Melise R. Blakeslee
Partner
Washington, D.C.
T: +1 202 756 8362
F: +1 202 756 8087
mblakeslee@mwe.com
Melise R. Blakeslee is a partner in the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP. Melise, who is based in the Washington, D.C. office, is the leader of the Firm’s Tech Transactions, Internet Crimes and e-Business Groups.
Melise’s practice is unique in that she has a transactional practice focusing on information technology and the internet as well as an active litigation docket focusing on internet crimes, complex software and copyright disputes.
Transactional Practice
Melise’s practice routinely bridges across a wide range of complex IT and intellectual property (IP) arrangements, such as:
- Multinational IT and BPO outsourcing;
- Computer systems, software development, system integration and implementation agreement;
- Distribution, co-branding, and strategic partner arrangements;
- Due diligence and compliance issues in large-scale IT-focused M&A transactions;
- Data protection and licensing;
- Open source analysis and counseling;
- Financial services portals and commodity exchanges.
In addition, she advises on Internet-related issues such as: consumer privacy, transaction authentication, content licensing, electronic payment systems, advertising concerns and e-business-related insurance issues.
Protection and Commercialization of IP Assets
Melise has 20 years of experience protecting and licensing IP in many industry sectors, including software, advertising, art and music. She leads the Firm's large-scale internet crimes program on behalf of many famous brands and businesses.
Litigation
Melise represents clients in early stage disputes and also in the federal district courts on issues of software failure, software infringement, copyright and trademark disputes. She has successfully retrieved over 50 different domains through arbitration proceedings. She has also been counsel in several landmark federal cases. (view full representative litigation list)
- Lexmark International, Inc. v. Static Control Components, Inc. (6th Cir. 2004) which established the seminal precedent on the interpretation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and its application to spare parts containing software code.
- Juno Online Service LP v. Juno Lighting Inc, (N.D.Ill., 1997) to which many looked for the early standards for resolving domain name disputes.
- Religious Technology Center v. Lerma, et al (E.D.Va. 1996) an important case in establishing the application of copyright laws to online reproduction and distribution.
Speaking Engagements
Melise is frequently invited to speak at legal conferences, trade shows and universities. She also frequently serves as a source of legal commentary for the press.
- What Every Chief Security Officer Should Know About Protecting Intellectual Property.”
- “e-Risk – What is it? and How to Reduce Exposure,” quoted in the August 2005 ComputerWorld on the topic of e-mail liability and what IT can do to reduce risk.
- ComputerUser, commentary on e-Business feature on website privacy (January 2001).
- Presented on Software Development and Systems Failures, Mealey’s IT Systems Failure Conference.
- Presented on Protecting Your Intellectual Property on the Internet, Mealey’s Internet Law 101 Conference.
- Taught Internet in the Workplace in several cities on behalf of the Software Publisher’s Association.
- Served as an adjunct faculty member in George Washington University’s program on the legal and business aspects of corporate privacy, network security and encryption arrangements.
Publications
Melise’s legal opinions on e-Business, technology transactions, copyrights and software have been widely published. (view full list of publications and presentations.)
- “Infringement is Everywhere, Congress addresses Orphaned Works,” Law.Com, Sep. 25, 2006.
- “When is a Machine Part Not a Machine Part?” The Deal, January 26, 2004.
- “e-Risk: Three Considerations for Corporate Counsel,” New York State Bar News, 2002.
- “Managing the Ramifications of a Network Security Investigation,” Journal of Internet Law, April 2003.
- “Network Security: Through the Legal Lens,” Potomac High Tech Journal, December 10, 2001.
- “Network Security – Focusing on the More Probable Risks,” Massachusetts High Tech Journal, October 2001.
- “BSA Targets Certain Zip Codes and Declares a Truce on Unlicensed Software,” McDermott On The Subject, February, 2001.
- “Websites Violate FTC Consumer Rules,” McDermott On the Subject, November 2001.
- “Protecting Your Names and Brands: The Need to Police the Internet Continues,” McDermott On the Subject, October 2001.
- Trade Secrets and Confidentiality Agreements, 1996 – 2000, Clark Boardman’s Advising Small Businesses.
Other
Melise is on the advisory board to the UNATEK Summit on Web Services Security. She is also a member of McDermott's Technology Committee. She is admitted to the bars of New York and the District of Columbia.
Education
- New York Law School, J.D., 1986
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1983
