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Mark Webbink Joins Software Freedom Law Center

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the score-one-for-the-good-guys dept.

rs232 writes to tell us that Mark Webbink has joined the board of the Software Freedom Law Center. Good news for the FOSS community, bad news if he was hoping for a quiet retirement. "Webbink comes to SFLC from Red Hat, the premiere Linux and open source vendor, where he served as its first general counsel beginning in 2000. In 2004, he became Red Hat's deputy general counsel for intellectual property, a position he served in until his retirement in August 2007. During his tenure with Red Hat, Webbink wrote and spoke extensively on the subjects of open source software, software patents, and patent reform."

10 comments

  1. no lawyer jokes, please by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Usually I would post a lawyer joke (my dad was one), but there are some who have helped and Mark is one! We should thank him for staying active in his "retirement".

  2. yeah, it's a joke, but not a mean one by heinousjay · · Score: 1

    How many lawyers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

    Two, but getting them in there is tricky.

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  3. Who? by LingNoi · · Score: 1

    This is news? I've never heard of this guy before? What's he done for free software before being hired by the FSF?

    1. Re:Who? by tridge · · Score: 2, Insightful

      yes, this is news. Most good lawyers tend to stay out of the limelight. Mark is a good lawyer,
      and has helped many things that could have become problematic for the free software community
      not become problematic. You don't hear of those successes on sites like Slashdot.

      I'm glad to hear Mark is joining the SFLC. The SLFC has some really great people, including one
      of my personal heros, Eben Moglen, but they are very busy, and I suspect they will get busier
      over time. More good, experienced lawyers like Mark can only help.

      If you don't know Marks work at all then you might like to read this bit he wrote about the Microsoft/Novell deal: http://blogs.redhat.com/executive/archives/000274.html

      Cheers, Tridge

  4. A bit more info on Mark Webbink by allcar · · Score: 2, Informative
    If you're like me, you may never have heard of this guy. To save you the effort, here's a few relevant links:
    1. Re:A bit more info on Mark Webbink by LingNoi · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the links and if Mark is reading this, I wish you good luck in your new position.

  5. more at Groklaw .. by rs232 · · Score: 1

    "During my time at Red Hat, I came to understand that open source developers perform their best work when sound legal advice is available to them," said Webbink. "I look forward to working with an organization that provides this essential role to the Free and Open Source Software community."

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  6. Webbink? by tygerstripes · · Score: 1

    I thought that was a Web 2.0 startup.

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    Meta will eat itself