An Open Source Update

As the use of open source software continues to grow, so do the number of open source licenses and the complexity of the issues. This webinar will provide an update on:

• New open source licenses that impact the use of open source with cloud-based deployments
• A growing number of patent lawsuits against open source
• Comprehensively defining “open source” - how some “standard” definitions of “open source” miss licenses that should be included
• The growing need for comprehensive open source policies

Speaker

James G. Gatto, Partner, Sheppard Mullin, United States

Jim Gatto is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in Sheppard Mullin’s Washington, D.C. office. He is also Team Leader of the firm's Blockchain Team and its Open Source Team.  Mr. Gatto has over 30 years of experience advising on software and open source issues and is a Black Duck Certified legal specialist. He has been the leader of the IP and Open Source Practices at a number of AmLaw 100 firms.

Mr. Gatto has a broad IP and tech practice focused on IP Protection and Strategy (with a heavy patent emphasis), prosecution, litigation, transactional, licensing, patent sales. In the Open Source arena he advises clients on the following open source issues: license clearance; open source policies; M&A diligence and remediation; open source contributions; open source licensing; patent strategies when using open source and much more.

He is a frequent speaker and has written numerous articles on open source. The following are some examples:

• Open Source Software in M&A and Finance Transactions, Thomson Reuters, June 5, 2018
• Patent Issues with Open Source Software (OSS), Thomson Reuters, June 5, 2018
• Open Source and SaaS, Thomson Reuters, June 5, 2018
• Considerations for Developing Corporate Open Source Policies, Thomson Reuters, June 5, 2018
• “Open Source Fundamentals,” Lexis Practice Advisor, October 2017
• “Open Source Issues with Cloud Computing,” Cloud Computing Legal Desk book