MSK Partner Matthew Williams Named Executive Director of the Coalition for Online Accountability

In his new position, Williams will represent the coalition’s interests before the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, a public benefit corporation dedicated to keeping the internet secure, stable and interoperable. He also will work with governments, and other organizations in the United States and internationally, on the creation of policies and laws that could help strengthen online transparency and accountability to protect against copyright infringement and other fraudulent and harmful acts. Williams succeeds Dean S. Marks.

“Online infringement remains widespread and continues to inflict economic harm on our coalition members as well as other copyright owners and their licensees,” Williams said. “I will continue the important work that Dean Marks has done on behalf of the COA, working closely with ICANN and other stakeholders to bring more transparency and accountability with respect to domain name holders, as well as increased responsibility on the part of domain name service providers, so that we can fight copyright infringement and other illegal activity for the benefit of global creators.”

COA is composed of the following organizations:

• Broadcast Music, Inc.
• Entertainment Software Association
• Motion Picture Association
• NBCUniversal
• Recording Industry Association of America
• The Walt Disney Company
• Warner Bros. Discovery

About the Coalition for Online Accountability

The Coalition for Online Accountability consists of seven leading copyright industry companies, trade associations and member organizations. COA’s goal is to enhance and strengthen online transparency and accountability by working to ensure that domain name and IP address databases remain publicly accessible, accurate, and reliable, as key tools against online copyright infringement, as well as to combat trademark infringement, cybersquatting, phishing, and other fraudulent or criminal acts online.

About Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

Since 1908, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP has proven its ability to understand the complex, demystify the mysterious, and define the unknown. With more than 130 lawyers and offices in Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C., MSK is often distinguished as a “go-to” firm by industry and legal insiders and has extensive experience in a variety of practice areas, including entertainment and intellectual property litigation; labor and employment; motion picture, television and music transactions; immigration; corporate securities; regulatory; tax; trusts and estates; real estate; and international trade. Relentlessly innovative, our lawyers have developed groundbreaking legislation, established influential precedents and shaped the legal landscape. www.msk.com.

Contacts

Zinie Sampson
zsampson@baretzbrunelle.com
804-381-1272