It’s official: video games are a legitimate practice area for lawyers. On February 8, 2011 the Video Game Bar Association launched with a five-member board that includes in-house counsel and firm lawyers. It’s continuing mission: to boldly go where no Bar Association has gone before … or provide a relevant industry information and networking space for lawyers (I like my first answer better).
Here’s what you need to know about the new Video Game Bar Assocation:
Who’s in charge? As mentioned there is a five member board of in-house and law firm lawyers.
- Patrick Sweeney, head of Reed Smith’s video game practice
- George Rose, executive vice president and chief public policy officer at Activision Blizzard Inc.
- David Anderson, vice president of business and legal affairs for THQ Inc.
- David Rosenbaum of the Law Offices of David Rosenbaum
- Konstantin Ewald, a partner at Osborne Clarke in Cologne, Germany
Everyone is in California except Konstantin.
How can you get in? 100 attorneys in North American and Europe were initially invited to join the organization. According to Law.com, you need to meet the following criteria to be eligible: “Membership is open to attorneys who have practiced for two or more years, predominantly in the games industry, on a recommendation by two existing members from different firms.”
What does it cost and what do I get for that? The price right now is $100 per year, and you will get continuing legal education (CLE) courses in video game law, as well as networking events at trade shows.
Sounds great, when do we start? There is a kickoff meeting on March 2, 2011 during the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.
Is a bar association for “video game law” really necessary? Yes. As someone who has written about and focused on these issues since 2005, I can only tell you this industry is going to continue to grow. The demand for lawyers with an intimate knowledge of all sides of the video game industry will continue to rise as well. From the Reed Smith press release (Sweeney’s firm):
Video games are a multi-billion dollar industry, despite a slowdown in consumer spending, and the number of attorneys specializing in the industry is on the rise as issues unique to the games business increasingly require specialized counsel both on an in-house and an external basis.
The numbers are impressive, as cited int he Am Law Daily blog:
Last year American consumers spent at least $15.4 billion on game content, according to estimates from market research NPD Group. (By comparison, movie box office revenues totaled $10.5 billion in 2010.) And according to the Entertainment Software Association, computer and video game companies employ, directly or indirectly, more than 120,000 people in 34 states.
Based on these facts an organized association that can guide lawyers in handling video game cases is long overdue. Plus, I would much rather take a CLE in something like “litigating the management of digital assets in massive multiplayer online role playing games” than something on tax shelters, wills planning for baby boomers, or litigating auto accident claims any day.
How did this start? According to Law.com:
Sweeney held meetings during the past year at video game trade shows, including the Entertainment Software Association’s E3 Expo in Los Angeles and the Gamescom trade show in Germany. Nearly 60 attorneys at those events expressed interest in a bar association devoted to video game law, Sweeney said.
Are there any Linkedin, martindale.com Connected, or other social media groups for this yet? From what I could find in searching current industry groups like Video Game Industry Professionals on Linkedin or the groups directory on martindale.com Connected, the answer is “no.” Whether the association decides to form these after their kickoff meeting remains to be seen. I’d like to formally offer on this post to help with community management on any group they do decide to create, and invite them to start on martindale.com Connected.
Finally, what does the public think about this? Check out this video clip from industry maven and YouTube video game commentator Press (heart) to Continue:
Jurisgamer: Video Game Law Explained 