Mary LaFrance

Professor of Intellectual Property Law
Expertise: Intellectual property law, Patent law, Trade secrets, Copyright law, Trademark law, Entertainment law, Art law, Appellate law, Intellectual property licensing

Biography

Mary LaFrance is an expert on entertainment law, domestic and international intellectual property law, and the taxation of intellectual property. She has been called on by media outlets including Bloomberg Law and The Washington Post to add context to reports on the intersection of patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets with law. 

A member of the William S. Boyd School of Law faculty since 1999, LaFrance has also served as a visiting professor at several universities in Japan and the U.S. Prior to joining UNLV, she clerked for Judge Harry T. Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; practiced law in the Washington, D.C. office of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson; and taught at both Florida State University's College of Law and School of Motion Pictures, Television and Recording Arts. 

LaFrance has authored more than a half dozen books on intellectual property and entertainment law, including Understanding Trademark Law (2005), Global Issues in Copyright Law (2009), Entertainment Law on a Global Stage (2015), and Music Law in a Nutshell (forthcoming). Additionally, her articles have been published in numerous journals, including the Vanderbilt Law Review, Emory Law Journal, Santa Clara Computer and High Technology Law Journal, Journal of Intellectual Property Law, and Virginia Tax Review. 

Education

  • A.B., English Literature, Bryn Mawr College
  • M.A., Philosophy, Duke University
  • J.D., Duke University

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Mary LaFrance In The News

The Hollywood Reporter
James Earl Jones‘ iconic voice was among his many gifts as a performer. With the actor having died this week at 93, it remains to be seen whether that voice could appear in new projects, particularly from the Star Wars franchise.
Las Vegas Review Journal
Legal experts say Aristocrat Technologies Inc.’s copyright infringement lawsuit against Las Vegas slot machine manufacturer Light & Wonder Inc. may be difficult to win, but an unusual wrinkle in the case — that former Aristocrat employees worked on their rival’s product — could be significant to the outcome.
CDC Gaming Reports
On March 25, Jefferies hosted an expert call with Ê×Ò³| Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Professor Mary LaFrance, an intellectual property lawyer, focusing on Aristocrat’s lawsuit against Light & Wonder.
Washington Post
The thousands of couples who flock to Las Vegas each year to get married may soon have to scratch the ultimate Vegas VIP from their guest list: Elvis Presley — or at least his impersonators.

Articles Featuring Mary LaFrance

Undergrad researcher Benjamin Sabir helps H. Jeremy Cho examine an atmospheric water harvesting device. (Jeff Scheid/UNLV)
Campus News | October 1, 2024

A monthly roundup of the top news stories featuring UNLV staff and students.

Lake Mead
Campus News | July 11, 2022

A collection of news stories highlighting UNLV experts who made headlines locally, nationally, and around the world.