1 Participatory MCLE Credits

This panel seeks to demystify NFTs, examining their utility, potential applications, and the legal implications that accompany their growing popularity. Join our expert panelists as they delve into the multifaceted world of NFTs and address the pressing question: What are they good for?

Key Topics:

1. Introduction to NFTs and Technical Background: A foundational look at what NFTs are: a piece of digital information modified by an agreed-upon computer program running on many computers.
2. Utility and Application: From digital art and collectibles to real estate and intellectual property, explore the varied uses and potential future applications of NFTs.
3. Legal Implications: Unravel the intricate legal challenges and issues surrounding NFTs, including intellectual property rights, contract law, securities law, ownership disputes, and regulatory concerns.

Speakers: Thomas Barr, Irene Y. Lee, and James Taylor-Copeland

Moderator: Leaf Williams

Non-Member Price
$75.00

Member Price
$55.00

Dr. Thomas W. Barr is a science advisor at Irell & Manella LLP, where he specializes in technical advising for patent litigation and runs Irell’s in-house Technical Analysis Laboratory. He has experience advising on various technologies, including computer architecture, integrated circuit design and fabrication, telecommunications, medical and embedded devices, and operating systems/security.

Prior to joining Irell, Thomas was a research assistant at Rice University. His research has focused on computer architecture and operating systems, specifically in the areas of high-performance computing, memory systems, robotics, and embedded systems. Thomas was the original maintainer of embeddedpython.org, an open-source Python environment for microcontrollers. He is an active member of the Association for Computer Machinery and a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Thomas earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science and his M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Rice University. He earned his B.S. in Engineering and Music, with distinction, from Harvey Mudd College.

Irene Lee is a partner at Russ August & Kabat, where she focuses her practice on all aspects of intellectual property, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, and right of publicity. Irene helps clients navigate through the issues surrounding creating, acquiring, securing, protecting, defending, enforcing, licensing, and monetizing their rights in various forms of intellectual property worldwide and counsels them on risk management.

Irene has been featured in WTR 1000 – The World’s Leading Trademark Professionals and selected by peers and clients in Managing Intellectual Property’s Top 500 IP Stars and Top 250 Women in IP. Irene was recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer since 2013, as one of Southern California Top 50 Women since 2016, and one of Southern California’s Top 100 Super Lawyers since 2017. In 2024,  she was named to The Best Lawyers in America (2024 Edition) for Litigation – Intellectual Property. Billboard recognized Irene in its 2023 ‘Top Music Lawyers’ list. The Los Angeles Business Journal has named her one of the Most Influential Women Lawyers in Los Angeles, one of the Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Los Angeles, and one of the Leading Intellectual Property Lawyers in California. Irene is also a sought-after speaker.  She was a panelist for the 2022 IPO Annual Conference.

As a registered patent attorney, Irene employs her patent prosecution experience in strategizing patent litigation and licensing issues. Irene represents clients in a wide range of industries, including recreational vehicle, beauty, biotechnology, information technology, housewares, household products, baby products, food and beverages, jewelry, apparel, and CBD-based goods.

In addition to patent litigation and licensing, Irene has extensive experience in trademark prosecution, litigation, and licensing with an emphasis on global brand expansion and management through strategic trademark and copyright protection and enforcement programs.

After working for years at two of the largest and best respected law firms in the country, James Taylor-Copeland founded Taylor-Copeland Law with the goal of providing the same high quality representation to individuals and small businesses that would otherwise be unable to afford it.  He is an experienced trial attorney who has represented individuals and businesses in federal and state courts throughout the United States. 

Prior to forming Taylor-Copeland Law, James was a litigator at Mintz Levin in San Diego and Clifford Chance LLP in Washington, DC.

James received his J.D. from Georgetown University where he earned a place on the Dean’s List and as an editor of the Georgetown Journal of International Law. 

James focuses on cryptocurrency and blockchain litigation, but also has has significant experience in consumer protection, employment, personal injury, and complex commercial litigation.