Much of the technology underlying clean tech is patented and licensed like any other technology. The licensing skills that lawyers have developed for other fields of patent licensing are equally applicable to clean tech.

Similarly, much of the money being invested in the development of clean tech is venture capital money, and the deals involving clean tech companies are not significantly different from those done in the IT industry. Indeed, many of the VC companies and lawyers who have worked for decades in the IT venture capital area are also working in the clean tech field today.

The same is true for corporate law, securities law, employment law, etc. The fact is, most of the laws that apply to an Internet company also apply to a clean tech company.

Another force that is moving IT lawyers into the clean tech area is the fact that many of their larger clients have huge server farms, which use enormous amounts of electricity and generate large amounts of heat. These companies realize that if they are not proactive in moving to clean technology for electricity generation, they will be targeted by politicians and activists who are concerning about greenhouse gases and global warming. These companies see the necessity of investing in clean tech – both in developing their own technologies and in utilizing other people’s technologies to deal with these problems. Their lawyers increasingly are being asked to provide them with legal counsel as they move into the clean tech area.

That is not to say that there will be a lessening of developments in the IT law area. But it is clear that technology lawyers are expanding their expertise into legal areas that a decade ago they probably never thought they would be involved in. Never a dull moment!!

The program will be divided into four panel discussions addressing a variety of topics, including:

1. The New Government Energy Policies and CleanTech’s Opportunities: Incentives and Market Drivers

2. Learning from the World’s Renewable Energy Leaders

3. Clean Technology Innovation and Protection (focusing on cleantech patents, licensing and tech transfer)

4. Financing Clean Technologies

The keynote speech will be given by Ted Flanigan, President, EcoMotion, Irvine, CA

More detailed information on the event, as well as a copy of the conference brochure, is available here.

The cost for the entire event is only $195 (early bird discount) and 5 CLE credit hours are available. (Space is limited to 95 attendees, so early registration is advised.) Online registration is available here.

I look forward to seeing you and your colleagues at the Summit. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at mdscott@swlaw.edu.