New technologies Law

With the democratisation of the Internet and the development of new technologies, the need to adapt the legal regime governing these aspects has gradually become apparent.

This recent field of new technologies law is at a crossroads between many other areas of law, including those relating to intellectual property:

Trademark law: domain name disputes, online trademark infringement, etc.

Design law: the ubiquity of the Internet naturally implies a multiplication of infringements on the various networks.

Copyright: with the advent of social networks such as Instagram, counterfeiting has become commonplace on the internet, wich often goes undetected.

Patent Law

With the emergence of blockchain and Web 3.0, questions relating to new technologies law now require an additional degree of expertise: Dreyfus & associés is willing to assist you in your steps towards Web 3.0 The firm offers you its expertise on questions relating to:

Blockchain

Blockchain domains

New technology contract law

Blockchain, a new strategic development tool

As major topic in new technologies law, blockchain is a technology that allows information to be stored and transmitted transparently and securely, without a central control body. The blockchain is not hosted on a single server but by a number of users. This process allows everyone to check the validity of the chain. The information contained in the blocks is protected in such a way that it is not possible to modify it afterwards. It is used for asset transfers (the renowned Bitcoin or, more recently, Ethereum, for instance) or for the execution of smart contracts (i.e. types of contracts that do not require the intervention of a third party, the conditions of execution of the contract being governed by the information in the blockchain).

The blockchain can also be used to keep proof of a filing date. It is easy to imagine the possibilities it offers, especially in the field of copyright: a time-stamped, unforgeable proof of the deposit of a creation. To help you protect your intangible assets, Dreyfus has developed the Dreyfus Blockchain solution: a simple, efficient and secure protection. You will be able to keep, in an unforgeable way, the proof of the date of your creation to defend yourself.

Blockchain domain names, why protect them ?

Another essential aspect of new technology law is domain names. A domain name is the equivalent of a postal address on the Internet, and is composed of a string of characters (e.g. “dreyfus”) and a suffix, commonly known as an extension. These extensions can be national extensions (“.fr “; “.uk “; “.be “; …) or generic (“.com “; “.net “; …). The ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) manages all domain names centrally and thus serves as a one-stop shop for Internet users, like a telephone directory.

Blockchain domains have the particularity of not being registered on ICANN’s servers, they are logically hosted by the blockchain and have their own extensions (“.bitcoin”; “.nft”; “.888”; …). While the monitoring of classic domain names is already a strategic issue for companies, Web 3.0 must also be the subject of particular attention.

The registration of a blockchain domain on the web 3.0 will soon become a necessity for the development of economic activities in this sector. Dreyfus can assist you in all matters related to:

Domain name registration on the most used platforms (Unstoppable Domains, Ethereum Name Service, Handshake, …)

Monitoring your blockchain domain names (cybersquatting, typosquatting)

Monitoring of your trademarks on web 3.0

Availability searches

Prepare for your arrival on Web 3.0 with confidence

The development of new technologies law also requires a rethinking of certain more general aspects of the law. Contract law is an area in which new technologies play an increasing role. In collaboration with a large network of specialized law firms, Dreyfus assists you in your projects:

NFT contracts: NFT co-production contracts

IT contracts

Partnership contracts

Sponsorship contract

Video game contracts (publishing, distribution, e-sports)

T&Cs and UGCs related to NFTs

Purchase of virtual land in the metaverse

You can find all the information about these contracts on our dedicated page.