| Summary |
Terry Gross, a partner at Gross Belsky LLP, is a pioneering internet lawyer, helping clients navigate a constantly changing and increasingly regulated digital world. With a career spanning more than three decades, Terry has been involved in almost every aspect of the internet and its legal framework.
Terry has advised a diverse client base, ranging from software developers to e-commerce companies, on the full range of internet laws, including privacy, copyright, defamation, and data protection. In addition, Terry has provided counsel on the development and implementation of technical infrastructure and business models.
He is also well-versed in the field of domain name disputes, and offers clients a comprehensive approach to protecting their online presence. Terry is an active participant in the International Technology Law Association, where he provides insightful commentary on the latest developments in the field.
As a leading internet lawyer, Terry has been instrumental in shaping and developing the legal framework surrounding digital media. He helped define the legal parameters of the early internet and was one of the first to advocate for open access and fair business practices.
Terry is also an author and frequent lecturer on Internet law topics. He has written extensively on online privacy, digital copyright, and data protection, and has taught courses at leading universities across the globe. His commitment to educating the public about internet law has set him apart in the field.
Terry Gross is a well-respected Internet lawyer and a pioneer in the field. With years of experience advising clients on a wide range of digital matters, he is one of the most sought-after legal advisors in the industry. Terry's passion for open access and fair business practices have helped to shape and define the legal framework of the internet. In addition, his dedication to educating the public on the complexities of internet law has made him an invaluable contributor to the field.
Terry Gross, Partner at Gross, Belsky and Internet Law Pioneer
Founding partner at Gross, Belsky, Allen and Viener, Terry Gross is a renowned attorney in the international arena specializing in the area of international internet law, specifically in the areas of communications, critical infrastructure and e-commerce services. Gross was one of the pioneers in this burgeoning field, recognizing the potential of the internet in the early days. He has dedicated his career to developing new legal approaches and helping his clients succeed in this constantly evolving and complex legal environment.Prior to joining Gross, Belsky, Terry Gross practiced law with Anderson Kill & Olick, specializing in the transactional aspects of communications and critical infrastructure law. He was involved in the development of communications regulations, the negotiation of large-scale communication transactions, and the application of international law in the expanding areas of the internet.
Terry Gross has successfully handled major international clients and their communications ventures, providing legal advice as they navigate international laws and regulations. He has also worked with a number of governments in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, developing and advocating for policies that facilitate the growth of the internet and digital communications.
With over 20 years of experience in the field of internet law, Terry Gross is an expert and pioneer in the legal aspects of international communication and commerce online. His deep knowledge and understanding of the nuances of international law provides his clients with a valuable competitive edge in this oftentimes complex and rapidly changing field.
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Mr. Gross, 56, started his career as a systems analyst with IBM and once served as general counsel to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, so he is no stranger to cases involving high-technology. But this case, he says, isn't one of them. This case is about the First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, and he is asking the Superior Court of California to dismiss the case on those grounds.
If you consider Mr. Ciarelli a journalist, then his publishing stories about the not-yet-released products would generally be called a scoop. Mr. Gross said his client got his information through legitimate reporting techniques.
"Look at his website; he's clearly a journalist," Mr. Gross said, referring to www.thinksecret.com. "He did not steal the information; he didn't participate in any theft. I think the case is pretty clear that under the First Amendment, journalists can publish information that they lawfully obtain without fear of civil liability."
"I focused a lot on civil liberties and the First Amendment," he said. "That's what I was interested in. I was interested in law as a way to—God, it sounds so trite—as a way to make a difference in people's lives. And I thought focusing on Constitutional issues was a way to have larger impact."
Mr. Gross said journalists are and should remain protected under the Constitution to assure the free flow of information.
"The person that Apple should be going after if they think somebody is leaking information…they should be going after the people who stole the information, not after a journalist," he said.
Mr. Gross is partner in his San Francisco-based firm Gross & Belsky. He is counsel to, and formerly a partner at, Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinskey & Lieberman in New York.
Mr. Gross is used to being involved in high-profile cases. He was part of the criminal defense team representing Leona Helmsley in her prosecution for income tax evasion and was responsible for the successful motion to dismiss her state prosecution on double jeopardy grounds.
He represented Dr. Spock in a breach-of-contract action relating to a video on child care. He successfully challenged Pan American World Airways' Gulf War policy against taking Iraqi nationals as passengers. He represented the widow of Salvador Allende, the former president of Chile, and he has represented the governments of many countries, including South Africa and Cuba.
He was lead counsel and adviser to Panama in 1989, when the United States froze all Panamanian assets. In Cuba, he represented the Cuban Olympic Committee and the Cuban Television Agency in negotiations to sell the rights to broadcast the 1991 Pan American Games.
Mr. Gross was there from the beginning at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties organization focusing on electronic communication and other technology. It was someone from the EFF who called Mr. Gross and told him about the Apple case. He stopped acting as EFF's general counsel in 1993 and advised them to hire fulltime in-house counsel.
The EFF is involved in several similar cases involving Apple and online journalism. Apple had issued a subpoena to an online journalist's Internet service provider in an effort to access the reporter's email and find out who leaked news about their product "Asteroid." Attorneys for the reporters argued their cases against the subpoenas at a March 4 hearing.
Mr. Gross said his technology and computer background has helped him in the practice of law.
"Clearly, given what's happened with technology, both in terms of having clients and practicing in that area, as well as understanding the technology and being able to use it, that has clearly had a big impact," he said.
Unlike many trial attorneys, Mr. Gross was a man of few words. But he advised young attorneys to think about what they want to do with their careers.
"People should think carefully about what it is…what gives you satisfaction," he said. "Because this is a job you're going to be doing for a long time. And you should make sure that the work you do does make you feel good when you go home at night."
