Who is Dan Fingerman?

I am a partner with Mount & Stoelker, P.C., in San Jose, California.  I do primarily patent litigation and business litigation.  The technology areas I work in include computer hardware and software; voice over IP; memory devices; data storage, encryption, and transmission; semiconductors; and electrical engineering.  Before my lawyerly life, I was a database programmer and network applications developer.  I earned a J.D. cum laude from the Boston University School of Law in 2003 and graduated with honors in the intellectual property concentration program.  Before that, I earned a dual B.A. from Yale University, in Economics and Political Science.  (Details are on my resume.)

Please note: I speak only for myself in DTM :<|.  I don't speak here for anyone else — including my employer and my clients.  When I quote or paraphrase someone else, I say so.  Judge others by their own words and actions, not mine.

What does DTM :<| mean?

Everyone complains that I never give a straight answer to this question.  And I get snarky when the punctuation is omitted.

What is this blog about?

In a nutshell: The interactions between science, technology, culture, law, and skepticism.

To make good decisions as a society, we must approach diverse issues in a logically-consistent manner and clearly articulate the problems we encounter, solutions we propose, and assumptions we make.  Too often, logical consistency falls victim to ideology, politics, and poor thinking.  Unclear articulation (particularly of assumptions) is the most frequent culprit.  Most important issues are interesting and troubling because of their complexity and the sheer number of different legitimate opinions.  Too many policy makers misunderstand these issues or massage their complexity into FUD to advance an agenda.  Agendas are not inherently bad, but they should be advanced on their merits, not under a cloud of confusion.  DTM :<| is my contribution to the growing chorus of voices that is trying to make sense of new developments in science and technology and incorporate them into our culture and laws.

Do you research and write outside of this weblog?

Yes.  Of course, as a lawyer, I do a lot of writing.  But I also write and publish papers on issues that I find interesting.  My most recent paper, Spam Canned Throughout the Land? Summary of the CAN-SPAM Act With Commentary was the cover story in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of Internet Law (Vol. 7, Issue 8).  Other recent papers include Static Measurements and Moving Targets: Privacy, Biometrics and the Consumer-Bank Relationship and The Futures of e-Politics: Assessing Predictions of Political Discourse on the Internet.

How can I contact Dan?

You can send me email by clicking on the Contact Dan link in the sidebar.