GameStop CMO To Keynote Game Business Law Summit

The Guildhall at SMU announced Game::Business::Law, am international summit gathering investors, developers, publishers, and lawyers to discuss the law and business of video games, taking place the at SMU Dedman School of Law in Dallas on January 14-15, 2009. GameStop chief marketing officer Mike Hogan and Benchmark Capital general partner Mitch Lasky have been announced as keynote speakers for the two-day conference. AIAS president Joseph Olin will also appear at the summit, moderating a Game Developments and Business Models panel with id Software Business Development director Steve Nix, Valve Business Development/Legal Affairs director Jason Holtman, and Blockdot founder and game development director Dan Ferguson. Other notable speakers include NPD Group's Game Business senior manager Michael Klotz, Price Waterhouse Coopers' principal Patrick Pugh, ESA's general counsel Ken Doroshow, SMU Dedman School of Law's professor Xuan-Thao Nguyen, and more. “Many positive and negative changes are impacting the fast-growing game industry, which is causing the focus to shift to legal issues such as who owns intellectual property,” says The Guildhall at SMU's executive director Dr. Peter Raad, Executive Director. Along with NCsoft executive producer and astronaut Richard Garriott, Raad is serving as co-chair of the summit. He continues, “We wanted to attract speakers who’ve been on the forefront of these legal and financing issues in the game industry, and we’re delighted to have such industry leaders as Mitch Lasky and Mike Hogan to spearhead these topics as our keynote speakers.” More information about speakers and details on registering for Game::Business::Law can be found at the event's official site.