BLIP Clinic

The BLIP Clinic (Brooklyn Law Incubator and Policy) is a technology-oriented clinical program at Brooklyn Law School (BLS) located in the New York City neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights in the downtown area of Brooklyn. BLIP provides pro bono legal services to startup technology, communications, and media companies. Started in 2008, BLIP has assisted well over 500 clients[1] with various legal and business needs. The clinic also undertakes a number of policy initiatives sparked by new legal challenges presented by their clients.[2]

History and overview

BLIP was founded in 2008 by professor Jonathan Askin as one of BLS’s clinical program offerings. Recognizing the disconnect between the law and new technologies, as well as the rapid growth of the NYC startup community,[3] Askin founded the clinic to provide students with training in the unique issues facing technology and media startups.[4] Every semester, interested students apply to the BLIP Clinic each semester, and a select group of students are invited to participate.[5] Students in BLIP come from diverse backgrounds in related fields of the law,[1] and all share a commitment to making a difference in the community both on a policy and a practical level.[6] The BLIP Clinic accepts more students, often referred to as "BLIPicians",[7] than any other clinical program at BLS.

As part of the program, students are required to attend a weekly seminar where they discuss legal issues and policy initiatives that affect existing and potential clients, host guest lecturers in the startup, legal and/or tech communities (CITE), and attempt to find viable solutions within the bounds of the law.[4] In addition to the traditional classroom instruction, the clinic functions as a tech-oriented law firm,[5] where the student BLIPicians provide free representation to emerging tech clients with a variety of legal needs, often in the areas of corporate formation, Intellectual Property protection, and contracts.

Faculty

Askin is the founder and director of the BLIP clinic.[6] Askin is both a professor of law and a sought-after expert in the fields of Internet law, new media, technology, and telecommunications.[8][4] In addition to his work with BLIP and at Brooklyn Law School, Askin is also a partner in a network of law incubators at 16 European law schools through a grant by the European Commission.[9][10] Outside of academia he is a frequent commentator about issues relating to technology law,[2] legal education and public policy, and also worked on the Obama campaign on telecommunication policy.[11]

Weiss recently joined BLIP as an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law in the fall of 2014.[12] Phil, a BLS alumnus himself, is a former member of the BLIP Clinic.[13] During his time in BLIP, he founded Legal Hackers, a community of tech and legal minds who use technology to "hack" legal problems and create solutions.[14]

White recently joined BLIP as an Associate Professor of Clinical Law in the fall of 2014.[15] White's area of practice focused extensively in the corporate law realm[15] She works with BLIP students to provide expertise to startups and small business clients in corporate formation and corporate governance.[15]

Initiatives, partnerships, and events

CUBE

In November 2013, BLS announced the launch of a new Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship (CUBE),[16] of which Jonathan Askin and the BLIP Clinic are the Innovation Catalyst. The center provides a hub for problem solving, legal support, as well as participation in the field of entrepreneurship.[17] CUBE works in conjunction with BLIP and five other clinics at the school to provide practical, hands-on experience to train entrepreneurial-minded lawyers.[16]

Legal hackathon

On April 15, 2012, BLIP hosted its first annual legal hackathon, an event that challenged lawyers to think of ways to disrupt the law in new ways using technology and innovation.[18][19] Lawyers, law students, CEOs, and venture capitalists alike participated in panel discussions regarding legal issues that have workarounds rooted in technology.[18] In February 2014, BLIP co-hosted a "data privacy" themed legal hackathon along with the New York Legal Hackers group.[20] The 2014 hackathon was the first to link European and American legal hackers in an attempt to solve privacy issues from a global perspective.[21]

Revenge porn

In 2014, the BLIP Clinic undertook a challenge to tackle the rampant problem of revenge porn by hacking solutions using law and technology.[22] At the 2014 Data Privacy Hackathon, a team of students created a web tool that assists victims of revenge porn in the process of completing a DMCA takedown request[23][22]

IFP Media Center

BLIP, along with Askin, are advisors as part of the Innovation Committee for the Made in NY Media Center by the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP).[24] The Made in NY Media Center by IFP is located in Brooklyn, NY, and works to promote companies and projects focused on intersecting art and technology.[25]

Patent troll defense network

BLIP is a part of the Patent Troll Defense Network, a group of law schools who aim to provide free legal services to technology start-up entrepreneurs who are threatened by patent trolls.[26] During 2014, the BLIP clinic helped fend off a patent troll through by helping its client in its patent litigation defense.[27] 3L students and BLIP advisors challenged the patent case with a motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction, and were aided by recent court decisions on fee-shifting.[27] Ultimately, the patent troll dropped the case.[28]

European network – iLINC

The BLIP Clinic, along with a total of 16 European law schools are launching a European network of startup law clinics.[3] The network, iLINC, is a project funded by the European Commission, and is conducted by four main European law schools: Queen Mary University of London, University of Amsterdam, KU Leuven, and the Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research.[29] iLINC aims at bridging the gap between European Information and Communication Technology (ICT) entrepreneurs and startups with law students.[30]

Notable clients

References

  1. 1 2 "The Real World of Law Practice". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  2. 1 2 "Out of the Alley and Over the Bridge | Brooklyn Daily Eagle". Brooklyneagle.com. 2012-04-11. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  3. 1 2 "From Bleak House to Geek House: Will Europe Breed the Best, Next-Generation of Entrepreneurs and Lawyers? | Jonathan Askin". Huffingtonpost.com. 2014-01-29. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  4. 1 2 3 "What The Facebook Didn't Learn at Harvard, We Need to Teach at Law School | Jonathan Askin". Huffingtonpost.com. 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  5. 1 2 "Law & the Start-Up: A Brooklyn Legal Incubator helping the NY Tech Scene". Forbes. 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "At Brooklyn Law, A Tech-Focused Clinic Helps Startups Off The Ground". Huffingtonpost.com. 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  7. ↑ "Blipicians « BLIP Clinic". Blipclinic.org. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  8. ↑ "Jonathan Askin". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  9. ↑ "European Law Schools Gaining the Advantage". National Law Journal. 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  10. ↑ "iLINC Network – About Us". Lincup.eu. 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  11. ↑ "Google Is Anakin, Verizon Is The Emperor, And The Dark Side Is Winning". TechCrunch. 2010-08-21. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  12. ↑ "Adjunct". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  13. ↑ "Tech + Law = Data Privacy Legal Hackathon". Brooklyn Tech Triangle. 2013-08-13. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  14. ↑ "Our Story". Legal Hackers. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  15. 1 2 3 "News". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  16. 1 2 "News". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  17. ↑ "BLS - Academics: CUBE: Brooklyn Law School's Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  18. 1 2 "Legal Hackathon Challenges Lawyers To Think Like Hackers". Huffingtonpost.com. 2012-04-17. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  19. ↑ "News". Brooklaw.edu. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  20. ↑ "Privacy Hack 2014". Legal Hackers. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  21. ↑ "Tech + Law = Data Privacy Legal Hackathon". Downtown Brooklyn. 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2015-02-03.
  22. 1 2 "UPDATED: Lawyers and Coders Get Together to Hack Privacy". Blsadvocate.org. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "What is a DMCA Takedown?". Dmca.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  24. ↑ "Team". Made in NY Media Center By IFP. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "Made In NY Media Center Members Demo New Tech". TechCrunch. AOL. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  26. ↑ "Patent Troll Defense Network". Application Developers Alliance. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  27. 1 2 Eric Adler. "Law Students Defeat a Patent Troll.". Medium. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  28. ↑ Jeff John Roberts. "Law students chase patent troll away from connected car start-up". Ggiaom.com. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "iLINC Network – The Project". Lincup.eu. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  30. ↑ "EshipLaw, iLINC, and Building the Network of Network for Startup Law Clinics" (PDF). Entrepreneurship.org. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Lisa Shuchman. "Law Clinic Students Stop Patent Troll". Corporate Counsel. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
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