Matthew Williams - Attorneys - Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP ~ Full service entertainment law firm

Legal Expertise

Civil litigation, transactions and regulatory proceedings related to entertainment, intellectual property, and technology law with an emphasis on domestic and international copyright issues and emerging e-commerce issues.

Representative Matters

In multiple cases, successfully defended the creators, producers, and distributors of major motion pictures against copyright infringement claims and false designation of origin claims.
Successfully defended an award winning documentary filmmaker, on First Amendment grounds, against a violation of privacy claim.
Successfully defended major record label against a "knowing material misrepresentation" claim under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Successfully defended three music publishers against accounting claims and copyright co-ownership claims asserted by a songwriter.
Represented performing rights organization in proceeding to set license fees for major user-generated content website.
Filed amicus curiae briefs on behalf of trade associations and nonprofit organizations in several recent cases involving how copyright law operates in the digital age, including: Cartoon Network v. CSC Holdings (U.S. Supreme Court and 2nd Circuit); Vernor v. Autodesk (9th Circuit); MDY Industries v. Blizzard Entertainment (9th Circuit); Flava Works v. Gunter (7th Circuit); and Righthaven v. Hoehn (9th Circuit).
Represented multiple trade associations during Copyright Office rulemaking proceedings regarding exemptions to an anti-circumvention provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Drafted terms of service, copyright policies, and privacy policies for a variety of internet businesses, including both start-ups and large, established companies.
Counseled a major record label regarding a joint venture with an internet service provider.
Negotiated and drafted development deals related to television series for multiple production companies.

Associate - Washington, DC

Email Matthew Williams

Phone:

(202) 355-7904

Fax:

(202) 355-7894

Practice Area

Industry Focus

Motion picture, television, publishing, music, video game and new media.

Education

American University, Washington College of Law, J.D.; Order of the Coif; magna cum laude
Editor, American University Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law
Guilford College, B.A.

Court Admissions

District of Columbia
U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Publications and Presentations

Mr. Williams has been published in respected periodicals, including the Berkeley Journal of Law and Technology, the UCLA Entertainment Law Review, the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal, the National Law Journal, Los Angeles Lawyer, Network Computing, the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal, Cinema Journal, the American Bar Association publication Landslide, and the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel publication M/E Insights. His recent presentations and articles include the following:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit: Removing "Copyright Management Information" from Analog Copies of Works Is Prohibited by 17 USC § 1202, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp Intellectual Property Alert (July 2011)
The First Sale Doctrine in the Digital Age, Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal (March 2010)
12 Inches Around: Modern-Day Misrepresentation, Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel's (AMEC) M/E Insights (Fall 2009)
Money, That's What I Want: The Long and Winding Road to a Public Performance Right in Sound Recordings, Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal (August 2009)
Panelist, Digital Watermarking, Fingerprinting, Filtering and Other Technology Solutions to Identify, Protect and Monetize Content: Understanding the Business, Operational and Legal Implications, Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel (May 2009)
Second Circuit: Sale Of Trademarks as Advertising Keywords Is A Trademark "Use In Commerce", MS&K Intellectual Property & Technology Alert (April 2009)
Bills Creating Performance Right for Recording Artists Are Reintroduced in Congress, MS&K Intellectual Property & Technology Newsletter (March 2009)
Author, Congress Should Amend the Copyright Act to Protect Transactional Watermarks, 23 Berkeley Technology Law Journal 1367 (2009)
Fending Off Hackers, National Law Journal (November 2008)
Ninth Circuit's Roommates.com Opinion Adds to E-Commerce Uncertainty, Intellectual Property & Technology Newsletter (September 2008)
Big Helping of iRony As Hackers Sue Apple, AT&T, Information Week (March 2008)
Truth & Truthiness About Knowing Material Misrepresentations, The North Carolina Journal of Law & Technology (January 2008)
Taking a Bite Out of Apple: iPhone Hackers File Lawsuits, MS&K Intellectual Property & Technology Newsletter (December 2007)

Professional, Business, and Civic Affiliations

Co-chair, DC Chapter of Copyright Society of the USA

Other Career Experience

Practitioner-in-Residence, American University Washington College of Law (2010-2011).
Courses taught: International and Comparative Copyright Law; Intellectual Property Seminar.