"Cloud Services and Related Big Data Issues," Law Seminars International, Seattle

As "the cloud" becomes ubiquitous for business and consumer applications, and harnessing "big data" presents novel challenges and opportunities, it is time for a deep dive into the implications of the cloud and big data for the global legal system. Are current legal structures adequate to define and enforce the rights and liabilities of cloud service providers, their partners, commercial clients and ordinary consumers? How do we navigate, protect, use and monetize the big data that is enabled by the cloud?

This timely two-day conference explored the challenges presented by a ubiquitous cloud, and new issues and developments with respect to data ownership and control, contractual rights, privacy and security, law enforcement, and conflicts of law. In each of these areas, our faculty of leading in-house lawyers, private lawyers, business leaders and academics with extensive experience in cloud computing and big data discussed the law and business of the cloud and big data today, where it is going, and where it should be going.

DWT partner Louisa Barash, Co-chair of this program, and partner Bob Stankey and associate Karen Ross will present.

Bob's presentation, "Doing Business in an Inherently Global Environment," addressed U.S. and international regulatory issues in the cloud, specifically:

• Conflicts of law
• Licensing and online service regulations
• Data sovereignty
• Limits on cross-border data transfers
• Government access (Patriot Act, interception)

Karen Ross co-presented on "Special Issues for E-commerce and Payment Systems Using Cloud Services," discussing possibilities, benefits, and challenges of the financial and payment industry's use of cloud computing.