Christopher S. Ruhland, Program Co-Chair, is Of Counsel, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP where his practice focuses on IP and litigation matters. Before joining Orrick, he was Senior Counsel, the Walt Disney Company where his focus on IP matters included the enforcement of Disney’s intellectual property rights in its motion pictures, consumer products, corporate trademarks, and music.

Chris Weinstein, Program Co-Chair, is a Senior Attorney at Microsoft Corporation, supporting the Windows Digital Media Division where he is responsible for all aspects of Windows Media technologies including format adoption, content licensing and strategic alliances with hardware and software vendors.

Todd Alberstone has been an associate general counsel at RealNetworks, Inc., since 1998 and before that was in private practice in Los Angeles. From 1994 - 1998, Mr. Alberstone served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Southwestern University School of Law where he taught Copyright Law and Media Law.

Ian C. Ballon is a partner in the Palo Alto and Los Angeles offices of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, concentrating on e-commerce, new media and intellectual property litigation, licensing and strategic counseling. He is the author of e- Commerce and Internet Law: Treatise with Forms. Mr. Ballon also serves as Executive Director of Stanford University Law School’s Center for ECommerce.

Lorin Brennan is a principal in a software development firm, Gray Matter LLC, which he co-founded in 1999. The firm develops automated contracting and rights management software for intellectual property licensing. As an attorney he specializes in international intellectual property licensing.

James M. Burger is a member of Dow, Lohnes & Albertson specializing in representation of technology companies on IP, communications & government policy matters. Previously he was a Senior Director in Apple Computer’s Law Department, where he represented Apple’s Advanced Technology Group, USA Field Sales organizations, World- Wide Operations & Manufacturing, as well as General Counsel for Europe and Latin America.

Bruce Davis is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Digimarc Corporation. Before joining Digimarc, he was president of Prevue Networks, Inc., a leading supplier of electronic program guides and program promotion services to the cable and satellite television markets.  As holder of more than 20 patents, Mr. Davis is well acquainted with the need to protect intellectual property, and he started his career as an intellectual property attorney.

Maureen S. Dorney is Chair, Commercial and Technology Transactions, Gray Cary, where her practice focuses on matters such as software licensing; outsourcing agreements; strategic IP counseling; open source licensing; digital signatures; and on-line music distribution. She has been a frequent speaker on digital media issues and is Executive Editor, Journal of Internet Law.

Keith G. Fleer is an Entertainment Department partner with Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles, where he represents writers, actors, directors, producers and rights holders with respect to the negotiation and documentation of motion picture and television development, production financing, production and distribution, and counsels independent motion picture, television and other media companies on strategic planning advice.

Jonathan A. Friedman specializes in communications law and public policy at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. He has represented numerous media companies before the FCC in a wide range of proceedings, including broadcast flag, plug-and-play, digital must-carry, DTV transition, interactive television, and cable equipment compatibility. Previously Mr. Friedman served as chief of staff to Congressman Lee Hamilton.

Linda A. Goldstein is a partner with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP where she represents clients in every sector of the advertising and marketing industry in advertising, intellectual property, and Internet matters and is a nationally recognized expert in several distinct industry segments, including promotions, the Internet, Direct Response, and telemarketing.

Steve Gordon, former Director of Business Affairs (TV/Video) at Sony Music from 1991 to 2001, currently practices entertainment law and operates his own music & copyright clearance service. His clients range in diversity from small record labels such as Smithsonian Folkways Records to multinational corporations such as Microsoft. He is author of the forthcoming book, The Future of the Music Business (Backbeat Books 2005). Tune into MyRealBroadcast.com for his Internet radio show.

Donald E. Karl is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Perkins Coie LLP, where his practice includes corporate finance and securities, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and strategic relationships, venture capital, entertainment, life sciences, and international business transactions.

Dean Marks is Senior Vice President, IP, Corporate Business Development and Strategy for Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. He is responsible for establishing and guiding many of Warner Bros.’ business practices with respect to copyright as well as helping to formulate the company’s position on domestic and international IP legislation.

Raymond T. Nimmer is Leonard Childs Professor of Law and Director, Intellectual Property and Information Law Institute, at the University of Houston Law Center. He has authored over ten books, including The Law of Computer Technology, and was Reporter to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws for its new commercial code.

Hillery L. Nye is an intellectual property attorney and member at Steiner Norris, PLLC, in Seattle, Washington. Ms. Nye represents a variety of institutional clients, such as Amazon.com and Microsoft, as well as publishers, designers, individual artists, writers, performers and other talent in content licensing transactions.

Bob Ohlweiler is Senior Vice President Business Development for Musicmatch, Inc. He is responsible for the management of Musicmatch's strategic partnerships, music industry licensing as well as OEM and retail distribution channels. Prior to joining Musicmatch, Ohlweiler held several positions with Hewlett-Packard in both finance and marketing where he was business development manager for HP's North American printer and scanner division.

Hadi Partovi is the General Manager of MSN Entertainment and Digital Media at Microsoft Corporation. He heads MSN’s efforts in digital distribution of music, as well as the programming of the MSN Entertainment Channel. Mr. Partovi was part of Microsoft’s original Internet Explorer team and spent several years away from Microsoft involved in Internet start-ups (including TellMe).

Jonathan Potter has been Executive Director of the Digital Media Association in Washington, D.C. since its inception. Mr. Potter was named one of the best technology industry lobbyists by Tech Counsel magazine. Before joining DiMA, he was a consultant and lawyer, in the Washington, D.C. office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, advising and representing corporate and non-profit clients before the Congress and federal agencies.

Eric A. Prager is a principal at Darby & Darby and focuses his practice on counseling, licensing, and litigation concerning all types of intellectual property rights, with a particular focus on new media issues. He represents one of the Big Five record companies in its digital content delivery initiatives and prepares and negotiates the associated license agreements.

Steve Tapia is a Senior Director in the MSN Business Development Group at Microsoft Corporation, and heads the team that handles business development for MSN’s Entertainment, Autos and Communications offerings.

Holly K. Towle is a member of Preston Gates Ellis LLP’s Technology and Intellectual Property Department. She advises clients on legal aspects of ecommerce, including licensing, econtracting, consumer protection and financial institution regulations. She is included in the banking and cyber law sections of The Best Lawyers in America and speaks nationally and internationally on e-commerce, licensing and online services.