and legal issues in the games industry.

“If you are a business development person, a member of the legal affairs team or financial staff of a video game studio or publisher, you really should attend this conference,” Zack Karlsson, senior director of business development at NAMCO BANDAI Games America, said. “What makes this conference so great is the strong interaction of the audience with the panel members. It is really more like a discussion of key issues affecting the growth of our industry rather than a series of presentations and lectures.”

In order to foster the interactive nature of the conference between the audience and speakers, space will be limited. Attendees are encouraged to sign up early.

In response to the success and feedback from the 2009 Game::Business::Law Summit, organizers have announced an initial slate of notable speakers:

• John B. Attanasio, Dean, SMU Dedman School of Law
• Keith Boesky, Principal, Boesky & Company
• Robin Bynoe, Senior Counsel, Charles Russell LLP (London, UK)
• Roxanne E. Christ, Partner, Latham & Watkins
• Ken Doroshow, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, ESA
• Zack Karlsson, Senior Director of Business Development, NAMCO BANDAI Games America, Inc.
• Joseph Olin, President, Academy for Interactive Arts and Sciences
• David McCombs, Partner, Haynes and Boone, LLP
• Shane McGee, Partner, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, LLP
• Mark Methenitis, Electronic Entertainment Section, The Vernon Law Group, PLLC
• Xuan-Thao Nguyen, Professor, SMU Dedman School of Law
• Dr. Peter E. Raad, Executive Director and Founder, The Guildhall at SMU
• J. Paul Raines, Chief Operating Officer, GameStop Corporation

For more information on registration, tuition and making a reservation to attend the event dinner, visit www.game-business-law.com

For additional information on the conference and possible sponsorship opportunities, contact Ron Jenkins, Deputy Director, The Guildhall at SMU, at jenkinsr AT smu dot edu or (972) 473-3546.

About The Guildhall at SMU:
The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University is the premier graduate video game education program in the US. Many of the school’s founders are industry icons, and classes are taught by industry veterans. In six short years, over 300 Guildhall graduates have worked at more than 80 video game studios around North America. SMU offers both a Master’s degree and a graduate Professional Certificate of Interactive Technology in Digital Game Development, with specializations in art creation, level design, and software development. For more information, visit www.guildhall.smu.edu.

About Dedman School of Law at SMU:
The Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University enjoys a strong national and international reputation, having produced successful leaders who live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, throughout Texas, across the United States, and in more than 70 countries. Dedman Law is among the top 25 most selective of law schools for admission in the United States. With a small entering class size in the day and evening programs, an outstanding teaching faculty with superb credentials, and numerous distinguished guest lecturers, we forge an invaluable link between legal theory and the reality of legal practice––providing one of the best legal educations in the country. For more information, please visit www.law.smu.edu.

About The Center for American and International Law:
The Center is a nonprofit institution founded in 1947 and dedicated to the continuing education of lawyers and law enforcement officials in the United States and throughout the world. Tens of thousands of lawyers and law enforcement officers from all 50 states and more than 125 countries have participated in its programs. The Center for American and International Law is located at 5201 Democracy Drive at Legacy Park in Plano, Texas. For more information about The Center, please visit online at www.cailaw.org.