[Virtual] Fashion Law Conference

The fashion industry is one of the world’s biggest fiscal heavyweights, and this past year it has faced exceptional challenges.  The COVID pandemic has upended business as usual, and has forced fundamental changes in supply chain strategies to adapt to the “new normal.”  It has also caused a boom in counterfeit products, as the pandemic has created what some have described as a ‘perform storm” for the growth of counterfeits in the global market.  Bankruptcies and reorganizations have also dominated headlines, as Neiman Marcus, Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brands, JC Penney, J. Crew and many others seek court protection to continue doing business.  Things are changing, and with a new administration around the corner, some are anticipating a tougher stance on social media, advertising and ecommerce platforms.   This year, legal professionals and leading industry representatives will thus explore diverse cutting-edge topics such as changes anticipated with the new Biden Presidency; the growth of counterfeits in ecommerce; issues pertaining to contract termination; liquidations and reorganizations; and what our path to returning to the office will look like in the employment and labor context. Although the arena of fashion has broadened in scope, our lens of focus remains sharper than ever.

Agenda

Monday, February 8 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Pandemic, eCommerce, and the Perfect Storm:  The Upsurge in Counterfeits
This panel will explore the pandemic’s effect on the sale of counterfeits online, the existing framework to address it, brand protection strategies and what we can anticipate with the new incoming Biden administration.

• Moderator: Olivera Medenica, Partner, Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP
• Jonathan Lasken, Senior Trial Counsel, Federal Trade Commission
• Christina Mitropoulos, Manager, Brand Protection & Manufacturing Initiatives, American Apparel and Footwear Association
• Cheryl Wang, Counsel, IP & Brand Enforcement, David Yurman Enterprises LLC

Tuesday, February 9 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Cutting Strings and Starting Anew:  Termination and Force Majeure Clauses
The first days of the pandemic, lawyers were focused on force majeure clauses and how relationships could be instantly terminated using the pandemic as an excuse.  We are now almost a year into the pandemic, and business relationships are still unstable.  Our panelists will explore how various business relationships have been impacted, and will provide a general discussion of pending litigation addressing termination issues, from licensing to commercial leases.

• Moderator: Maria Vathis, Of Counsel, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
• Anuj Kumar, Founder & Editor in Chief, Legal Desire
• Danielle C. Lesser, Partner & Chair, Business Litigation, Morrison Cohen LLP
• Ben Van Peperstraete, Senior Legal Advisor, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights

Wednesday, February 10 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Customs and Trade in 2021: China and Section 301 Tariffs, Forced Labor, USMCA, Covid-19, and the Biden Administration. What does the Future Hold?
This panel will include attorneys and fashion industry representatives discussing what they can expect with the new Biden Presidency, USMCA, and the ongoing trade war with China. What can the Fashion Industry expect to change in 2021 from and what will remain the same? What opportunities for tariff and duty reduction are on the horizon?  Panelists will also break down any expected trade benefits as a consequence of the new administration.  We will also discuss how U.S. and foreign companies should continue to prepare for the impacts of Covid-19 and what effect it will have on the import and export of goods in the U.S.

• Moderator: Frances Hadfield, Counsel – International Trade, Crowell & Moring LLP
• Michael Khorsandi, Vice President, Trade and Regulatory Counsel, Ross Stores, Inc.
• William (Randy) Rucker, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Thursday, February 11 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Main Street Bankruptcies:  How to Navigate a Retailer’s Reorganization
2020 has seen its share of bankruptcies in the fashion industry.  But while debtors might walk into court armed with counsel, some creditors are caught by surprise as to how they should navigate the bankruptcy process.  Our panelists shed light on the complex world of bankruptcy law.

• Moderator: Olivera Medenica, Partner, Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP
• Joseph T. Moldovan, Partner & Chair, Business Solutions, Restructuring & Governance, Morrison Cohen LLP
• Adine S. Momoh, Partner, Stinson LLP
• Camille Somoza, Senior Associate, Ferraiuoli LLC

Friday, February 12 | 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Return to the Office:  How the Pandemic has Changed the Retail Experience
2021 will be the return to the office, and the return of the in store shopping experience.  This panel will address employers’ liability with respect to maintaining a safe office environment, and will consider what employers absolutely must know about coronavirus related liability.

• Moderator: Katherine González-Valentín, Capital Member and Chair, Labor & Employment Law, Ferraiuoli, LLC
• Mitchell Borger, Of Counsel, Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
• Lily Kurland, Attorney, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

Registration

Registration is now closed.

CLE

Available CLE Credit Hours –
60 Minute States: Up to 5 CLE Credits
50 Minute States: Up to 6 CLE Credits

Certificates and credit for the virtual conference will be processed/reported within 4-6 weeks of the event date and available for credit in states that allow credit for live webinar presentations. You must attend the live broadcast, answer engagement polls, and accurately enter your bar number in our database to receive credit.

Sponsors

FBA Intellectual Property Law Section

Contact Melissa Badami (sponsor@fedbar.org) if you’re interested in sponsoring this event. View our Virtual Sponsorship Prospectus for current offerings.

Email Communication Policy
By registering for this event, you agree to receive email communications from the Federal Bar Association and affiliated sponsors of the program concerning event details, Continuing Legal Education certification, programming changes, upcoming events, surveys, and post-event communications.

Recording Disclaimer
By registering for an online FBA program, you agree to the recording of audio and visual content presented during the live event and consent to subsequent use of the recording by the FBA. You agree that the recording is the sole property of the FBA and that the recording may be used by the FBA in any manner in its sole and absolute discretion. This recording may include questions and poll responses provided by you during the live event. If you do not consent to the recording and the FBA’s use of the same, do not register for the event.

Financial Assistance
Program registrants (both FBA members and nonmembers) who are unable to afford the registration fee may receive a 50% discount on the member rate. Qualifying attorneys include those who are unemployed or actively seeking employment. A formal letter requesting the discount must be emailed to meetings@fedbar.org. That letter needs to state the reason for the attorney’s interest in the course or activity, as well as proof of income or an explanation of the financial hardship, and it must be signed by the requesting lawyer.