The IT, Telecommunications and Media industries are converging, and the borders between these industries are being erased. As a consequence of this, there is a continuous changing of the regulatory framework for these industry sectors. Simultaneously, there is a rapid development of convergence of the transmission platform technology used by each of these industry sectors.
The lawyers in FOYEN have a significant knowledge and legal practice within the industry sectors mentioned, including the related framework conditions. FOYEN has for a number of years assisted the trade association IKT Norge (ICT Norway) with contributions to the association’s work related to influence on the framing of the industry’s framework conditions, with written submissions in public consultations and in individual cases.
For the Telecom sector, FOYEN is continuously engaged in regulatory and competition law aspects, right of way issues and co-location issues, commercial contracts, interconnection agreements, corporate law issues, mergers, acquisitions and de-mergers, and alliances and partnering agreements. We have considerable experience with the procurement of telecommunication services and with the procurement of infrastructure for the Telecom sector.
For the Media sector, our assistance covers all relevant legal issues related to media distribution, regulatory aspects regarding broadcasting, competition rules regarding sale of sports rights, the press’ Be Cautious guidelines and other rules related to editorial liberty, and preparation of sponsorship agreements related to sports events.
The framework conditions for Internet-based businesses are fragmentary and complex. FOYEN is involved in all sorts of legal issues relating to different kinds of Internet-based businesses, including web-radio, web-TV and video services, auction services, payment systems and transaction of payments, advertising services, gaming services and search engine services. Our assistance comprises of review and advice regarding solutions for e-commerce, choice of agreement mechanisms and use of electronic signatures, evaluations with respect to liability and regulatory legislation etc.
There is a close cooperation between the ICT and Media team and our team for Corporate, Tax and VAT, as well as the Labour Law team. That is of particular importance relating to outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions, and restructuring of companies in the ICT and Media sector.
The lawyers working in the ICT and Media team do a significant amount of Intellectual Property work, with particular emphasis on multi media, new media and the ICT and Media industry. We have considerable expertise in the areas of Copyright law, Trade Mark Law, Domain Names, Patent and Design and Marketing law.
The ICT and Media Team have expertise on public procurement, both representing the customer side and the vendor side. In this area there is a close cooperation between the ICT and Media team and the Real Estate and Construction Law Team. The number of projects involving public procurement is particularly high within these two areas.
The lawyers in FOYEN are regularly retained by the large international law firms in matters where they need assistance regarding Norwegian law. FOYEN has a well established network of contacts in corresponding practice groups in the large law firms in Europe and the US, which we can draw upon when Norwegian clients need assistance in other countries.
Our lawyers are frequently engaged as speakers in national and international ICT forums, including the Norwegian Lawyer’s Association’s courses. We also arrange in-house courses for companies, seminars for sector associations etc.