David A. Gurwin

David A. Gurwin

 

David A. Gurwin chairs the firm's Entertainment and Media Law Group. He is also chair of the firm's Technology Transactions Group, whose members focus on representing companies and individuals - regardless of the industry - with commercial transactions involving technology-related issues.

David and his colleagues understand the "business of technology" and apply a combination of legal knowledge, practical business experience, and sound technical insight when advising clients on the acquisition, use, development and commercial application of technology. He is a member of the Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Group, as well.

David represents clients in a variety of industries, with a particular focus on Internet, computer, advertising, life sciences and technology clients, as well as those involved in the entertainment industries.

A professional jazz pianist himself, David possesses firsthand experience with the entertainment industry and assists clients with contractual drafting and negotiations, business formation, licensing and intellectual property matters involving the protection and commercialization of entertainment talents, works and persona. His entertainment industry clients have included musicians, record companies, recording artists, record producers, concert promoters, songwriters, music publishers, advertising agencies, authors, literary publishers, book packagers, television personalities, broadcasters, webcasters, playwrights, actors, motion picture production companies, film investors, video game developers, arts organizations, professional athletes and sports organizations.

In the technology arena, David represents clients in a variety of industries including Internet, e-commerce, software and information technology, biomedical, consumer products, manufacturing, insurance, advertising and retail industries in connection with licensing and other business transactions involving the sale, acquisition and commercial development of software, biotechnology and other technology assets.

David also practices in the areas of copyright, trademark and intellectual property law.

Some of David's recent engagements include representing:

· Software vendor with application service provider services in the field of e-commerce fulfillment

· Clients in connection with negotiation of agreement with Business Software Alliance

· Nonprofit organization in connection with agreements related to commissioning of film production and licenses for broadcast of same on PBS

· Theatre company in connection with commissioned work agreement

· Well-known business personality in connection with negotiation of "ghost writer" agreement for production of biography

· Consortium of universities in connection with an Internet-based degree granting distance learning initiative

· One of the nation's first webcasters in connection with licensing, content and royalty issues

· Software vendor in connection with implementation of website access for airlines for in-flight use

· Leading interactive advertising agency in connection with acquisition, content licensing, Americans with Disabilities Act issues and various Internet and advertising issues

· Video game development company in negotiations for development of and royalty structure for a new video game with a leading game console manufacturer

· Fortune 500 film manufacturer in license and technology agreements concerning digital imaging, back-end support agreements and placement of kiosks in retail stores

· Same manufacturer in connection with development and implementation of Internet-based photographic delivery systems

· Film producer in connection with investment in major motion picture

David is an active member of several professional organizations and a frequent lecturer on the subjects of Internet, e-commerce and computer law, intellectual property law and entertainment law.

Publications & Speeches

Pittsburgh Entertainment and Media Law Attorney David Gurwin Quoted on Possible Ticketmaster-Live Nation Merger February 5, 2009

Pittsburgh Corporate Finance and Technology Attorney David Gurwin Talks Money with CNNMoney.com June 10, 2008

Attorney David Gurwin Quoted on Sale of The Weather Channel in CNNMoney.com Blog January 4, 2008

Attorney David Gurwin Quoted on Employee Personal Website Policies in the Pittsburgh Business Times December 21, 2007

David Gurwin and Nancy Murrell Publish Article on Business Blogging in TEQ November 28, 2007

To Blog or Not to Blog, That is the Question TEQ November 2007

Executive Summary Of Pennsylvania's Breach Of Personal Information Notification Act May 23, 2006

Identity Theft - The Tide Keeps Rising - Part II April 6, 2006

Identity Theft - The Tide Keeps Rising - Part I March 9, 2006

Laborious Laws for the Technology Sector November 28, 2005

Nanotechnology: Its Unique Aspects and Commercialization Opportunities September 21, 2005

Stemming the Tide of Identity Theft in the Workplace August 16, 2005

The U.S. Supreme Court's Grokster Decision: What Does It Mean for Peer-to-Peer File Sharing? July 14, 2005

Outsourcing Summit featured speaker April 2005

Game On: Pittsburgh's Exciting New Video Game Industry Fragasso Group newsletter March 2005

Structure and Drafting Commercial Loan Documents presentation for Pennsylvania Bar Institute 2005

Nanotechnology: Its Unique Aspects and Commercialization Opportunities TEQ Magazine 2005

Information Technology Consulting and Other Professional Services Agreements: Line by Line Aspatore Books 2005

Video Game Convergences: Part II - The Economics of the Gaming Industry November 22, 2004

Making Convergence Pay Off August 12, 2004

Open Source Software: Free but Not Without Cost - Part 2 of 2 March 26, 2004

Open Source Software: Free But Not Without Cost - Part 1 of 2 January 27, 2004

Inside the Minds: The Legal Side of Entertainment, Sports, & Media Aspatore Books 2004

Linking And Framing: Unfair Competition On The Internet? March 11, 2003

Legal Issues in the Visual Arts presentation to Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators 2003

Legal Issues for Musicians presentation to Pittsburgh Music Works 2003

Protection for Databases August 21, 2002

Year 2000: Should Companies Make Disclosures? 1998

Panelist, Internet Law Update 2000-2007

Civic & Charitable

Hampton Alliance for Educational Excellence, past member, Board of Trustees

Jazz Arts Group of Columbus, past member, Board of Directors

Hampton Township School District, school director

Adat Shalom Synagogue, member, Board of Directors and musical director

Affiliations

Adjunct professor, Entertainment Technology Center, adjunct professor and guest lecturer, Heinz School of Public Policy, Advisory Board, Arts and Culture Observatory, Advisory Board, Strategic Marketing Research in Festival Settings, Carnegie Mellon University

Guest lecturer, MBA program, University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business

Immediate past chair, Arts and the Law Section, Allegheny County Bar Association

Forum Committee on the Entertainment and Sports Industries, Science and Technology, and Intellectual Property Sections, American Bar Association

International Technology Law Association

Board of Trustees, MIT Enterprise Forum of Pittsburgh

Guest lecturer, entertainment law, intellectual property and business law, The Ohio State University

Guest lecturer, graphic design law, La Roche College

(Also at New York, N.Y. Office)