@bcjb
September 9th, 2010
Intellectual Property Lawyer
Shareholder, Gray Robinson P.A.
MIT Media Lab Graduate
Author of Brent C.J. Britton blog
Today we’re tweeting with Florida intellectual property lawyer, U of Tampa adjunct professor and MIT Media Lab graduate @bcjb
- @bcjb thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is @bcjb?
@bcjb is loving husband, doting father, scientist, musician, speaker (overcooked ham), lawyer, entrepreneur, bon vivant
– - Tell us about your law practice.
IP, technology transactions, venture funding, M&A. I help people start companies and keep their IP and contracts in order.
– - What type of clients do you represent?
Mostly entrepreneurs in tech startups, but also some large, worldwide companies. Almost always tech or media or art.
– - An interesting mix (tech, media & art I mean). What’s the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
My top 3 legal issues: be honest in all things, audit your IP portfolio, use the most well-written contracts available
– - What then do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
It varies, but we have to have a realistic conversation about legal fees. Innovators require nontrivial legal budgets.
– - Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
I work for a large, Japanese co (cannot name it) that sends me around the country lecturing on legal risks…
In 1996 I wrote one of the first website development deals for a large television network against Major League Baseball
– - Sounds like interesting work…. Why do your clients hire you?
I work to keep great reputation for high quality and customer service. Happy clients are best marketing.
– - Indeed they do. What’s the most active area of your practice at the current time? Is that typical?
I do both IP and corporate work. Currently the IP is vastly outpacing the corporate. Lots of patents; not a lot of M&A.
– - How did your life as an engineer prepare you to help clients as an IP attorney?
As a software engineer, I found the law to be a hackable, noisy, rule-based system. Contracts a little computer programs.
– - That’s very interesting description of the law…. I like it. What’s the next big frontier of IP law?
Tricky.
Both patents and copyrights may need slight modifications to suit modern standards. Open source rocks.
– - This one’s less tricky (maybe): how do you describe what you do to people you meet at a cocktail party?
“I help people start new companies, products, and services. I’m where the new stuff comes from.”
– - You blog at “Brent C.J. Britton” (http://bit.ly/a2PouT). What is your blogging strategy? How do you decide what to blog about?
I have a blogging strategy? =] It’s totally random. I try to blog monthly, but often fail. Wish I could do better. Too bz.
– - When did you become active on Twitter? What were your objectives then? Have they changed?
Early 2007 I think. Same objectives. Stay connected, entertain, educate.
– - What specific impact on referrals and/or client engagements, if any, have you realized from Web 2.0 activities?
It’s kinda like asking what is impact of telephone. It’s how clients find me and talk to me now.
– - You’re a shareholder in a 200-lawyer firm. How does your firm’s leadership view your active Web 2.0 participation?
With cautious optimism.
– - Hard to argue with results…. Let’s switch gears: What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
Multi-jurisdictional practices. No one only has clients in a single state. I happen to be licensed in CA, NY & FL, but…
…geographic locus is becoming less and less relevant to commercial and legal activity. Hard for lawyers to deal.
– - What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
Fewer firms, more solos referring and exchanging work, lots of online-only atty-client relationships, more ADR, all online.
– - The answer to this one might be obvious, but what would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
I would try to make a living speaking, writing, starting companies of my own, and playing classical piano. =]
– - How do you want to be remembered?
As one who drank deeply of life, who made other people happy, and who loved his wife and kids beyond comprehension.
– - What do you do when you’re not working?
Family. I speak, write, start companies of my own, play classical piano. =] Also I am learning violin with my 3yo daughter.
– - What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
My heart goes out. Hang in there. Try to diversify your expertise. Do what you love.
– - And our final question for you: what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
Don’t borrow to pay tuition. Take Ethics. Skip class once in a while.
Smart advice. Thanks for the interview; I enjoyed tweeting with you very much.
The pleasure was entirely mine. But I am disappointed we did not out-trend #fatstrippernames. =]
