Spring term, Block
H
M 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Mr. Christopher Bavitz
2 classroom credits LAW-92625A
2, 3, or 4 optional clinical credits Fall or Spring, or 2 Winter LAW-92625C
This course explores a variety of legal issues relating to the creation,
exploitation, and protection of music and other content. The seminar focuses on
traditional legal regimes and business models and the ways in which new technologies
(particularly the evolution of digital media and the Internet) have affected
legal and business strategies involved in the making and distribution of
content. The course's primary emphases are music and the ways in which legal
principles manifest themselves in practice in the music industry. The seminar
builds off a discussion of music rights to address issues surrounding content
rights in other contexts (e.g., news media), and it reviews the ways in which
traditional concepts and practices in this area are challenged by and evolving
in the digital world. The course balances discussions of big-picture doctrinal,
policy, and theoretical considerations with a focus on day-to-day legal and
business practices and specific skills (transactional, client counseling, and
litigation) that are relevant to practitioners in this area. A prior course or
other background in copyright law would be useful but is not required.
Students who would like to participate in the optional clinical must enroll
through clinical registration. Clinical placements are with the Cyberlaw Clinic
at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society. Please refer to the Office of
Clinical and Pro Bono Programs website (http://www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinical)
for clinical registration dates, early add/drop deadlines, and other relevant
information.