SCL Annual International Symposium
The theme of the SCL Annual International Symposium is ‘Internet Regulation: UK v Rest of the World’. The title does not necessarily reflect a competitive approach but the symposium does offer an opportunity to learn more about future regulation in the UK, and take in the lessons from the experience of the two speakers from abroad.
The Symposium’s UK input will be from Andrew Pinder, the e-Envoy. Andrew reports directly to the Prime Minister and works alongside the e-Minister, who has overall responsibility for the Government’s e-agenda. As e-Envoy, Andrew is leading the drive to get the UK online, with a view to ensuring that the country, its citizens and businesses derive the maximum benefit from the knowledge economy. He co-ordinates the government strategy. The UK online initiative, which Andrew leads, is a partnership between Government, Industry, the voluntary sector, trade unions and consumer groups, to make the UK one of the world’s leading knowledge economies.
From the wider EU, the speaker is Dr. Alexander Tettenborn, Deputy Regierungsdirektor at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, BMWi, in Berlin. His current work activities include negotiations of the EC E-Commerce Directive (co-ordinator at Federal level, together with the Federal Ministry of Justice) and implementation of the EC Directive on ‘electronic signatures’ on the national level (co-ordinator at Federal level). He has been at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology since 1998 and has worked on Internet/media law issues since 1996. Until 1998, he was part of team ‘Multimedia’ at the Federal Ministry of Education, Research and Science. The main task there was drafting the German Information and Communication Services Act IuKDG (‘Internet-law’) and co-ordinating the evaluation of the IuKDG.
Stewart A. Baker is an internationally known US lawyer. He is a partner with the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Steptoe & Johnson LLP. His practice includes technology, international law and trade, international arbitration, and appellate litigation. He was described by The Washington Post as “one of the most techno-literate lawyers around.” Stewart Baker’s practice includes issues relating to digital commerce, electronic surveillance, encryption, privacy, national security, and export controls. He has advised on issues relating to government regulation of international trade in high-technology products, and advice and practice under the antidumping and countervailing duty laws of United States, European Community, Canada and Australia.
The deadline for applications is 4 October but, at only £35.25 for SCL members, the event represents outstanding value and is likely to be oversubscribed. Early application is recommended.
SCL Annual IT Law Review
The list of IT law luminaries speaking at the Bath-based SCL Annual IT Law Review reads like a conference organiser’s dream. This is the main event for serious players in this field, chaired this year by Richard Stephens of Masons. A new twist has been added to last year’s successful cocktail of top speakers mixed with the hottest hot topics (with the Bath Spa Hotel providing a chunky cherry on top). This year there will be parallel sessions during the Saturday morning – delegates can either focus on intellectual property issues, with Kevin Connell, Harry Small and Hilary Pearson as speakers, or look at ways of financing business growth in the company of Hugh Stewart, Kit Burden and Simon Walker. Main session speakers for this two-day event include Lars Davies, Shelagh Gaskill, Rory Graham, Clive Gringras, Dr Richard Sykes and David Toube.
Booking
Full details of the IT Law Review and a booking form are enclosed with the magazine. Details of both events are to be found at www.scl.org or can be obtained from Caroline Gould at caroline.gould@scl.org. n
