Damle, Sy

Sy Damle

Partner

sy.damle@lw.com
sy.damle@lw.com
    Damle, Sy

    Sy Damle

    Partner

    sy.damle@lw.com
    "Sy is excellent. He is responsive, knowledgeable and provides practical expert copyright advice."

    Chambers USA 2023

    "Sy is a great, strategic partner. He is exceptional at explaining the state of the law to people who are not familiar with it and advocates for a beneficial outcome for his clients at all times."

    Chambers USA 2023

    "He knows music copyright from a regulatory perspective exceptionally well."

    Chambers USA 2023

    "Sy understands the nuances and regulatory issues we have to deal with. We rely heavily on his guidance and he is helpful with queries. He is super brainy but also down to earth."

    Chambers USA 2023

    “Sarang has a deep knowledge not just of copyright law, but also the policy, politics and behind-the-scenes workings at the Copyright Office, which is a rare and valuable perspective to have.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    “Sy is kind, patient, knowledgeable and experienced. We’re very lucky he’s on our team.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    “He has a comprehensive and thorough understanding of the law, a strong commercial sensibility, and an objective perspective that improves the efficacy of his advice.”

    Chambers USA 2022

    Profile

    Sy Damle is a partner in the Copyright Practice of the Litigation & Trial Department. A former software engineer, Mr. Damle specializes in high technology matters, including those involving computer systems and networks and artificial intelligence. He is also an accomplished music lawyer.

    Mr. Damle represents large and small technology and new media companies, including leading streaming services, software companies, and online commerce platforms, in high-stakes trials. He also represents companies and trade organizations in regulatory proceedings before the US Copyright Office and Copyright Royalty Board.

    Mr. Damle is regularly called upon by private industry and government agencies to advise on cutting edge issues of law and technology. He has testified before Congress and the US Copyright Office on issues around generative artificial intelligence and copyright law. 

    Mr. Damle joined Latham after serving as General Counsel and Associate Register of Copyrights at the US Copyright Office. In this role, he was responsible for the agency’s litigation, regulatory, and other legal work. Previously, he served as a litigator in the US Department of Justice, focusing on IP, administrative law, and constitutional matters.

    Mr. Damle teaches copyright law at George Washington University, and is an adviser to the American Law Institute’s Restatement of Copyright Law project.

    Mr. Damle earned his JD from the University of Virginia, where he graduated first in his class. He served as a clerk for Judge Sandra L. Lynch of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Mr. Damle also holds systems engineering and business degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. 

    Experience

    Mr. Damle's experience includes representing:

    • Oracle in winning a US$30 million jury verdict in copyright infringement suit against HPE
    • Johnson & Johnson in a software copyright infringement dispute against its main competitor for theft of code for an ophthalmic laser surgery system, which resulted in a nearly US$200m settlement for J&J. 
    • Spotify in litigation to establish the rates it pays for musical composition licenses
    • A major venture capital firm in hearings before the US Copyright Office regarding generative AI technologies
    • Apple in software copyright infringement and Digital Millennium Copyright Act litigation against a company that sells virtual web-based versions of the company’s mobile operating system
    • Apple in defense of copyright infringement claims relating to diverse emoji
    • A cloud-based email security provider in defense of software copyright infringement claims
    • An online resume building company in copyright infringement litigation against a copycat service
    • Digital Media Association (DiMA) in a variety of copyright-related regulatory proceeding

    Recent Thought Leadership

    • Witness, “Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part I — Interoperability of AI and Copyright Law,” House Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, May 2023
    • Panelist, Artificial Intelligence and Artists’ Rights, American University Intellectual Property Brief Symposium, March 2023
    • Panelist, Web 3 & IP: Understanding the NFT and IP Connection, January 2023
    • Repair of Software-Enabled Devices, Practicing Law Institute, September 2022
    • Panelist, Pauline Newman IP Inn of Court, Google v. Oracle at the Supreme Court, February 2021
    • Panelist, “Google v. Oracle,” American University, October 2020
    • Panelist, “Copyright in the Supreme Court,” Copyright Society of the USA, February 2020
    • Speaker, “Google v. Oracle and Computer Software Interoperability,” Columbia Law School, March 2018

    Qualifications

    Bar Qualification

    • District of Columbia
    • New York

    Education

    • JD, University of Virginia, 2005
    • BS in Economics & Jerome Fisher M&T Program, University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, 1999
    • BS in Systems Science Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering and Applied Science, 1999

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