"MLSs mulling copyright enforcement group to go after 'data pirates'"

Nexsen Pruet business litigation attorney Marc Manos discusses copyright laws ways to ward off "data pirates" who use and share information from MLS databases without permission.

During a September presentation at the conference of the Council of Multiple Listing Services (CMLS) entitled "Are the Cows Out of the Barn or Can MLS Organizations Still Protect Against Data Piracy?", Manos shared that collectively joining together and enforcing their rights may be the answer. 

Here is an excerpt of a report about that presentation from Inman News:

While there's plenty of case law regarding copyright rights in the music and software industries, Manos said, this is an area of law that hasn't been tested and developed in the context of MLS databases.

"This would be an area where we're shaping the law for a new industry," Manos said. "When that's occurring, you want a well-funded, well-thought-out strategy to maximize your chances of prevailing and getting decisions that would benefit your industry."

Read more from Inman News®. 

Marc Manos concentrates his practice in civil litigation, with an emphasis on complex litigation.  Manos briefs and argues appeals at every level of the state and federal court systems.  His experience includes large numbers of intellectual property, unfair business practices, computer and technology related disputes, state procurement issues, constitutional issues and insurance coverage questions. He also counsels clients on the state procurement process, the contracting for and procurement of technology, and intellectual property protection and licensing.