As previously reported, I had the opportunity last night to moderate a discussion at the William & Mary School of Law on “P.R.O.T.E.C.T. IP Act: What Is It? Will It Pass? What Would Be Its Impact?” The seminar was sponsored by the Virginia Bar Association Intellectual Property and Information Technology Section along with a host of law school organizations.

The proposed legislation would allow the attorney general and private parties to shut down websites that infringe on intellectual property rights. The legislation would allow purportedly aggrieved parties to go to court and obtain an order that would permit them to compel search engines, advertisers and financial institutions to cease support for (and block access to) a site that is deemed to be “dedicated to infringing activities.” A lively discussion was had with panelists Douglas Smith, Esquire and Professor Trotter Hardy.