Jan 15 2008
The Nanoethics Group has announced that its co-founder, Dr. Fritz Allhoff, is scheduled to speak next week at the "Nanotechnology Law & Commerce: Business at One-Billionth of a Meter" forum hosted by Chadbourne & Parke LLP on January 31 at the prominent international law firm’s offices in New York City.
Examining the fast-growing, interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology from a business and legal perspective, this event will bring together leading entrepreneurs, investors, insurers, regulators, academics, policymakers, corporate counsel and other stakeholders to share their insight and perspective on the various issues and forces most likely to shape global commerce in nanotechnology. Opening remarks will be provided by Chadbourne counsel George E. Pataki, the former Governor of New York, who was instrumental in bringing a nanotechnology research center, as well as the first college of nanotechnology in the nation, to the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY-Albany).
"Nanotechnology offers enormous promise and challenge, both commercially and legally,” explained David L. Wallace, Chadbourne litigation partner as well as conference organizer and chair. “We are pleased to have Dr. Allhoff, from a highly-regarded nanoethics organization, to inform us about the ethical and social issues that the industry, policymakers, and public at large need to consider in evaluating and determining the most responsible movement forward on nanotechnology, in light of its risk profile.”
Dr. Allhoff, also an assistant professor of philosophy at Western Michigan University, added, “It’s encouraging to see business-oriented conferences starting to engage in nanoethics, even if that tempers some of the enthusiasm about nanotechnology’s potential. No balanced discussion is possible without looking at both nanotechnology’s upside and risks, beyond near-term environmental or safety issues. We applaud Chadbourne for its foresight to include such a discussion on its agenda.”
The meeting will draw on Chadbourne's experience in practice areas relevant to nanotechnology, including finance, products liability, litigation, intellectual property, insurance and reinsurance, energy and regulation, and environmental matters. Other speakers include: Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros, VP & Chief Administrative Officer, College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering, SUNY-Albany; Dr. Stanley B. Field, Regional Chairman of Medicine, Atlantic Health Systems; Professor Dan M. Kahan, Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law & Deputy Dean, Yale Law School; as well as panelists from such leading organizations as IBM, Zurich North America, Deutsche Bank, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Woodrow Wilson International Center, Altria Group, and many others.
The event begins at 1:00 p.m. and concludes at 6:00 p.m., followed by a reception. For more information and free registration, please visit www.chadbourne.com/events/2008/nano.