Jim Gatto is a partner in the Intellectual Property Practice Group in the firm's Washington, D.C. office. He is also Co-Team Leader of the firm's Digital Media Industry and Social Media and Games Industry Teams, Blockchain Technology and Digital Currency team, and Team Leader of the firm's Open Source Team.
Areas of Practice
Mr. Gatto leverages his unique combination of nearly 30 years of IP experience, business insights and attention to technology trends to help companies develop IP and other legal strategies that are aligned with their business objectives. His practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property, internet and technology law, including patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret and open source. Mr. Gatto advises clients of all sizes (start-ups to Fortune 100 companies) on key legal and business issues relating to the use of social media, video games, social games and online gambling (gamblification), virtual goods and currency, social networks, virtual worlds, mirror worlds, augmented reality, open source user-generated content, location-based services and gamification.
He has extensive experience advising internet and social media companies on business and legal strategies relating to virtual goods and virtual currency, developing IP protection and monetization strategies, handling terms of service and end user license agreements, development, licensing and partnership agreements, developing DMCA policies, handling DMCA enforcement, privacy and COPPA policies and much more.
Mr. Gatto's practice is national and international, and it encompasses a full range of IP and technology issues, including: patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation; counseling and technology transactions; developing and implementing IP strategies to protect and to monetize IP assets; creating and implementing corporate IP programs; conducting IP audits; conducting complex patent prosecution, including patent appeals, interferences, Inter Partes Review (IPRs), reissues and protests; handling patent enforcement issues, including licensing and litigation; negotiating and drafting technology agreements; conducting IP due diligence in and negotiating IP aspects of mergers, acquisitions and financings; rendering opinions concerning the infringement, validity and enforceability of patents; handling trademark prosecution, domain name, copyright and trade secret matters; handling IP aspects of employment issues; advising clients on legal issues associated with open source software including open source patent issues, licensing, open source compatibility issues, indemnity issues and developing and implementing corporate policies on use of open source software; advising clients on the legality of cutting edge Internet business methods and technology; and advising clients on computer law issues such as computer fraud and abuse and SPAM-related issues.
More Legal and Business Bylines From James G. Gatto
- USPTO Guidance on Design Patents Including a Computer-Generated Electronic Image - (Posted On Friday, November 17, 2023)
- Equity and Civil Rights Issues in the White House Executive Order on AI - (Posted On Thursday, November 09, 2023)
- White House Executive Order on AI Punts on IP Issues - (Posted On Friday, November 03, 2023)
- Microsoft to Indemnity Users of Copilot AI Software – Leveraging Indemnity to Help Manage Generative AI Legal Risk - (Posted On Wednesday, November 01, 2023)
- White House Executive Order Ramps Up US Regulation of and Policy Toward AI - (Posted On Wednesday, November 01, 2023)
- Generative AI and Copyright – Some Recent Denials and Unanswered Questions - (Posted On Wednesday, October 04, 2023)
- Design Patents Milestone Announced - (Posted On Friday, September 29, 2023)
- SEC Enforcements Against NFTs – Are You Next? - (Posted On Wednesday, September 13, 2023)
- French Insider Episode 25: Plunging Into the Future: What Companies Need to Know as They Embrace AI with Jim Gatto of Sheppard Mullin [Podcast] - (Posted On Friday, September 01, 2023)
- Valve Rejects Games with AI Assets Over Copyright Concerns - (Posted On Tuesday, August 01, 2023)
James G. Gatto and his thought leadership on Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies has been selected for a National Law Review Go-To Thought Leadership Award. Mr. Gatto’s grasp of this complicated area of law, as well as the digital media industry and technology trends, is very insightful, helpful and timely for NLR readers. You can read his analysis of blockchain issues on the Sheppard Mullin Law of the Ledger Blog.