Social Media is becoming pervasive in today’s society. This CLE looks at how it intersects with legal issues crossing a broad spectrum of specialty areas to give all practitioners the information they need to be aware of the special risks and issues social media presents. Our speakers will look at how it affects brands, defamation for individuals and businesses, the new area of evidence and investigative tools social media presents and the ethical issues it presents for lawyers. Oh, and we will be having a beer too. 

Thursday March 28, 2013
2:00-5:00 p.m.

Buffalo Bayou Brewing Company
5301 Nolda Street
Houston, Texas 77007 

Topics:

Brand Protection in the Online Space
Aparna Dave, Senior Counsel – Intellectual Property, Wells-Fargo
Social media and the web have created new opportunities for brands to engage with their customers. With this opportunity comes legal risks every brand should consider such as the importance of having a mutli-stake holder social media team who monitors and engages with the company’s fans and detractors. Brands also need to know how to react to, among other things, unauthorized use of the company’s intellectual property from namesquatters and brandjacking by utilizing and complying with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. This informative presentation will leave you with pointers, pitfalls, practical responses, checklists and strategies to protect brands.

Evidence and Investigation in an Online World
Jana Woelfel, Strasburger & Price, LLP
People share more on social media creating a trove of personal data. Can employers look at this information and make adverse employment decisions? How does it affect discovery in ongoing litigation? While the amount of information may be plentiful and helpful to the cause, there are rules and best practices each lawyer should know before making Facebook and other sites landmines as opposed to valuable tools.

Defamation and Privacy Online
Katie Sunstrom, Lorance & Thompson, PC
From commercial entities to the private individual, the increased exposure due to the proliferation of social media and other vehicles for public speech has changed the litigation landscape. We will review defamation and privacy related case law over the past two years with specific emphasis on Texas and the impact of social media and the internet on these causes of action. Further we will discuss the ephemeral topic of damages calculations in these areas.

Ethics of Lawyers on Social Media
Travis Crabtree, Member, Gray Reed & McGraw
Social media presents the same opportunities and pitfalls for lawyers that it does it for brands. Except, lawyers also have to deal with those pesky ethical rules. The rules don’t expressly cover social media, but that does not mean there aren’t some generally accepted best practices. We will learn what rules apply whether you are on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or blogging and whether you are dealing with the general public, witnesses or judges.

CLE:
3 hours of CLE including .75 hours of ethics

RSVP:
http://www.cvent.com/d/hcqfrd/1Q

More Information: 
For more information, contact Lauren Tilley at ltilley@grayreed.com.