Fwd: <incom> New Law Center Founded to Assist Open Source Software Developers
>Date: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 09:57:35 +0100
>From: sz <[email protected]>
>To: incom <[email protected]>
>Subject: <incom> New Law Center Founded to Assist Open Source Software
> Developers
>
>New Law Center Founded to Assist Open Source Software Developers
><http://www.softwarefreedom.org/>
>
>Software Freedom Law Center to be led by noted IP lawyer and professor
>Eben Moglen of Columbia University � initial funding support from Open
>Source Development Labs
>
>BURLINGAME, Calif. � February 1, 2005 � Columbia University Law Professor
>Eben Moglen today announced the formation of the Software Freedom Law
>Center, whose mission is to provide pro-bono legal services globally to
>eligible non-profit open source software projects and developers.
>
> As the popularity and use of free and open source software increases and
>proprietary software development models are threatened, providing
>necessary legal services to open source developers is becoming
>increasingly important to prevent liability and other legal issues from
>interfering with its success, Moglen said. The Law Center is being
>established to provide legal services to protect the legitimate rights and
>interests of free and open source software projects and developers, who
>often do not have the means to secure the legal services they need.
>
>Open Source Development Labs (OSDL), a global consortium dedicated to
>accelerating the adoption of Linux�, has raised more than $4 million for a
>newly-established IP fund that will provide the seed money for the new and
>independent legal center based in New York. Last year OSDL announced a
>separate $10 million Linux Legal Defense Fund to provide legal support for
>Linus Torvalds and end user companies subjected to Linux-related
>litigation by the SCO Group. The new Law Center announced today will be an
>independent organization not affiliated with OSDL.
>
> OSDL is committed to supporting initiatives such as the Law Center to
>help protect the legitimate development and use of Linux and open source
>software, said Stuart Cohen, CEO of OSDL. We encourage other companies
>and organizations like OSDL who are dedicated to securing the future of
>open source software to contribute to the Law Center and participate in
>its good works.
>
>Overseeing the Law Center will be a distinguished board of directors
>comprised of Moglen; Diane Peters, General Counsel at OSDL; Daniel
>Weitzner, Principal Research Scientist at MITs Computer Science and
>Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and World Wide Web Consortium
>Technology & Society Domain Leader; and Lawrence Lessig, Stanford Law
>Professor and author.
>
> Both free and open source software face many emerging legal threats,
>said Lessig. We should be skeptical of legal mechanisms that enable those
>most threatened by the success of open source and free software to resist
>its advance. The Law Center will serve as important support for the free
>and open source communities and for those that benefit from free and open
>source software.
>
>Moglen, regarded as one of the worlds leading experts on copyright law as
>applied to software, will run the new Law Center from its headquarters in
>New York City. The Law Center will initially have two full-time
>intellectual property attorneys on staff and expects to expand to four
>attorneys later this year. Initial clients for the Law Center include the
>Free Software Foundation and the Samba Project.
>
> Free software projects often face legal issues that need expert advice,
>but it can sometimes be difficult or prohibitively costly to obtain that
>advice through traditional legal channels. said Andrew Tridgell, head of
>the Samba project. We are delighted that the Free Software Law Center is
>being setup under Eben Mogelns excellent guidance. I think this is an
>important milestone in the maturity of the free software community.
>
>Legal services provided to eligible individuals and projects include asset
>stewardship, licensing, license defense and litigation support, and legal
>consulting and lawyer training. The Law Center will be software license
>neutral and intends to participate directly in work currently underway
>around revisions to the GNU General Public License (GPL) with the Free
>Software Foundation. The Law Center will also work on issues around the
>proliferation of open source licenses.
>
>The Law Center is dedicated to assisting non-profit open source developers
>and projects who do not otherwise have access to necessary legal services.
>For criteria on eligibility and to apply for assistance, please contact
>the Law Center directly or visit it on the Web at www.softwarefreedom.org.
>
>###
>
>Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds. Third party marks and brands are
>the property of their respective holders
>
>FOR MORE INFORMATION:
>
>Lonn Johnston for OSDL
>Page One PR
>+1 650.565.9800 �101
>[email protected]
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