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{{Short description|Pro bono legal organization for developers}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Software Freedom Law Center
| logo =
| logo_size = 200px
| caption = The Software Freedom Law Center logo, a [[visual pun]] on the [[Control Key|Ctrl key]] of most keyboards
| type
| founded_date =
| location = [[New York City]], [[United States|USA]]
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}}
The '''Software Freedom Law Center''' ('''SFLC''') is an organization that provides ''[[pro bono]]'' legal representation and related services to not-for-profit developers of [[free software]]/[[open source software]]. It was launched in February 2005 with [[Eben Moglen]] as chairman. Initial funding of [[United States dollar|US$]]4 million was pledged by [[Open Source Development Labs]]. <!-- as of August 2005 -->
A news article stated:
== GPL version 3 ==
SFLC represented and advised the [[Free Software Foundation]], one of its principal clients, throughout the process of drafting and public discussion of version 3 of the [[GNU General Public License]] (GPLv3) during 2005–2007. Along with FSF president [[Richard M. Stallman]], SFLC director Eben Moglen and then-SFLC counsel [[Richard Fontana]] were principal authors of GPLv3, [[LGPL|LGPLv3]], and the [[GNU Affero
▲SFLC represented and advised the [[Free Software Foundation]], one of its principal clients, throughout the process of drafting and public discussion of version 3 of the [[GNU General Public License]] (GPLv3) during 2005–2007. Along with FSF president [[Richard M. Stallman]], SFLC director Eben Moglen and then-SFLC counsel [[Richard Fontana]] were principal authors of GPLv3, [[LGPL|LGPLv3]], and the [[GNU Affero GPL]].<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2008/jan/19/gplv3-support/ SFLC Provides Ongoing GPLv3 Legal Support to FSF]</ref><ref>[http://emoglen.law.columbia.edu/blog/ "And Now … Life After GPLv3" (''Freedom Now'')]</ref><ref>Richard Fontana</ref>
During 2007 and 2008, SFLC filed a series of copyright infringement lawsuits against various defendants, on behalf of Erik Andersen and Rob Landley, the principal developers of [[BusyBox]].
On September 20, 2007, SFLC filed a lawsuit against Monsoon Multimedia, Inc.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/sep/20/busybox/ SFLC notice on the lawsuit filed against Monsoon Multimedia, Inc.]</ref> alleging that Monsoon had violated GPLv2 by including BusyBox code in their [[Monsoon Multimedia HAVA]] line of products
▲== BusyBox Litigation ==
▲During 2007 and 2008, SFLC filed a series of copyright infringement lawsuits against various defendants, on behalf of Erik Andersen and Rob Landley, the principal developers of [[BusyBox]]. These lawsuits claimed violations of version 2 of the GNU General Public License (GPLv2).
▲On September 20, 2007, SFLC filed a lawsuit against Monsoon Multimedia, Inc.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/sep/20/busybox/ SFLC notice on the lawsuit filed against Monsoon Multimedia, Inc.]</ref> alleging that Monsoon had violated GPLv2 by including BusyBox code in their [[Monsoon Multimedia HAVA]] line of products <ref>LinuxWatch: {{cite web|url=http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS2535349507.html|title=The device behind the GPL's first U.S. legal test|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130128045440/http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/News/The-device-behind-the-GPLs-first-US-legal-test/|archivedate=2013-01-28|deadurl=yes|df=}}</ref> without releasing BusyBox [[source code]]. This is believed to be the first U.S. court case in which the complaint concerned a GPL violation.<ref>LinuxWatch: [http://linux-watch.com/news/NS3973290690.html First U.S. GPL lawsuit filed]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On October 30, 2007, an SFLC press release announced that the lawsuit had been settled with Monsoon agreeing to comply with the GPL and pay a sum of money to the plaintiffs.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/oct/30/busybox-monsoon-settlement/ BusyBox Developers and Monsoon Multimedia Agree to Dismiss GPL Lawsuit]</ref>
On November 20, 2007, SFLC filed a lawsuit against Xterasys Corporation and High-Gain Antennas, LLC.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/nov/20/busybox/ Second Round of GPL Infringement Lawsuits Filed on Behalf of BusyBox Developers]</ref> On December 17, 2007, SFLC announced a settlement with Xterasys; the company agreed to stop product shipments until it published complete source code for the GPL code and to pay an undisclosed sum to the plaintiffs.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/dec/17/busybox-xterasys-settlement/ BusyBox Developers and Xterasys Corporation Agree to Settle GPL Lawsuit]</ref> The suit against High-Gain Antennas was settled on March 6, 2008, with the company agreeing to comply with GPL and paying an undisclosed sum to the plaintiffs.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2008/mar/06/busybox-hga/ BusyBox Developers and High-Gain Antennas Agree to Dismiss GPL Lawsuit]</ref>
On December 7, 2007 SFLC filed a lawsuit against Verizon Communications, Inc.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2007/dec/07/busybox/ BusyBox Developers File GPL Infringement Lawsuit Against Verizon Communications]</ref> alleging that Verizon had violated GPLv2 by distributing BusyBox in the
On June 10, 2008, SFLC announced the filing of lawsuits against Bell Microproducts, Inc. and Super Micro Computer, Inc.<ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2008/jun/10/busybox/ SFLC Files Another Round of GPL Violation Lawsuits on Behalf of BusyBox Developers]</ref>
On December 14, 2009, SFLC announced the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of its clients, [[Software Freedom Conservancy]] and Erik Andersen, against 14 companies, including [[Best Buy]], [[Samsung]], and [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation (1998)|Westinghouse]] alleging these companies had violated GPLv2 by distributing BusyBox in some of their products without releasing BusyBox source code.<ref>[http://linuxdevices.linuxgizmos.com/gplv2-copyright-suit-targets-14-firms/ GPLv2 copyright suit targets 14 firms] on linuxgizmos.com by Eric Brown (Dec 14, 2009)</ref><ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2009/dec/14/busybox-gpl-lawsuit/ Best Buy, Samsung, Westinghouse, And Eleven Other Brands Named In SFLC Lawsuit] on softwarefreedom.org</ref>
For instance, [[Samsung]] released its LN52A650 TV firmware in 2010,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100210133921/http://www.samsung.com/global/opensource Visual Display - Open Source] on samsung.com ''"Please download the links below We use GPLv2 and LGPLv2.1, not GPLv3 and LGPLv3. Open Source License Notice License Agreement LN52A750.zip"'' (archived 2010)</ref><ref>
By 21 September 2013, all of the defendant companies had agreed on settlement terms with the plaintiffs, except for Westinghouse, against whom [[default judgment]] was entered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4347239/software-freedom-conservancy-inc-v-best-buy-co-inc/|title=Docket for Software Freedom Conservancy, Inc. v. Best Buy Co., Inc.
== Cisco lawsuit ==
{{Main
On December 11, 2008, SFLC announced the filing of a lawsuit on behalf of its client, the [[Free Software Foundation]], against [[Cisco Systems|Cisco Systems, Inc.]]
▲On December 11, 2008, SFLC announced the filing of a lawsuit against [[Cisco Systems|Cisco Systems, Inc.]] <ref>[http://www.softwarefreedom.org/news/2008/dec/11/cisco-lawsuit/ SFLC Files Lawsuit against Cisco on Behalf of the FSF]</ref> This lawsuit was filed on the behalf of the Free Software Foundation, and is the first suit ever initiated by the FSF.<ref>[http://www.fsf.org/news/2008-12-cisco-suit Free Software Foundation Files Suit Against Cisco For GPL Violations]</ref> On May 20, 2009, the parties announced a settlement.
== Staff ==
{{As of|
* [[Eben Moglen]], President and Executive Director
* [[Mishi Choudhary]], Legal Director
* Jonathan D. Bean, Counsel▼
* Albert Cahn, Counsel▼
* Daniel Gnoutcheff, Systems Administrator
▲* Tanisha Madrid-Batista, Business Manager
== Directors ==
{{As of|
* [[Eben Moglen]]
*
* [[Daniel Weitzner]]
== Former staff ==
* [[Richard Fontana]], Counsel
* Jim Garrison, Public Relations Coordinator
* [[Bradley M. Kuhn]], Policy Analyst and Technology Director
*
▲* Jonathan D. Bean, Counsel
* Daniel J. Byrnes, Counsel
▲* Albert Cahn, Counsel
* [[Daniel B. Ravicher]], Legal Director
* [[Karen M. Sandler]], General Counsel
*
*
*
|url = http://www.ropesgray.com/justincolannino/
|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130201184739/http://www.ropesgray.com/justincolannino/
|title = Justin C. Colannino, Ropes and Gray▼
|url-status = dead
|accessdate = 2012-11-22▼
|archive-date = 2013-02-01
|author = Ropes and Gray▼
▲ |title = Justin C. Colannino, Ropes and Gray
▲ |author = Ropes and Gray
|date = 2012-11-12
|publisher = Ropes and Gray
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web▼
▲</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.oscon.com/oscon2012/public/schedule/speaker/121971
|title = Justin Colannino, Associate, Ropes and Gray, LLP
|
|author = O'Reilly and Associates
|
|publisher = O'Reilly and Associates
}}
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== Clients ==
* [https://archive.today/20130814221722/http://trends.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/05/11/1328245&tid=147&tid=150&tid=37&tid=132 SFLC adds Wine to client list]
* [https://lwn.net/Articles/135413/ Press Release: SFLC to represent the Wine project] (see also [[Wine (software)|Wine]])
* [https://lwn.net/Articles/141806/ X.Org Foundation Hires Software Freedom Law Center]
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==External links==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* {{Official website|https://softwarefreedom.org/}}
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/01/technology/01soft.html New York Times article about SFLC launch]
* [https://archive.today/20131229074740/http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Linux-and-Open-Source/OSDL-Helps-Fund-New-OpenSource-Legal-Center/ eWeek article about SFLC launch]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061114183437/http://trends.newsforge.com/trends/05/02/11/2216239.shtml?tid=147 Moglen plans "general counsel's office for the entire movement"] Feb 2005, [[Newsforge]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061107160224/http://news.zdnet.com/2100-3513_22-6051589.html ZDNet interview with Eben Moglen where SFLC is discussed]
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[[Category:Organizations established in 2005]]
[[Category:Legal advocacy organizations in the United States]]
[[Category:501(c)(3)
[[Category:Organizations based in New York City]]
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