Date/Time
Date(s) - 05/05/2021
10:00 am - 11:30 am

The legal landscape for technology law changes rapidly, and it can be challenging to stay up to date with the latest developments. This can be particularly true for nonprofits and small businesses that have limited legal budgets. When law and technology intersect, however, it is critical for organizations to be aware of legal requirements so they can maximize their potential while minimizing their liability. Two areas where this is particularly important are data privacy and security law and intellectual property law.

Join us for an overview of important data privacy and intellectual property laws that impact nonprofits and small businesses.

On May 5th, Tech Networks of Boston (TNB) will host a free Nonprofit Roundtable session featuring Liz Kleinberg and Shawn Gordon of Dunkiel Saunders.

Data Privacy Laws: supporters and clients entrust nonprofits with personal information in many ways, including when they make donations, purchase goods, use services, request customer support, and provide feedback. Over recent years, a complex web of law has grown to govern access to and to protect the privacy of personal information. It can be challenging to figure out which laws apply as well as the nuances of each. As more data privacy laws are enacted, data privacy standards are emerging. Organizations need to know what they are required to do as holders of personal information. Nonprofits also need to focus on data security concerns. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FBI has reported a 300% increase in reported cybercrimes, with approximately 43% of cyberattacks targeting small businesses, and nonprofits are not exempt. Many vulnerabilities can be mitigated through legal measures and organizational policies and procedures.

This session will provide an overview of the scope of privacy protection laws, how they impact access to personal information, and what actions are required if personal information is breached.

Intellectual Property: “Intellectual property” includes trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets. An organization’s intellectual property is among its most valuable assets, and it’s important for nonprofits and small businesses to identify, protect, enforce, and commercialize their intellectual property so those assets can benefit their organizations to the greatest extent. For instance:

• Nonprofits rely on goodwill to fundraise, provide goods and services, and carry out their missions. Trademarks are important assets that helps engender goodwill. If an organization doesn’t protect its rights, it’s possible that the brand could lose its goodwill and the organization’s efforts could suffer.
• It may be tempting to have a friend design a logo or a website without entering into a contract. Without a written agreement, however, it’s likely that the friend is the owner of the copyrights in that logo or website. Having agreements in place that make clear who owns the intellectual property rights in works made for you will allow you to use them as you want without running into disputes down the road.
• You may want to work with another entity to further your mission, such as in the context of a commercial or charitable co-venture or cause related marketing, with a third-party provider to help you provide your services, or to license your patent or copyrights to another entity so they can use them in ways beyond your capacity, in a way where you might reap some benefits. Legal agreements are important to help you utilize and protect your intellectual property.
• Nonprofits are not immune from accusations of intellectual property infringement, and such claims can get in the way of carrying out your mission. For this reason, trademark clearance searches may be important, as well as patent clearance searches depending on the nature of your business.

About Our Presenters:

Liz: Liz Kleinberg is a Certified Information Privacy Professional/United States (CIPP/US) and an attorney at Dunkiel Saunders Elliott Raubvogel & Hand PLLC in Burlington, VT where she focuses on data privacy and security, intellectual property, nonprofit, and business law. Throughout her legal career, Liz has sought opportunities to work with organizations that have meaningful missions, and she has been gratified to help them grow their businesses and achieve their goals.

Before joining Dunkiel Saunders, Liz served as General Counsel for 5+ years at Social Sentinel, Inc., a technology company developing SaaS products to provide organizations with insights into threats made in digital communications. Prior to serving as General Counsel, Liz engaged in private practice at the law firm Dinse P.C. in Vermont and Burr & Forman LLP in Birmingham, Alabama. She was a visiting professor at Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, and served as a judicial law clerk for judges on the U.S. Circuit Judge for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and in the Middle District of Alabama. Liz also served as a law fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama. Liz obtained her J.D. from Columbia Law School and a Master’s of International Affairs from Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs. She obtained a B.A. from Cornell University.

Shawn: Shawn Gordon is an intellectual property attorney at Dunkiel Saunders Elliott Raubvogel & Hand PLLC in Burlington, VT, with a focus on patent and trademark preparation, patent litigation, and licensing. Shawn has handled matters in a wide range of areas, from medical devices to cinder blocks, from fishing tackle to KVM switches. He assists a wide range of clients, from individual inventors to international businesses, to find creative, cost-effective solutions for their intellectual property matters.

Prior to joining the firm in 2016, Shawn ran a solo practice and worked as an associate in law firms in Boston and Minneapolis. He also was a clerk in the United States International Trade Commission’s intellectual property enforcement division. Shawn taught high school science before attending law school, and earned his J.D. at the University of Michigan Law School. He obtained a Master of Arts in Teaching from Cornell University, and graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in chemistry.  

This session is ideal for nonprofit leaders, managers, and team members who are concerned with data privacy or involved in the development of products, services, or marketing materials. Join us on Wednesday, May 5 to participate in this discussion.

Please apply using this link by May 3rd. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance within two days of their application.