2024 Midwinter Meeting

Join the Copyright Society's Board on the Las Palmas Lawn for a special first-time attendee mixer! Members of the Copyright Society's Mentorship Program are also encouraged to join for networking with the full group.

Join us on the Las Palmas Lawn for hors d'oeuvres and networking as we kick off the conference!

As generative AI has taken the world by storm, the music industry has been one of the focal points. What does generative AI mean for the ways in which music is created and protected, and what threats does AI pose to rising and established songwriters, artists, and music enterprises? This panel on artificial intelligence and music will discuss a wide array of pivotal issues, including music creation and distribution, the legal and ethical implications of AI-generated music, the future of copyright in the age of AI, the right of publicity (both domestically and internationally), and pending litigation involving artificial intelligence and music.

This panel will focus on copyright and licensing pitfalls arising from the use of social media platforms. The panelists will discuss topics such as music agreements between music rights administrators and the platforms, embedding, and how content can be used in compliance with sometimes-murky platform terms.

After months of highly visible negotiations, the major Hollywood unions reached agreements with studios in 2023. This breaking news segment will quickly translate these labor contracts for our audience of IP practitioners, telling us what we need to know about the copyright and other IP-related aspects of the SAG/WGA deals.

In an age brimming with content, IP holders—from authors to toy companies to game developers—are finding new avenues to maximize the value of their copyrights. On the buyer side, studios, networks, and streamers are molding their strategies to shape and keep pace with an ever-evolving industry. Join us as we unravel the trends and future of entertainment rights deals, including how this all plays out in the negotiation and drafting of grants of rights, reserved rights, and merchandising clauses.

Sponsored by the ADR Office of Usher Winslett – Enjoy the beauty of California's desert on a tour of the Andreas Canyon with Red Jeep Tours. An expert naturalist will guide you and tell you about native plants, animals, geology and the history of the California desert. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes for walking on rough terrain. Bring a hat and sunscreen. Pickup from hotel at 3:00 pm / Estimated return 5:30pm.

Join us for a curated tour of the Coachella Valley History Museum. The Coachella Valley History Museum is the best way to learn about the history of our beautiful valley. With our rich collection of exhibits, you can learn all about the people, places, and times that have made the Coachella Valley the epicenter of so much in Southern California history, resulting in a rich, entertaining, and educational museum experience for adults and kids alike. The Museum is ADA compliant. Shuttle bus pick-up: 3:15pm / Tour begins at 3:45pm / Return bus: 5:15pm with drop-off back to the hotel at 6:00pm

Join us on the Las Palmas Lawn for a 60-minute yoga session for all levels. Karen Salgado is an experienced yoga instructor who will guide this all-levels experience. Sponsored by Erica Carter. Purchase activity tickets here: https://copyrightsociety.org/product/mw24-yoga-with-karen/

Join us for pick-up tennis games sponsored by Shades of Gray Law Group! These friendly matches are a great way to work on your serve. Pick up from hotel: 3:15pm / Arrival at courts: 3:30pm / Return pick up from courts: 5:30pm

Join us for a 60-minute covered wagon tour with a naturalist and wagons master driver. Experience an Adventure through the Sonoran Desert and along the Canyons of the San Andreas Fault on a Covered Wagon! Relax and enjoy the ride as you venture into a pristine wilderness preserve, accompanied by a knowledgeable naturalist guide who will entertain and educate you about the geological canyon landscapes and natural palm oases. Discover the diverse plant life and wildlife that thrive in this oasis desert wilderness. Keep an eye out for fascinating creatures like Owls, Hawks, Reptiles, and Coyotes during the tour. Gain insights into the local Cahuilla "Native American" Culture and their historical presence in this area. Delve into the early Pioneer History and learn about the stagecoach stops in this remote desert region Pickup from hotel: 3:30 pm / Return pickup: 5:45 pm

Join us outdoors on the 5th Fairway for dinner and networking. Guest tickets are available for purchase.

Don't miss a special set by Copyright Society house band Crude Humble & Obvious at the hotel's pub!

While we all know that text has long been covered by copyright, you might not know as much about the innovative ways we’ve used and licensed works like news, fiction, and scientific journals in our ever changing technological world. Learn how we’ve licensed these types of works here and abroad, the current AI litigation landscape swirling around text, variations between different types of textual works and in comparison to licensing and uses of other creative works, and potential paths forward.

In May 2023, the Supreme Court decided the closely watched fair use case Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Goldsmith, which asked whether an Andy Warhol painting based on a photograph of musician Prince by Lynn Goldsmith was "transformative" under the first factor of the fair use test. In the past eight months, the lower courts and practitioners have had to grapple with the extent to which the ruling does, or does not, impact the analysis of fair use questions arising in cases involving not just visual arts, but a wide variety of works. Our panel of knowledgeable experts will discuss the impacts of Goldsmith on the overall fair use analysis, the impact on parody and commentary, and how wide-reaching the ruling may be on future fair use disputes.

This panel will discuss the particular challenges associated with protecting live events including sporting events and live concerts. The panel will look at this from a global perspective, specifically reviewing legislative initiatives in the US and EU which would require internet service providers to take infringing content down expeditiously and ensure the content stays down. The panel will also review civil measures taken by rights holders including site blocking and Right of Information actions and how these have changed the live piracy landscape.