Events

Gone shopping lately? Who’s using the data you left behind? Whether it’s a friendly bot that’s asked about your birthday, a criminal who’s bought your credit card number, or a watch that’s watching your every move, the potential privacy problems are ever-increasing – and we’re all wearing our digital hearts on our sleeves.

In the rapidly evolving world of big data, native advertising, and repeated consumer data breaches, what is the lawyer’s role? Is mere compliance with formal standards enough? Or should lawyers be the soul of the machine when it comes to data privacy, e-commerce, and social commerce?

Please join us for a panel discussion, “Data Night: The Lawyer’s Role in Data Privacy and E-Commerce.”

DATE:  Wednesday, October 29, 2014

TIME:  6:00 pm reception, 6:20-8:00 pm panel

PLACE: Bateman Room, 2nd Floor, NEW Fordham Law School building, 150 W. 62nd Street

NYS CLE:  2 hours total (1 ethics & professionalism; 1 professional practice, transitional and non-transitional)

DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS:

• Ewa Abrams, Vice President – Associate General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at Tiffany & Co.
• Brittany Bacon, Associate at Hunton & Williams LLP
• Eric Fishman, Senior Manager of Business Processes and Internal Controls at Gilt Groupe
• Nisa Ojalvo, Vice President of Legal Affairs at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton Inc.
• Joel R. Reidenberg, Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and Professor of Law; Founding Academic Director, Center on Law and Information Policy at Fordham Law School
• Jeff Trexler, Esq., creator of the Fashion Ethics, Sustainability and Development course at Fordham Law School

REGISTER NOW!

Attorneys ($75)

Fordham Law alumni, Fashion Law Institute Bootcamp alumni, past Fashion Law Institute Pop-Up Clinic volunteers ($65)

Non-attorney fashion industry professionals, Fordham law students (Free — but please register to guarantee admission. No CLE credit.)

Others, including law students from other institutions ($25)

The Fashion Law Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the world’s first academic center devoted to the law and business of fashion. For more information about the Institute or the CLE hardship policy, please contact us at events@fashionlawinstitute.com.

4^th annual Fashion Law Institute symposium
Friday, April 4, 2014

SOLD OUT!

Interested in keeping up with new developments at the cutting edge of the law and business of fashion? Join the Fashion Law Institute for the highlight of the fashion law calendar, our 4^th annual symposium, “The Spectrum of Style,” an all-day event on Friday, April 4, at Fordham Law School.

9:30am Fiat Lux(e)!

9:45-10:45am Green Light: Seeking Sustainable Style

Architecture has non-governmental LEED certification. Agricultural products – including organic fabrics – have federal regulations issued by the USDA. When it comes to sustainable style, what is the best way for everyone to get on the same wavelength? How do the Federal Trade Commission’s Green Guides compare to the regulation of advertising in other countries in the area of eco-chic? And what can we learn from sustainable fashion design pioneers and the rising generation of designers committed to sustainability, especially as new technology expands the spectrum of green design?

11am-12pm Jewel Tones: From Conflict Minerals to Multi-Destination Orders, Compliance is Key

Girls everywhere have unfriended conflict diamonds, but what about conflict minerals? The SEC’s new reporting requirements for gold and other metals, including some used in the computer chips that are integral to fashion’s recent focus on wearable technology, are only the most recent regulation facing the fashion industry. In a global marketplace, compliance requirements from labeling to reporting are more complex and far-reaching than ever. What does it take, legally speaking, to move materials from source to studio and ultimately to consumers’ hands?

12-1:30pm Light Lunch

1:30-2:30pm Whitewash: Fashion and Diversity, On and Off the Runway

Fashion’s favorite color is black, but critics note that its demographics have been largely white. Recently, this lack of diversity has generated significant attention within the fashion industry, particularly when it comes to runway models – and similar issues exist behind the seams. Are new internal norms leading the industry to embrace the full spectrum of style? And will law play a role in changing the face of fashion?

2:45-3:45pm Red Flag: Are You a Victim of Unauthorized Name Registration in China?

International brand recognition is an exciting development for designers and fashion houses – until it results in unauthorized name registration. Trademark trolls and cybersquatters are of particular concern with respect to China, a large and growing market in which this form of exploitation runs rampant and even established brands have faced legal obstacles. How are individual companies, attorneys, and government representatives addressing this problem? Will the new Chinese trademark law help? And what is the best response to an ostensibly concerned email about the status of your trademark or an aggressive offer to sell your own name back to you?

4-5:15pm Silver Screen: Licensing Links Film & Fashion

From original Tiffany designs in Warner Brothers’ The Great Gatsby to the new HBO Game of Thrones jewelry line, the fashion and film industries are breaking new ground with authorized retail tie-ins and product placements. But what does it take to make sure that these deals are creatively, commercially, and legally sound? Designers, executives, and attorneys on all sides must take on issues of strategic licensing and brand management in order to ensure that the collaborations are seamless.

5:30-6:30pm Rainbow’s End: Keynote Address and Reception with Sigrid Olsen

Speakers include Stacey Abiraj, HBO; Ewa Abrams, Tiffany; Susan Anthony, USPTO; Kathryne Badura, INTA; Musette Buckley, Warner Brothers; Angela Byun, Condé Nast; Brent Cleaveland, Fashion Jewelry and Accessories Trade Association; Farzad Damania, Schulte Roth & Zabel; Rachel Dooley, Gemma Redux; Cecilia Gardner, Jewelers Vigilance Committee; Robin Givhan, Pulitzer prize-winning fashion journalist; Amy Hall, Eileen Fisher; Bethann Hardison, fashion activist and documentarian; Debera Johnson, Pratt Institute; Laura Koss, Federal Trade Commission; Rachel Kronman, Frankfurt Kurnit; Michelle Mancino Marsh, Kenyon & Kenyon; Claudine Meredith-Goujon, Paul Weiss; Eden Miller, Cabiria Style; Cyrus Mehri, Mehri & Skalet; Don Obert, Cowan Liebowitz & Latman; Sigrid Olsen, fashion designer; Barbara Pozzo, University of Milan; Tracy Reese, fashion designer; Monica Richman, Dentons; Rosena Sammi, Rosena Sammi Jewelry; Susan Scafidi, Fashion Law Institute at Fordham; Sandra Smokler, Warner Brothers; Jeff Trexler, Esq.; Kenya Wiley, MPAA.

SOLD OUT!

New York Fashion Week is just around the corner, and the Fashion Law Institute’s favorite early trend is wearable technology.   Whether we’re looking at the world through Google-colored glasses, counting our footsteps, or lighting up our dance steps, new designs are fusing form and function — with smart and stylish results.  Technology has always propelled fashion forward, but never more quickly than today.  Join representatives of the Patent Office, the legal community, and the fashion world for a panel discussion, “Wired & Laced: Patents, Technology, and the Future of Fashion.”

DATE:  Friday, February 7

TIME:  9:30-10:45am (breakfast 9am)

PLACE: Fordham Law School, 140 W. 62nd Street

NYS CLE:  1.5 hours professional practice, transitional and non-transitional

Attorneys ($75)

Fordham Law alumni, Fashion Law Institute Bootcamp alumni, past Fashion Law Institute Pop-Up clinic volunteers ($65)

Accredited media, fashion industry professionals, Fordham law students (Free — but please register to guarantee admission. No CLE credit.)

Others, including law students from other institutions ($25)

SOLD OUT!

There’s a new law in town — are you ready for it?

New York has extended its statutory safeguards for child performers to include models under the age of 18, a move that could change the face of Fashion Week and beyond. Join representatives of the Model Alliance, the New York State Department of Labor, modeling agencies, and other industry stakeholders for a panel discussion and information session, “A Major Step for Minors? Models and the New Child Performer Law” — to take place just hours before the new law will go into effect.

DATE: Tuesday, November 19, 2013
TIME: 7:00-8:15pm (reception at 6:30pm)
PLACE: The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South (appropriate attire required)
NYS CLE: 1.5 hours professional practice, transitional and non-transitional

SPACE IS LIMITED – REGISTER NOW TO RESERVE YOURS!

Attorneys ($75)

Fordham Law alumni, Fashion Law Institute Bootcamp alumni, past Fashion Law Institute Pop-Up Clinic volunteers ($65)

Accredited media, fashion industry professionals, Fordham law students (Free – but please register to guarantee admission. No CLE credit.)

Others, including law students from other institutions ($25)

We look forward to welcoming you!

The internet will soon be expanding to include hundreds of new generic top level domains. But are these new gTLDs a trick or a treat? Should you or your clients defensively register domain names containing your trademarks in the new gTLDs? What mechanisms will be available to help protect your brand online? How will fashion houses’ marketing and online brand protection strategies change in light of the new system? Before you lose your head over the potentially scary range of new options beyond .com — from .fashion and .jewelry to variations on designers’ and apparel companies’ names — join INTA and the Fashion Law Institute for a cutting-edge panel discussion, “Designers & Domains: Tailoring the New gTLD System to Fashion.”

DATE:  Friday, November 1, 2013

TIME:  9:30-10:45am (breakfast at 9am)

PLACE:  Fordham Law School, 140 W. 62nd Street, Room 430B/C

NYS CLE:    1.5 hours (professional practice, transitional and non-transitional)

Panelists include Claudio DiGangi (INTA), Sarah Feingold (Etsy.com), Fred Felman (MarkMonitor), Jennifer Wolfe (Wolfe Sadler Breen Morasch & Colby), and Mary Wong (ICANN).

Register now:

Attorneys ($75)

Fordham Law alumni, Fashion Law Institute Bootcamp alumni, past Fashion Law Institute Pop-Up Clinic volunteers ($65)

Accredited media, fashion industry professionals, Fordham law students (Free – but please register to guarantee admission. No CLE credit.)

Others, including law students from other institutions ($25)

We look forward to seeing you!

The Fashion Law Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the world’s first academic center devoted to the law and business of fashion. For more information about the Institute or the CLE hardship policy, please contact us at events@fashionlawinstitute.com.

SOLD OUT!

When it comes to culture, the world’s closets are filled with borrowed and reimagined finery – but when does inspiration shade into cultural appropriation?  And at what point should counsel comment?

Please join us for a panel discussion, “Culture Counsel: The Legal Ethics of Intellectual Property and Inspiration.” We’ll also enjoy a private viewing of Zevs’ solo exhibition, Traffics in Icons, at De Buck Gallery.

Participants include Katherine E. Lewis (Lewis Law Firm), Katrin Zimmermann (Ex Ovo), and Jeff Trexler (Attorney and professor, Fashion Ethics, Sustainability and Development). Professor Susan Scafidi will serve as moderator.

DATE:         Wednesday, October 23, 2013

TIME:         6:30 pm reception and viewing of exhibition, 7 – 8:15 pm panel

PLACE:        DeBuck Gallery, 545 W. 23d Street

NYS CLE:     1.5 hours (ethics & professionalism; transitional and non-transitional)

We look forward to seeing you!

Thanks to De Buck Gallery for hosting the event and for permission to use an image of Zevs’ “Global Liquidation.” 

The Fashion Law Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the world’s first academic center devoted to the law and business of fashion. For more information about the Institute or the CLE hardship policy, please contact us at events@fashionlawinstitute.com.

Thanks to all of our participants for a wonderful event! 

3^nd annual Fashion Law Institute symposium

Friday, April 19, 2013

Looking for the substance behind the style?  Join the Fashion Law Institute for our 3^rd annual symposium, “Well Dressed,” an all-day event on Friday, April 19, at Fordham Law School.

SOLD OUT!

9:30am     Welcome!

9:45-10:45am     Well Spoken:  Litigating the Fashion Law Case, in Court and in the Public Eye

Photographers’ flashes can be as blinding outside the courtroom as they are on the runway when the docket is focused on fashion.  Litigating a high-stakes, high-interest case involves more than just legal prowess.  It requires a carefully crafted public relations campaign designed to navigate the 24-hour news cycle and the patience to explain complex legal questions to both the judge and the media-hungry public, thus bridging two worlds, one in black robes and the other in little black dresses.

11am-12pm     Wishing Well: Exploring the Fashion/Philanthropy Connection

Whether via a runway show, a special sale, or a product promoting a cause or supporting an organization, the fashion industry is particularly eager to give back to those in need and advance the public good.  Sometimes otherwise unrelated philanthropic efforts also turn to fashion as a means to create employment or draw attention to a social issue.  But even helping humanity requires paperwork.  From advertising to tax returns, it’s important that those who do good know how to do it well.

12-1:30pm     Lunch (Well seasoned, we hope!)

1:30-2:30pm     Well Done! Eco-Chic, FTC Guidelines, and What it Means to Be Green

The Pantone color of the year for 2013 may be emerald, but green fashion isn’t just a color trend – it’s an ethical choice by designers who are embracing a sustainable approach to fashion without sacrificing style.  Recently, the Federal Trade Commission updated its Green Guides, which provide instruction as to when products and advertisements may include words, certifications, and claims about the environment.  How can fashion houses continue to go green, and how can they share that commitment with the public?

2:45-3:45pm     Well Made: Fashioning the Supply Chain

Every season consumers rush to stores in search of the latest fashions, often with little attention to how the garments they buy are actually made. Now and then, however, a tragedy occurs, and reports of child labor, low wages, and hazardous sweatshop conditions make headlines. These reports are even more troubling when the clothing factories involved have been inspected and certified as complying with international labor standards.  What can we – fashion houses, standards-setting organizations, governments, the public – do to monitor the supply chain?                         

4-5pm    Well Proportioned: 3D Printing, Law, and the Future of Fashion

Just spilled wine on your new Spring 2025 jacket? No problem – just print out a new outfit. Even now, in its early stages, 3D printing is lauded as the future of fashion. It has the potential to spark innovation, encourage sustainability, and promote accessibility to new styles.  But like the photocopier and the internet in previous generations, this new technology also raises questions for those in the creative, manufacturing, and business sectors of the fashion industry. What are the legal dimensions of the 3D revolution?

5-6pm    Reception:  All’s Well That Ends Well

Speakers include Carmen Artigas, Viva La Vida NY; Francis Bitonti, Francis Bitonti Studio; Allen Bromberger, Perlman & Perlman; Christopher R. Chase, Frankfurt Kurnit; Christie Daly, Social Accountability International; Louis S. Ederer, Arnold & Porter; Chris Giglio, HL Group; Eric Gottwald, International Labor Rights Forum; Steven Greenhouse, New York Times; Jyotin Hamid, Debevoise & Plimpton; Hugh Hansen, Fordham; Mary Huang, Continuum Fashion; Michael Kelly, Kenyon & Kenyon; Laura Kim, Federal Trade Commission; John M. Kline, Georgetown; Steven Kolb, CFDA; Harley Lewin, McCarter & English; Diana Mao, Nomi Network; Joseph F. Murphy, Law Offices of Joseph F. Murphy; Organic by John Patrick; Britton Payne, 30Ninjas; Rachel Rigby, U.S. Department of Labor; Susan Scafidi, Fashion Law Institute at Fordham; Michael Schmidt, Michael Schmidt Studios; Duann Scott, Shapeways; Robert D. Stang, Husch Blackwell; Alexandra Steigrad, WWD; Rachelle Stern, Macy’s; Jeff Trexler, Esq.