Room 1347, UCLA School of Law

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8:30 to 9:00 AM (PDT)
Registration / Light Refreshments

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9:00 to 9:15 AM (PDT)
Introductory Remarks

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9:15 to 10:30 AM (PDT)
Annual Litigation Update
(1.25 General CLE)

Our annual litigation update will examine some of the top cases and disputes from the prior year or so affecting the digital media and video game space – including, among others, those involving rights of publicity, rights of privacy, first amendment, trademarks and copyright.

Moderator:

• Maria Abesa, Senior Counsel, Square Enix

Panelists:

• William (Bill) Coats, Sole Practitioner
• Marc Mayer, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
• Nima H. Mohebbi, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

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10:35 to 11:50 AM (PDT)
Hot Topics in Online Safety and Privacy: What’s Happened in 2025 and What’s Ahead in 2026?
(1.25 General CLE)

This panel will provide insight into the general themes impacting privacy and online safety in the United States under the current administration, legislative trends at all levels in the U.S. and in Europe, and related enforcement actions. Key topics include online safety, censorship, content moderation, and the treatment and online protection of children, including trends in age gating, targeted advertising rules, as well as discussion of a potential new Children’s Online Privacy Protect Act (states and Federal), AI and privacy, and applicable European Union laws.

Moderator:

• Felix Hilgert, Partner, Osborne Clarke

Panelists:

• Susan Rohol, Partner, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
• Elvis Stumbergs, Senior Counsel, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Electronic Arts

More Panelists Announced Soon!

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11:50 AM to 12:30 PM (PDT)
Lunch & Networking Break

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12:35 PM to 1:10 PM (PDT)
Lunch Presentation –
Future of Digital Media and Video Games
(0.5 General CLE)

Speakers:

• Andrew Wallenstein, Chief Media Analyist, Luminate Intelligence
• Kaare Eriksen, Media Analyist, Luminate Intelligence

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1:15 to 2:30 PM (PDT)
Alternative Business Models in Games and Digital Media
(1.25 General CLE)

This panel would discuss the evolving business models in the video game and digital media industries.  

Moderator:

• Cooper Jackson, SVP, Business Affairs & Development, Electronic Arts

Panelists:

• Andy Babb, Founder/Executive Producer, Pixel Blaze Studio

More Panelists Announced Soon!

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2:35 to 3:50 PM (PDT)
Ethical Uses of AI in the Workplace, Including as a Tool for Attorneys
(1.25 Legal Ethics CLE)

As law firms and in-house legal departments are increasing incorporating AI into their practices, it is important to understand the ethical and practical issues and limitations.  Our panel will discuss how to use AI as part of a legal practice in a safe, ethical and compliant manner, including a look at some of the AI programs developed specifically for legal practices.

Panelists Announced Soon!

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3:50 to 4:15 PM (PDT)
Networking Break

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4:15 to 5:30 PM (PDT)
General Counsel Roundtable
(1.25 General CLE)

The best GCs are those who are conversant on cutting edge legal and business issues. Join our speakers from leading technology and video game companies to hear about business and legal trends, what keeps them up at night, and a general discussion as to the state of the digital media and video game spaces.   

Moderator:

• Seth J. Steinberg, Principal, Digital Arts Law; Co-Chair, Digital Media & Video Games Conference

Panelists:

• Stan McCoy, SVP and General Counsel, Entertainment Software Association
• Roy Rosenthal, Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary, Scopely
• Clint Smith, Chief Legal Officer, Discord

More Panelists Announced Soon!

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5:30 to 5:35 PM (PDT)
Closing Remarks

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5:35 to 6:45 PM (PDT)
Reception (Sponsored by Osborne Clark)

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CA MCLE Credits: UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending all sessions, you may earn up to 6.75 credits (5.5 hours of general credit and 1 hour of legal ethics credit).

Join us for a networking reception immediately following the day’s program. The reception will provide an opportunity to connect with speakers, colleagues, and fellow attendees in a relaxed setting over light refreshments and beverages. 

The reception will be held outdoors in Shapiro Courtyard, located at UCLA School of Law. 

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This reception is generously sponsored by Osborne Clarke. 

Badges are required for entry and may be picked up at the check-in tables near the entrance of Law Room 1347, located on the first floor of the UCLA School of Law.

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Check-in begins at 8:30 AM, and the program will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. Refreshments and beverages will be available during check-in.  

• Law School Parking Lot (On Charles E. Young Dr. East) | Map 

  • $30/day | 3-minute walk to the Law School building. 

  • Visitor permits can be purchased via ParkMobile or at the Self-Service Pay Station. 

  • Address: 371 Charles E. Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA 90095 

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• Parking Structure 3 (North) | Map 

  • $16/day | 8-minute walk to the Law School building.  

  • Please park in designated guest parking areas. Visitor permits can be purchased at the Self-Service Pay Station within these areas. 

  • Address: 215 Charles E. Young Drive North, Los Angeles, CA 90095 

• When will I receive my MCLE certificate?  

  • Certificates will be emailed a few weeks after we verify your attendance and code word submissions. Please ensure your email address is correct on the form.  

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• What if I forgot to scan the QR code during the conference and didn’t complete the MCLE attendance form?  

  • A follow-up email will be sent to all in-person attendees after the event with a link to the MCLE Attendance Form.  

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UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. This session has requested MCLE credit and is currently pending approval. 

Thank You to Our 2025 Reception Sponsor

 

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• Osborne Clarke 

 

Thank You to Our 2025 Promotions Partners

 

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• American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries

 

Seth J. Steinberg, Principal, Digital Arts Law

Mr. Steinberg, principal of Digital Arts Law, is an accomplished commercial transaction and intellectual property attorney with a wide range of experience in several practice areas. His private practice provides strategic advice and counsel to both mature and emerging companies located domestically and abroad, including those with business interests in online and new media, content creation and distribution - such as interactive and filmed entertainment - ecommerce, virtual reality, music, technology and consumer products.

Prior to forming his private practice, Mr. Steinberg was general counsel and director (head) of business affairs for San Francisco based LucasArts, a Lucasfilm company. He was a member of LucasArts’ senior executive group and advised management on a wide range of business, corporate and legal issues for more than seven years.

At LucasArts, Mr. Steinberg oversaw all negotiation and documentation of the company’s worldwide strategic business arrangements and alliances in development, distribution, sales, manufacturing and marketing. He also managed the licensing of cutting-edge technology, content acquisition and aspects of LucasArts’ copyright, trademark and patent portfolios. He was also responsible for all litigation-related activities, including risk management, legal analysis and management of outside counsel on a worldwide basis.

Prior to joining LucasArts, Mr. Steinberg was legal counsel, business and legal affairs, for 989 Sports / 989 Studios, a division of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. At 989, he was responsible for business and legal functions in connection with the production, distribution, and marketing of the company’s interactive entertainment software titles, including sports games licensed by the four major professional sports leagues, their respective players associations, and the NCAA. In addition, Mr. Steinberg handled matters related to business development and licensing out the company’s intellectual property.

Prior to 989 Sports / 989 Studios, Mr. Steinberg was an associate at Reinis & Reinis, a business law firm in Los Angeles that focused on representation of companies in the apparel and fashion industries. While there, he handled a variety of transactional and litigation matters.

Mr. Steinberg is admitted to practice in California, Illinois and the District of Columbia and was previously selected by his peers as a Northern California “Super Lawyer” (by Law & Politics).

Rusty Weiss, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

Rusty Weiss is a partner in the Century City office of Sidley Austin LLP and a member of Technology Transactions Practice and Sports, Media and Entertainment Group. Mr. Weiss specializes in transactional matters and counseling in the fields of media, entertainment, sports, music, technology and intellectual property with a particular focus on the convergence of entertainment and technology. Mr. Weiss represents video game, motion picture, television and streaming, mobile, Internet, sports, music, toy and multimedia companies in structuring, negotiating and drafting a broad range of agreements involving the financing, acquisition, development, production, marketing, promotion, distribution, publishing, sale and other exploitation of video games, motion pictures, television and Internet programming, podcasts, music and consumer products. Mr. Weiss also represents a wide array of technology companies in structuring, negotiating and drafting agreements involving the research, development, licensing, manufacturing, marketing, distribution, sale and other exploitation of technology. In addition to the transaction matters that he handles for clients, Mr. Weiss regularly counsels clients on intellectual property and commercial law matters, including, without limitation: artificial intelligence, advertising, fair use, right of publicity, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, piracy, contests, sweepstakes and gaming, digital rights management, and unfair competition.

Mr. Weiss has spoken on many panels concerning issues faced by the media, entertainment, technology and intellectual property industries and has been widely quoted in Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, CNET News, San Jose Mercury News and other publications.

Frequently recognized in various legal publications for his achievements, Rusty was named by Variety in its Legal Impact Report (2017–2018, 2020–2023) and also by Variety in its Dealmakers Impact Report (2019, 2021-2023). He is recommend by The Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment Law and Technology Law (2010–2022), Euromoney’s Expert Guides (2015–2021), and The Legal 500 US (2014, 2016–2017). In 2014, the Los Angeles Business Journal named Rusty one of their “Most Influential Lawyers in Digital Media and Ecommerce Law.”

Maria Abesa, Senior Counsel, Business & Legal Affairs, Square Enix

Maria Abesa supports development, marketing, and publishing functions and works with the Square Enix legal teams in Los Angeles, London, and Tokyo to ensure consistent compliance with applicable law. Additionally, she assists in the finance, investment and corporate governance matters of the Square Enix group of companies. Prior to working at Square Enix, Maria was an associate in the Mergers and Acquisitions group of Sidley Austin in Century City.

Maria is a triple Bruin, having obtained a BA in Political Science before proceeding to graduate from the UCLA School of Law with a JD and the Luskin School of Public Affairs with an MPP. Maria spends her spare time cycling the bike trails of Los Angeles, building mechanical keyboards, lamenting the state of the Denver Broncos, and (of course) playing video games.

Cooper Jackson, Senior Vice President, Business Affairs & Development, Electronic Arts

Cooper Jackson is Senior Vice President of Business Affairs and Development at Electronic Arts, which she joined in 2019. She leads the teams responsible for EA's long-term commercial and strategic partnerships. She is responsible for managing EA’s relationships with global platform partners for the distribution and marketing of games on console, PC and mobile devices, cloud streaming and subscription services. She also oversees negotiations of IP licenses integrating entertainment content and brands into EA's games, as well as film and TV production deals for EA’s IP. In addition, Cooper heads business development for technology licensing, music licensing and talent engagement, including union negotiations.

Prior to EA, Cooper was Senior Vice President at Twentieth Century Fox Film, where she managed worldwide Business Affairs for digital home media, leading negotiations of complex commercial deals and driving strategic initiatives to distribute film and TV content on digital streaming and transactional platforms. Before joining Fox, Cooper was Senior Vice President of Business Affairs for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, responsible for digital and traditional media licenses, content acquisitions and global distribution partnerships. Earlier in her career, Cooper was an antitrust and intellectual property litigator at major law firms in New York and Los Angeles and Vice President of Legal Affairs at Warner Bros.

Cooper is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center and Williams College, where she was on the Board of Trustees. She has also served on the California Advisory Board of The Trust for Public Land and as an Executive Member of Women in Film. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, a screenwriter, and has three grown sons.