Margo Langford, Senior Counsel
Margo combines her telecom, technology and content industry experience with a passion for the Entertainment and eBusiness industries. She brings extensive first hand business knowledge working in and with entertainment, content and technology companies. For the past decade she has been extensively involved in digital media projects both as a digital media lawyer and entrepreneur. She founded one of the first "indie" movie download services in 2003, and in 2009 started producing mobile Apps. Margo has been counsel to online game companies, film and television producers, as well as Web and mobile application and content creators and more recently trans-media producers as content moves to multi-platforms.
Margo also worked as General Counsel at several network technology companies. In addition to meeting the demands of such fast-paced commercial Net enterprises, she led some early policy initiatives in Canadian Internet law as VP & General Counsel for iSTAR Internet, one of Canada’s first pan-national Internet service providers and while there was elected Chair of the Canadian Association of Internet Providers (CAIP), serving on Government-Industry committees that shaped Internet law and creating the first voluntary industry self-regulation code across the Globe. Margo expanded her Internet industry advocacy role working as eBusiness Policy Advisor to IBM Canada, where she was re-elected CAIP Chair and also helped evolve some International Internet laws as well as spearheading some copyright and content regulation battles. She next tackled telecom regulations involving equal access to buildings in a CRTC telecom proceeding, as VP Legal for a last-mile network carrier Stream Intelligent Networks (now Videotron) while working intensively on Stream’s restructuring and corporate financing initiatives.
Margo also has considerable international experience, having managed a pan-European copyright litigation project for four years for the major multi-national record labels (Warner, Sony, EMI, BMG, Universal, Polygram) working with European Copyright Directives across 32 European countries out of the London headquarters of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). This opportunity arose out of her role as General Counsel for the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), and simultaneously the Audio Video Licensing Agency (AVLA), managing collective licensing and copyright issues for Canadian music labels from 1990-1992.
Services
Entertainment Industries (digital media and trans-media production, film and TV production and distribution, computer games and music companies): production agreements, developer agreements, distribution agreements, co-production agreements and international treaties, advise on production tax credit regulations, copyright advice, rights clearances, international content licensing and rights enforcement, defamation and free speech, content and privacy best practices;
Network, Mobile, Web and Platform Providers: network, managed service and hosting supplier contracts; online user agreements and systems abuse; software and hardware licenses, affiliate and partner contracts; CRTC regulatory issues; online privacy and security advice, anti-spam legislation, mobile media, online and email marketing, app development agreements, and managing content in cloud computing applications;
Qualifications and Professional Activities
Obtained LL.B. (law degree) from University of Ottawa, Faculty of Common Law 1987
Articled for Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt LLP, Ottawa 1987-1988
Admitted to Ontario Bar, March 1989
Member, British Columbia Bar, 2004 - 2007
Registered Foreign Lawyer, United Kingdom Law Society, 1995
Harvard University Law School – Berkman Center for Internet Law & Society, certificate course in Internet Law; July 2001;
University of Windsor Law School, certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution, Sept 1997 and Advanced ADR in July 2000;
The Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands, certificate in Public International Law; August 1989;
Member of Advisory Board, Society of Internet Professionals
Lifetime Member, Canadian Association of Internet Providers
Former Director, CANARIE Inc., 1998-2000 and member of e-Commerce and Content Committees
Member, Interactive Ontario
Member, Women in Film and Television
Member, President’s Circle, University of Ottawa
Director, Playground Builders.org – registered Canadian charity, building playgrounds in war-torn regions
Public Speaking Engagements
Apr. 2009: BC Digital Media Demo Day, Vancouver, B.C.: "iPhone Applications for Tourism"
Jan. 2005-Jan 2008: Instructor, University of Phoenix MBA Program: "Business Law"
Nov. 2005: DOCTALK, Vancouver, B.C.: "New Digital Distribution Opportunities"
June 2005: DOCS, Vancouver, B.C.: "Distribution for Docs"
May 2005: Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France: "Digital Distribution Platforms"
Feb. 2005: Berlin Film Festival: Hollywood Reporter Seminar, Berlin, Germany: "Film Financing through Alternative Distribution"
Feb.2005: Victoria International Film Festival, Victoria, Canada: "International Marketing & Distribution panel: Content Distribution in Digital Markets"
Sept. 2004: Vancouver International Film Festival, Vancouver, Canada: "Film Distribution"
Sept. 2004: Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto, Canada: "Digital Distribution Panel"
June 2004: Global Entertainment Media Summit, Los Angeles: "Innovative Film Distribution"
Feb. 2004: Real Screen Summit, Washington, D.C.: "Alternative Film Distribution"
July 2003: B.C. Libraries Association, Vancouver: "Lawful Access Legislation"
June 2003: Cannes Film Festival, Peacefulfish Seminar: "Global Film Finance"
Jan. 2003: Simon Fraser University, Vancouver: "Lawful Access Legislation: What does it mean for Internet Privacy?"
Nov. 2002: BC Freedom of Information & Privacy Association, Vancouver: "Cyber Crime Legislation"
Sept. 2002: New Media BC, Vancouver, Canada: "Federal Privacy Legislation"
Oct. 2001: Boston University, School of Law, Boston, USA: "Internet Jurisdiction"
Feb. 2001: Conference at the Canadian High Commission, London, UK: "Creating Trust in Online Enterprises" and High Tech Women, London, UK: "Legal Aspects of Going Global"
Nov. 2000: CasCon2000, Toronto, Canada: "Internet Domain Name Reform"
Oct. 2000: OIPMAC eCommerce Conference Toronto, Canada: "Building Confidence in e-Commerce Transactions"
Sept. 2000: IBC USA Offshore eBusiness Conference, San Francisco, USA: "Jurisdiction Choices for a Global e-Commerce"
Aug. 2000: Legislative Assembly of Ontario Committee on Justice & Social Policy: Consultations on Bill 88, Electronic Commerce Act, 2000: "Presentation on behalf of IBM Canada"
June 2000: Third International Workshop on Technological Challenges of Electronic Commerce, University of Waterloo & University of Maryland, Waterloo, Canada: "Online Dispute Resolution"
June 2000: Industry Canada Regional Roundtable on eBusiness, Toronto, Canada: "Legal, Security and Privacy Considerations of e-Commerce"
April 2000: United Nations, Vienna, Austria: "ISP Cooperation in Battling Internet Crime"
April 2000: Bahamas Chamber of Commerce, Nassau, Bahamas: "Global Aspects of e-Commerce"
Jan 2000: Industry Canada Consumers, e-Commerce & Standards Workshop, Toronto: "CAIP Presentation"
Sept.1999: the FBI’s Global Net Crime Conference, New Orleans, USA: "ISPs Role in Internet Crime"
Sept 1999: Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA): "Report on Policy Research"
March 1999: The G8 Sub-Committee on Internet Crime, Santa Monica, CA, USA: "The Role of ISPs in Combating Internet Crime"
March 1999: House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry: Consultations on Bill C-54 (Privacy Legislation): "CAIP Presentation"
Feb. 1999: New Media Conference 99, Plenary Speaker, Victoria, Canada: "Connectivity, Content & Convergence in the New Millennium"
Jan. 1999: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Internet Domain Name Consultations: Toronto Regional Consultations. "CAIP Presentation"
Nov. 1998: Netcon & Internet Enterprises, Toronto, Canada: "Roundtable on Internet Regulatory Issues"
Nov. 1998: Canadian Radio –television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) Hearings on Regulation of Internet Content, Hull, PQ: "Presentation of IBM Canada"
Oct. 1998: American Marketing Association, conference in Toronto, Canada: "Handling eCommerce Business with no Borders"
Sept. 1998: CBTA TeleCon 98 Solutions for Business Conference, Toronto, Canada: "Content Convergence: A Brave New World"
Oct. 1998: US Embassy Trade Reps Conference, Lac Carling, PQ, Canada: "Government’s Role in e-Commerce"
July 1998: Industry Canada Consultations on WIPO Intellectual Property Treaties: "CAIP Presentation"
May 1998: Net ’98, 12th Annual Internet Conference, Whistler, Canada: "Canadian Internet Laws"
March 1998: OECD ICCP Working Group on Self-Regulation, Paris, France: "Internet Industry Codes of Conduct"
Nov. 1997: Telecom & the Internet Americas ’97, Orlando, Fla, USA: "Liability as an Internet Services Provider"
Oct. 1996: House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, Budget Consultations: "Presentation of iSTAR internet"
June 1996: OECD Workshop: the Internet Convergence and Self-Governance, Dublin Ireland: "CAIP Presentation"
1996- 2001 Annual BC Internet Assoc. Conference, Vancouver, Kelowna & Whistler, Canada: "Internet Law Update"
1990, 1991: Music Week – Vancouver & Toronto, Canada: "Legal Issues in the Music Industry"
