This talk will cover the basics of intellectual property law as it relates to software development, focusing on how it works (or doesn't) to facilitate code reuse through open source licensing. This session will explain the differences between patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, and illustrate how those legal tools can be applied to a piece of software to achieve different business goals. It will also discuss common open source licenses, and explain the legal consequences those licenses have for software development and commercialization.


William is a member of the law firm of Frost Brown Todd LLC, practicing in the firm’s Cincinnati office. He has a degree in computer science and his practice focuses particularly on the law and computer software. Since joining the Firm, William has represented inventors seeking to obtain protection for software implemented inventions before the United States Patent and Trademark Office; has represented businesses and individuals in patent infringement litigation, both in defending against allegations of infringement, and in enforcing patents against accused infringers, and has assisted clients in business transactions which include software, both in negotiating and drafting contracts, and in performing due diligence review of agreements in the context of potential acquisitions, including the review for a $335 million acquisition. William has invented technology for open source license management (U.S. Pat. 8,589,306) and designed software that he uses in representing clients before the U.S. Patent Office. He also performs pro-bono legal services through Volunteer Lawyers for the Poor, is an expert chess player and a black belt in Aikido.

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