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Presented by the Ziffren Institute and Institute for Technology, Law & Policy, in association with the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Forum on Sports and Entertainment Industries, this year’s conference brings together leading practitioners and executives to discuss pressing issues in digital media and the video game industry.

In addition to robust discussions of a variety of topics that will engage and educate, this one-day conference also includes opportunities to meet, network, and reconnect with colleagues and friends. The conference is held in an intimate setting with limited availability and includes a hosted lunch and evening reception.

Since 2007, the Digital Media and Video Games Conference has been a key gathering for senior attorneys, executives, and industry leaders from video game developers, platform owners, publishers, eSports teams, content creators, and more.

Co-chaired by Rusty Weiss and Seth J. Steinberg, the conference offers valuable insights on the evolving digital media and video game landscape, keeping attendees informed on business trends and legal developments. 

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Friday, November 8 | 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM (check-in begins at 8:00 AM) | Room 1347, UCLA School of Law

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Registration Fees:

• General Admission: $349.00
• Forum on Entertainment and Sports Member: $299.00
• Beverly Hills Bar Association Member: $299.00
• ABA Law Student Member: $25.00

 

All sessions will take place in Room 1347 in the UCLA School of Law building.

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8:00am - 9:00am (PDT)

Registration / Light Refreshments

 

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9:00am - 9:15am (PDT)

Introductory Remarks

 

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9:15am - 10:30am (PDT)

GC Roundtable - (1.25h General CLE)

Moderator:
Rusty Weiss, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

Panelists:
Dan Emerson, General Counsel, Take Two Initiative
Adam Sullivan, General Counsel, Square Enix
Other Panelists to be announced soon!

 

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10:30am - 10:45am (PDT)

Networking Break

 

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10:45am - 11:45am (PDT)

Ethics of Responsible Gaming - (1h Ethics CLE)

Moderator:
Other Panelists to be announced soon!

Panelists:
Stacy Feuer, Senior Vice President, ESRB Privacy Certified
Felix Hilgert, Partner, Osborne Clarke
Zachary Lewis, Associate, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz

 

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11:45am - 1:00pm (PDT)

Lunch (starts at 11:45)

Lunch Presentation – Digital Media and Video Games: The Competition Hollywood Has for Consumer Attention (12:15 to 12:45 PM) - (0.5h General CLE)

The entertainment industry may have enough to worry about in 2024 as its core film and TV businesses feel the pressure of adapting to a streaming-driven marketplace. But the truth is the challenges Hollywood face now holding onto its audiences extends far beyond the production of premium long-form video. Intended as a companion of sorts to the "After the Streaming Wars" presentation given in June at UCLA's 48th Annual Entertainment Symposium this presentation takes a look at the competitive landscape for consumer attention, including video games, the creator economy, social video, immersive entertainment, and of course, AI. Enough talk about binge watching and themed popcorn buckets; let's talk about Roblox, Apple Vision Pro, the Sphere in Las Vegas and other innovations.

Presenter:
Andrew Wallenstein, Chief Media Analyst and President, Variety Intelligence Platform (VIP+)

 

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1:00pm - 2:00pm (PDT)

Annual Litigation Update - Part I. (copyright, trademark, ROP, rights of privacy, patent) - (1h General CLE)

Moderator:
Doug Lichtman, Professor, UCLA School of Law

Panelists:
William (Bill) Coats, Sole Practitioner
Marc Mayer, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

 

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2:00pm - 2:30pm (PDT)

Annual Litigation Update - Part II. (Apple / Google / Epic litigation and state of in-app purchases and side payments) - (0.5h General CLE)

Panelists to be announced soon!

 

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2:30pm - 2:45pm (PDT)

Networking Break

 

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2:45pm - 3:55pm (PDT)

Show Me the Money! The Impact of NIL on Sports, Video Games & Digital Media - (1h General CLE)

Reference to “NIL” is in the news on a near daily basis.  This panel will discuss why NIL seems to be everywhere, NIL’s emergence and intersection with rights of publicity, and how the associated money is impacting digital media, video games & sports, including the sports-media landscape.  This includes a look at how such ties in with the recent surge in popularity of women’s sports, the return of EA Sports’ NCAA Football video game, the potential for more money – an increase in private equity investment in sports, and the use of real-time apps to “tip” players

Moderator:
Seth J. Steinberg, Principal, Digital Arts Law

Panelists:
Dylan Budd, Vice President, Legal Affairs, EA Esports and Entertainment
Sara Gotfredson, Founder, Trailblazing Sports Group (formerly VP, ESPN/Disney)
Mark Tratos, Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig

 

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4:00pm - 5:10pm (PDT)

Cross-Media IP Exploitation in Entertainment and Gaming - (1h General CLE)

This panel will discuss how entertainment and video game companies are expanding and licensing their IP to create cross-media entertainment products that span games, film, TV, books, podcasts, live events, merchandising and digital media to reach new fans and engage audiences. Successful franchise expansion is dependent on the rights and licensing of IP, which our panelists will address from a legal and business perspective across different types of entertainment and media. Our discussion will also include key trends and legal challenges in cross-media linear adaptations using video game IP as source material, as well as the use of TV/film storytelling IP in games and other media.

Moderator:
Cooper Jackson, SVP, Business Affairs & Development, Electronic Arts

Panelists:
Pam Reynolds, Director & Associate General Counsel of Legal Affairs, Amazon MGM Studios
Ned Sherman, Chief Business Affairs & Legal Officer, Skybound Entertainment
Jenifer Wallis, Chair of Entertainment Practice, Munck Wilson, Mandala, LLP
Rusty Weiss, Partner, Sidley Austin LLP

 

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5:00pm - 5:15pm (PDT)

Closing Remarks

 

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5:15pm - 6:30pm (PDT)

Reception

 

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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 6.25 credits (5.25 hours of general credit and 1 hour of legal ethics credit).