Advanced Copyright Seminar*

Limit: 20 students.

The seminar will afford students the opportunity to delve deeply into copyright law in the United States. The seminar will be organized around four general areas in copyright law. First, we will focus on the rules of third party liability, including technology providers as well as internet service providers and website hosts of user generated content. Next we will study more closely copyright law and the music industry, including the challenges brought about by digital distribution. Another area of focus will be norm shaping and its relationship to copyright law from “best practices” guidelines to on-line communities and the creative commons movements. Finally, a fourth area likely will be developed based on enrolled student input.

In addition to reading and discussing class materials, each student is required to research and write an analytical paper on a seminar-related topic of his/her choosing. Students are required to rewrite their papers in response to comments on their initial paper submissions. Students may thus satisfy the Capstone writing requirement through this seminar. As this course is a seminar, each student will also be responsible for leading a discussion during class. Class attendance, participation in discussion, and leading discussion will form a part of the student’s grade for the course.

Meets the Capstone writing requirement

Prerequiste: Copyright Law, or Intellectual Property Survey

The American Bar Association accreditation standards require students to regularly attend the courses in which they are registered. Lewis & Clark expects students to attend classes regularly and to prepare for classes conscientiously. Specific attendance requirements may vary from course to course. Any attendance guidelines for a given class must be provided to students in a syllabus or other written document at the start of the semester. Sanctions (e.g., required withdrawal from the course, grade adjustment, and/or a failing grade) will be imposed for poor attendance.

*Typically offered every other year