Legal Ethics for IP Practitioners in the Modern Era: Social Media, Advertising, Marijuana, and Complex Client Relationships

Washington, D.C., partner Mercedes Meyer spoke at the American Intellectual Property Association’s CLE Webinar titled “Legal Ethics for IP Practitioners in the Modern Era: Social Media, Advertising, Marijuana, and Complex Client Relationships” on September 17, 2019. Mercedes was joined by Brandon Johnson of Klarquist Sparkman, LLP; she co-authored the supporting paper in an effort to mentor and provide an opportunity to a younger member of AIPLA to speak.

Mercedes discussed changes within the advertising industry since the Supreme Court decisions in Sperry, where the Court ruled that patent agents could practice without a license in Florida, and in Bates, where the Court ruled that there is a First Amendment right to advertise (prior to 1977 lawyers could not advertise). The growing conflict of laws surrounding cannabis, outsourcing, and artificial intelligence were also discussed. She also explored conflicts of interest between attorneys, funder or invention companies, and investors and clients as well as legal and ethical issues concerning billing and outsourcing. The presentation was framed in the context of the TV series Better Call Saul: What would the character, Saul Goodman, do as an IP attorney?