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The Law Offices of James I Charne

425 IDAHO AVENUE, UNIT NO. 9, SANTA MONICA, CA 90403 266

What we say about the firm's legal practice in US

Media, technology and telecoms

Within Technology: video and online gaming - advice to developers: National,

The Law Offices of James I Charne

PRACTICE: The Law Offices of James I Charne, through its eponymous founder, has carved out a niche in representing developers and designers in not just the video-game industry, but across the gamut of entertainment industries. The firm has one office in Santa Monica, California, although the reach of its reputation overseas is comparable to any other firm in this market.

While traditional game developers constitute a steady foundation for this side of the practice, the breadth of Charne’s work also encompasses small design studios, emerging technology companies and online companies in the entertainment sphere.

In one recent example, Charne acted for British company Natural Motion, which develops character animation for online and offline use, on several transactions as the company’s products have been integrated with other software and acquired up by leading games companies.

The practice blends expertise in IP and business law, attracting referrals and clients from around the world with Europe, in particular, a source of mandates. Indeed, recent work with Swedish developers Avalanche Studios has involved helping an IP-heavy company protect its output through the various stages of its development during and since the release of its first game in 2006.

CLIENTS: Charne’s clients include Bungie, Natural Motion, Fatalist and a whole host of domestic and overseas developers.

INDIVIDUALS: ‘A very important part of the developer community’, James Charne wins acclaim for his work in the industry, which dates back to working as a producer with Activision in the 1980s. Charne is ‘in tune with the essence of the clients’ product’, and ‘revered for his work unpicking legal points for those that are unfamiliar, without weighing down the whole process of actually making a game’. It is this reputation, combined with his high profile at the International Game Developers Assocation and former roles at the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, that has kept him at the forefront of the industry.

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Offices in Santa Monica

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