Our work focuses on three main areas: protecting civil liberties, promoting balanced intellectual property laws and access to information policies, and ensuring a fair criminal legal system. We look for strategic opportunities in litigation, regulatory and legislative processes, and policy analysis.

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Latest

Exemption to Section 1201 Liability for Text and Data Mining

On behalf of Authors Alliance, the Clinic successfully petitioned the Copyright Office for an exemption to Section 1201 liability for researchers engaging in text and data mining of literary works and films. As part of a triennial proceeding, the Clinic drafted a petition, responded to opponents, and appeared before the Copyright Office to make the case for such research. The Copyright Office largely granted the pro-posed exemption in October 2021.
SamuelsonClinicIntellectualProperty
Jan 26, 2022

Amicus Brief in Green v. Department of Justice

On behalf of professors Rebecca Tushnet (Harvard Law) and Pam Samuelson (Berkeley Law), the clinic helped to draft an amicus brief in Green v. DOJ. The brief argues that the DC Circuit should hold that Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act should be subject to strict scrutiny under the First Amendment. Section 1201 blocks access to information and alters the traditional balance between copyright law and free speech. Content-based exceptions, both in 1201 itself and through the triennial review process created by Section 1201, mean the court should subject the statute to strict scrutiny.
SamuelsonClinicIntellectualProperty
Jan 19, 2022