Burns & Levinson to Host Employer Intellectual Property Seminar; Event Will Highlight Growing Issues Relevant to Running Businesses in an Age of Corporate Governance and Compliance.

BOSTON -- In response to a rapidly growing number of employee Intellectual Property theft cases, Burns & Levinson LLP, a leading Boston business law firm with thriving Employment and Intellectual Property practice groups, today is hosting a seminar and panel discussion designed for in-house counsel and C-level executives to assist them in minimizing their risks in losing IP assets through their employees.

Titled "Defending Your IP: Protecting Your Company's Intellectual Property Assets Through the Employment Relationship," the free seminar will take place at Burns & Levinson's offices at 125 Summer St.

"This seminar integrates Burns & Levinson's practice group expertise and continues our commitment to provide "value-added" services to our clients," said Renee Inomata, chairperson of the Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group.

The seminar will focus on best practices and controls employers should adopt to prevent employees from disclosing or misusing the employer's intellectual property assets. Hosted by Burns & Levinson's Labor, Employment and Employee Benefits Group, the seminar will explore a number of issues, including:

--Identification and securing ownership of IP assets

--Security measures to protect IP assets

--IP management systems and compliance issues, such as Sarbanes-Oxley

--Non-competition/non-disclosure and employment agreements and policies to maximize protection of IP assets

--Enforcement of IP rights against former employees

--Employment of a competitor's former employee

"Intellectual property is at the forefront of the new economy and often constitutes a majority of a company's assets," said Howard J. Susser, a partner in Burns & Levinson's Intellectual Property Group and a presenter at the seminar. "Knowing that, it is imperative that companies-both public and private-have a better understanding of how IP controls need to be integrated into their companies on an ongoing basis."

In addition to Susser, other scheduled panelists are Andrew W. Feinberg, vice president of business & legal affairs for Brightcove Inc.; Anthony J. Sansone, CIO of Tatum Partners; and Keith Wexelblatt, senior counsel for Reebok International Ltd. and director of legal affairs for The Hockey Company. Renee Inomata, chairperson of Burns & Levinson's Employment Group, will moderate the panel.

Note to Editors

To schedule a meeting at the 5 p.m. reception with a Burns & Levinson attorney, please contact PAN Communications at 978-474-1900.

About Burns & Levinson

Burns & Levinson, with 135 attorneys in four offices in New England, as well as one in Washington, D.C., is a full-service Boston-based business law firm. The firm has grown steadily and strategically throughout the years and has become a premier New England-based business law firm with regional, national and international clientele. The firm has expertise in corporate law, finance, venture capital, private equity, tax, bankruptcy, lending and leasing, real estate, intellectual property and business litigation. Burns & Levinson also has a large private clients group that services clients in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust litigation, divorce and other family law issues. For more information, visit Burns & Levinson at www.burnslev.com.