Prof. Edward Lee joined the Santa Clara Law faculty in 2024. His research and teaching includes Internet Law, AI, copyright law, design law, international intellectual property law, and torts.
Why do you write?
Legal scholarship I write to add my ideas to the debate over how best to respond to a legal problem. It may be wishful thinking, but I write because I believe I have something meaningful to contribute to public debate over legal issues. If I weren’t writing scholarship, I would write for the pure joy of it. I do enjoy legal scholarship, but not the footnotes!
Is there a scholar who most inspires you?
Many scholars inspire me. We are blessed in this field to have so many scholars doing very interesting work. It’s hard to pick just one. But, if I had to, I’d say Pam Samuelson and Mark Lemley. I know that’s two! But the sheer breadth and impact of their scholarship, not to mention their writing styles, are inspiring for me to want to up my game. I imagine it’s similar to what Shohei Ohtani’s teammates say.
What do you think has been your most impactful work?
Ah, I think that’s either for others or the test of time to say. But I will say that I have a bad memory of what I said in past scholarship and often have the feeling that my current work in progress is the “most important” thing I will write. Maybe that combination has served me well. It’s helped me to stay engaged in my current writing.
What work are you most proud of and why?
I’d probably say my writing about user-generated content and, more recently, my book and articles about NFTs. Sorry, I know that’s two again! But they both discuss individual creators, different challenges they face, and possibilities that new technologies may open up for them. The Creator Economy is alive and well, but individual creators still face many challenges, including disruptions caused by AI. I’m proud of giving a voice to some of these creators and trying to call attention to ways in which society and technology can help support them and artistic pursuits, including through the copyright system.
What’s your next project?
Well, I think it will probably be related to AI. Part of me wants to move on from AI after writing a few articles on this topic, I have to admit. But the other part of me thinks AI is so fascinating–and there’s still so much to write about. I haven’t even written about fair use or deepfakes yet. Hard to resist.