Recently, Catherine (Cat) Lovrics, partner and Head of Trademarks and Copyright in Canada, spoke on the Sports, Media and Entertainment panel at the 33rd Annual Hansen Intellectual Property Law & Policy Conference at Fordham University in New York.
The panel examined how rapid technological change—particularly artificial intelligence (AI)—is reshaping ownership, control, and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights across the sports, media and entertainment sectors.
Highlights from the discussion were featured in an article by IPKat, which noted the panelists focus on how increasing legal uncertainty is becoming a defining feature for these sectors as disputes over content, personality, and rights are testing the limits of existing intellectual property frameworks, and as the pace of technological change outpaces the law.
The article also included insights shared by Cat, on innovative enforcement approaches to address copyright infringement and media piracy in sports. She cited a 2024 Federal Court of Canada decision, Rogers Media Inc. v. John Doe, that accepted dynamic site blocking as a legitimate tool for broadcasters struggling with live takedown in streaming contexts, stating:
"Where traditional enforcement mechanisms have proved too slow to keep up with live piracy, the courts, ultimately married technology and the law. It is an example worth watching for jurisdictions still searching for workable enforcement models in an era where infringing content moves faster than any injunction."
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The Hansen Intellectual Property Law & Policy Conference at Fordham University offers broad global representation with leading and emerging voices from across regions, a comprehensive overview of key IP and technology developments across major jurisdictions, and unparalleled networking opportunities with government officials, academics, industry leaders, and practitioners worldwide.