Play-by-play of a “Ludacris” Intellectual Property Masterclass

As told by Paul Allmon, Georgia State University JD Candidate, 2020

What do a world-famous entertainer, the executive producer of a hit television show, and the top executive at a major film studio have in common? On November 16, 2019 they (and others) influenced students, creatives and attorneys at the Intellectual Property Masterclass hosted by the Entertainment, Sports and Media Law Initiative (ESML) and the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII). As a student at the College of Law, few things are more impactful than these opportunities to gain practical experience and mingle with people at all levels of industry.

The morning started with an in-depth discussion from Professor Yaniv Heled on how creatives can protect their ideas and creations. Attendees sat in the downstairs courtroom glued to every word, with many taking furious notes like they were students themselves. Following his session, Georgia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts took questions from various attendees.

We then moved into the conference room for a lunchtime treat. A panel of Atlanta’s industry experts, including Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, responded to questions from Professor Ivory on the state of entertainment in Atlanta and Georgia as a whole. It was inspiring to hear how the “Hollywood of the South” was catching up to L.A. and New York on the entertainment industry scene.

The afternoon shifted to CMII for breakout sessions with two panels discussing intellectual property issues– one focusing on film and television and the other targeting music in today’s digital world. These panels were comprised of attorneys, producers, and studio heads providing entertaining stories of their experiences to illustrate the challenges faced by creatives in the entertainment industry.

We wrapped up with an amazing discussion on emerging technologies and how they would impact creatives and the distribution of their content. Since the event I’ve probably told almost everyone I know how amazing it was, what I learned, and how inspired I am to continue my legal journey toward working in intellectual property. It’s everything I love about Georgia State University College of Law.

GIPA remains sincerely grateful to the Georgia State University College of Law for continuing as a valued partner in all programming.