Today, we are going to explore copyright law and specifically the Fair Use doctrine. It’s a legal principle designed to promote freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Someone invoking the Fair Use defense has the burden of proving why it applies, and it can be hard to predict whether a court would conclude that a particular use of copyrighted material qualifies as Fair Use. We will also talk about two recent federal circuit decisions that highlight the fact-intensive manner in which courts analyze these issues.
We’re joined today by Haynes and Boone Partner Stephanie Sivinski. Stephanie focuses her practice on complex federal-court litigation and has won trial victories in high-stakes business and intellectual property disputes.