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Laurie Self is a partner in the Washington office whose practice focuses on US and international intellectual property and technology law. Her broad-ranging experience encompasses copyright, trademark and patent matters; anti-piracy and anti-counterfeiting; IP trade-related matters; and IP and technology transactions. Ms. Self is co-chair of the firm’s global Trademark and Copyright Group. She practiced in the firm's London office from 1992-1995.
Ms. Self is an expert on domestic and international intellectual property policy. On behalf of her clients, she has spearheaded IP law reform and enforcement campaigns in the US and numerous markets worldwide, including in Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, and Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. Her IP enforcement expertise encompasses both on-the-ground civil, administrative and criminal actions against counterfeiters and infringers, as well as Internet monitoring and investigative strategies that use state-of-the-art technologies and forensic tools.
Ms. Self regularly advises right holders in a broad range of industry sectors, including IT, pharmaceutical and luxury goods, on strategies to strengthen domestic and foreign IP laws and enforcement, including in China and other developing markets, and to ensure compliance with the WTO TRIPS Agreement, the WIPO copyright treaties and other bilateral and multilateral obligations. In that capacity, she has extensive experience working with US and foreign legislators, administration officials and other IP policymakers, and in building and coordinating inter- and cross-industry coalitions to advance the goals of her clients both domestically and internationally.
Ms. Self also has deep expertise in the complexities of in-bound and out-bound IP and technology transactions and has represented both right holders and technology providers on the one hand, and licensees and other end users on the other, in a wide variety of IP, IT, content and media agreements. Her portfolio of transactional experience ranges from licensing, distribution, publishing, broadcasting and development deals to web-based hosting, services and support agreements to joint ventures and other cooperative arrangements. Having worked with right holders and the IT industry for almost 20 years, both within and outside the US, Ms. Self brings to the negotiating table expert knowledge of IP law; industry trends and practices; existing and emerging licensing, service and pricing models; and all other business and legal aspects of IP and technology deals, including complex issues of liability and risk allocation, indemnification, trade secrecy safeguards, privacy, consumer protection and bankruptcy. She also works with clients to develop and implement IP and software asset management programs that maximize the value of proprietary IP assets and minimize the risk of infringing third party rights.
Representative Matters
- On behalf of the Business Software Alliance and Microsoft, devised and launched anti-piracy enforcement and law reform campaigns in markets throughout Western and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union and Latin America.
- Represented a leading IT company on various proposals to amend US patent laws and regulations.
- Spearheaded enactment of the Anti-counterfeiting Amendments Act of 2004.
- Participated in a World Health Organization panel of experts tasked with developing model legislative principles to combat pharmaceutical counterfeiting.
- Represented major IT firms, retailers, media companies and others in negotiating business-critical software, IT and web licensing, hosting, development, consulting and service agreements.
- Advised pharmaceutical manufacturers on the legality under TRIPS of patent-related compulsory licensing measures in Asia, Latin America, and other markets.
- Represented a leading technology provider in various joint ventures to provide web-based services and e-commerce tools to small businesses.
Honors and Rankings
- IP Law & Business, Top IP People Under 45 (2008)
- Recognized in Legal 500 for IP - Non-Contentious/Transactional: IP in Complex Transactions - US and IP: Copyright - Regional - US (2007)
Pro Bono
- National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
- Georgetown Children’s House Endowment to Promote Quality Early Childhood Education
Memberships and Affiliations
- International Trademark Association, China Anti-Counterfeiting Enforcement Subcommittee
- ABA, Intellectual Property Section
- Intellectual Property Owners Association, Vice-Chair of the Counterfeiting and Piracy Committee
- Licensing Executive Society
- D.C. Women’s Bar Association
Publications and Speeches
- Ms. Self is quoted in "Your Step-By-Step Guide to IP Lobbying" Managing Intellectual Property (September 2009), which offers insight on how IP owners and their lawyers have their biggest opportunity yet to influence the policy making process as IP issues move up the political agenda.
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