John C. Beiter, Program Co-Chair, is a partner at Loeb & Loeb LLP in the Nashville office. His practice focuses on entertainment, copyright and trademark law, primarily in the music field and related litigation. He represents recording artists, songwriters, record companies, music publishers and other parties involved in the music industry.

James H. Harris III, Program Co-Chair, a member of Gordon, Martin, Jones & Harris, focuses his practice on entertainment, copyright and trademark law. He has been listed in “Best Lawyers in America” for entertainment law since 1995.

Joseph M. Beck is a partner at Kilpatrick Stockton LLP. He is listed in “Best Lawyers in America” for copyright and entertainment law and is an Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Property at Emory University Law School. He is lead counsel in Rosa Parks vs. Laface Records et al (use of Parks’ name as song title) and Sun Trust Bank as trustee for the Stephens Mitchell Trusts vs. Houghton Mifflin Co. (Gone with the Wind/Wind Done Gone case).

P. Craig Cardon, partner at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP, focuses on intellectual property and e-commerce counseling and litigation where much of his practice is devoted to Internet and trademark disputes. He is the founder of a firm interdisciplinary group devoted to the unique issues of technology-based start-up companies.

Brian B. Darville is Of Counsel in Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C.’s Trademark and Copyright Practice Group. He advises companies in all phases of trademark, domain name, copyright, software and Internet-related matters and litigation. He frequently handles trademark and copyright lawsuits in federal court and administrative trademark proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board.

F. Jay Dougherty, Kickoff Address, Associate Professor, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, teaches Copyright and Entertainment Law. His extensive career includes: Assistant General Counsel for Turner Broadcasting System and Senior Vice President, Production and Worldwide Acquisition Legal Affairs for Twentieth Century Fox. Prior to his legal career, he was a professional rock guitarist and songwriter. He continues to pursue that love by playing in a band with other attorneys.

Michael S. Elkin is a partner at Thelen Reid & Priest LLP where he chairs the firm’s Entertainment Practice Group. Mr. Elkin has successfully led litigation teams in actions against MP3.com (through the online music industry’s only jury trial), Napster and musicmaker.com, and he was the attorney for the issuers in the Iron Maiden, TVT Records, SESAC and Bill Blass Intellectual Property Securitizations.

Christian A. Horsnell is now with Bass, Berry & Sims PLC. His practice focuses on corporate, business, entertainment, copyright, and intellectual property law. He also teaches Intellectual Property Law in the Music Business Department of Belmont University in Nashville.

David D. Maxwell, Alston & Bird LLP, practices in all areas of intellectual property litigation and counseling, with an emphasis on copyright, patent and trademark litigation. He has experience in all facets of patent litigation.

William Nix is Special Counsel to Baker Botts LLP and specializes in intellectual property, entertainment, sports and Internet/new media law. His clients range from motion picture feature, television and video production companies/ producers to directors, actors, screen writers, authors, musi-cians, entertainers and professional athletes and sports agencies.

Diane M. O’Dell is Senior Director of the Internet and New Media Licensing Department at SESAC. She is also part of the e-SESAC initiative. Prior to SESAC, Ms. O’Dell practiced in telecommunications law for Cole, Raywid & Braverman, which specializes in cable, broadcast and telecommunications.
For more information please visit the SESAC website.

Vincent Peppe is General Counsel for Naxos of America, Inc. where he directs the company’s business development and licensing activities in the areas of motion pictures, television, special projects and new media.

Richard H. Reimer is Vice President of Legal Services for the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP), having begun in the Society’s Office of General Counsel in 1971. He provides legal advice to their New Media Licensing Department, supervises the Legal Department, and has had a major role in ASCAP’s antitrust litigation.

Judith M. Saffer, Assistant General Counsel for Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), supervises BMI’s legal department, coordinates outside counsel throughout the United States and manages copyright infringement suits on behalf of many composers and publishers of music. She is the Secretary of the Intellectual Property Law Section of the American Bar Association and Chairperson of the Copyright Section of the American Intellectual Property Lawyers Association.

Stanley Schneider, of BMG North America, is Senior Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs. Previously he was a partner with Schonwald Schaffzin and Mullman in New York representing music publishers, record labels and talent. His entertainment business career began as an associate with Linden and Deutsch, before he moved to CBS Records, where he was General Attorney.

Barry Neil Shrum, member of Gordon, Martin, Jones & Harris, focuses his practice on art, music and entertainment law, music publishing, Internet law, copyright and trademark law. He has written extensively on music and entertainment law in the Internet age.