Gimme Shelter from the Storm Clouds

A session at SXSW Interactive 2012

As more products and services move to the proverbial cloud, from shared collaboration, commercial product offerings, and user-uploaded content, new business models are created while extant business models come under attack. This panel will explore the disruption caused by some new cloud-based services and how this disruption is affecting existing industries. For example, who is responsible for liabilities arising from the use or exploitation of content stored in the cloud; should Congress change the law to impose new liability/responsibilities on operators of cloud-based services; what rights, if any, do consumers have to perpetual access to their content in the cloud; can a user transfer their content in the cloud to another device or person? These and other questions will be addressed by the distinguished panel.

About the speakers

This person is speaking at this event.

John Simson

Attorney, Lommen Abdo

John L. Simson has been in the music industry since his 1971 signing with Perception Records as a singer/songwriter. Simson was recently named a Special Consultant for Artist Relations and Business Development by Kobalt Music Publishing to assist them in building a "neighboring rights" business (collecting artists' royalties around the world). Simson has practiced entertainment law since 1980 and, in 2011, joined Lommen Abdo Law Firm in an "of counsel" role. From 2001 through 2010, Simson served as Executive Director of SoundExchange where he increased its membership to over 45,000 recording artists and 5,000 independent labels. Simson's career has also included managing country superstar Mary Chapin Carpenter, among others, as well as receiving an Emmy nomination for music supervision on the PBS "American Roots Music" television series. Over the past decade, Simson has became one of the leading spokespersons for the value of music and the importance of ensuring that artists receive fair pay for the use of their work by digital services.

This person is speaking at this event.

Gary Greenstein

Of Counsel, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

GARY GREENSTEIN is an attorney with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. He specializes in intellectual property, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and commercial transactions, with specialized expertise in the digital exploitation of intellectual property. He represents a wide range of technology companies in licensing transactions with copyright owners in the music, film, and television industries. He previously served as the first general counsel of SoundExchange and vice president of business and legal affairs at RIAA.