THE VALLEY CURRENT®️ COMPUTERLAW GROUP LLP

Hosted by Computer Law Group

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100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Computerlaw Group LLP (www.computerlaw.com) provides strategic, knowledgeable, and effective business and intellectual property protection, licensing and litigation services to Internet, e-commerce, computer software, hardware and other high-tech businesses, teams and industry professionals throughout California, nationally and around the world. CLG produces THE VALLEY CURRENT as a way to keep its worldwide clients, co-counsels, colleagues, and friends aware of developments in Silicon Valley and beyond.

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60 recent

August 24, 202636 min

The Valley Current®: Can Press Releases Change a Nash Disequilibrium™?

A nuclear threat. 150,000 drones. And two nuclear powers testing just how far the other is willing to go. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the dangerous standoff between Russia and Britain through the unforgiving logic of game theory. Moscow warns of devastating consequences if Britain continues supplying Ukraine, while London refuses to blink. But after years of Russian red lines being crossed without the threatened retaliation, are these warnings credible, or has nuclear rhetoric become strategic "cheap talk"? The answer may be more unsettling than the headlines. While NATO's Article 5 makes a direct attack extraordinarily costly, the real battlefield could be hiding below the threshold of war, where sabotage, arson, cyberattacks, and attacks on critical infrastructure can inflict damage without firing a missile at London. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 21, 202652 min

The Valley Current®: Are Helmet Laws Constitutional?

A helmet can save your life, but should the government be able to force you to wear one? America's helmet laws sit at the intersection of personal liberty, public safety, and constitutional power, creating a patchwork where crossing a state line can completely change the rules. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the decades-long legal fight over helmet mandates, from courts largely upholding them under state police powers to the unusual Illinois decision that put individual autonomy first. The debate gets even more complicated with motorcycles, bicycles, and increasingly powerful e-bikes all treated differently. And with Congress now challenging Washington, D.C.'s motorcycle helmet mandate, an old constitutional fight is roaring back to life: when you hit the open road, who gets the final say about the risks you take, you or the government? Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 20, 202637 min

The Valley Current®: Is Musk a Proven Liar? What Are the 2d & 3d Order Consequences?

A $3 billion fraud verdict in one courtroom. A $1.5 million settlement and claims of exoneration in another. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the striking accountability gap surrounding Elon Musk and asks what happens when extraordinary wealth makes ordinary deterrence almost meaningless. The discussion moves beyond the verdict itself to the second- and third-order consequences: credibility, reputation, regulatory power, tax strategy, and the danger of operating without meaningful feedback. The deeper issue may not be whether Musk can afford the penalties. At his scale, even billions can become little more than a transaction cost. The real question is whether a permanent finding of fraud creates a liability money cannot erase, and what happens when being labeled a "proven liar" follows you into the next courtroom, boardroom, or billion-dollar deal. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 14, 202641 min

The Valley Current®: Is DJT Persistence Paying Off?

At 4:31 in the morning, a 50–49 Senate vote ended one battle in Donald Trump's political war of attrition. But the real story wasn't who won, it was what had been traded away to get there. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines a persistence strategy that treats legal defeats not as endings, but as opportunities to regroup, revise, and strike again. From Todd Blanche's razor-thin confirmation to major victories expanding presidential power, the strategy has produced remarkable results. But there are cracks in the armor. Courts have drawn hard lines, public approval has fallen, and the political margin for error is shrinking. Jack asks the question at the heart of the mounting legal drama: How long can persistence keep delivering victories before the cost of never backing down becomes too high? Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 12, 202645 min

The Valley Current®: Birthright Citizenship Returns to the Court By Executive Order

The Supreme Court ruled. The administration lost. Six weeks later, President Trump was back with two new executive orders and a new legal strategy. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the escalating constitutional battle over birthright citizenship and a calculated tactic known as "iterative narrowing": keep rewriting the policy, narrow the target, and force the courts to reveal exactly where the constitutional boundary lies. The new orders take two very different approaches, one testing whether historical exceptions can be stretched to terrorists and foreign agents, the other attacking "birth tourism" through visa enforcement. One may be headed for an immediate judicial blockade. The other could prove much harder to stop. Either way, the next courtroom showdown could determine not only who is entitled to citizenship, but how aggressively a president can test the limits of Supreme Court precedent. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 11, 202652 min

The Valley Current®: Why Every Knowledge Worker Must Learn About Deep Learning

AI isn't replacing knowledge workers, it's changing what it means to be one. In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo explores why understanding deep learning has become a professional responsibility rather than a technical curiosity. From lawyers sanctioned for AI-generated hallucinations to physicians, accountants, and financial advisors navigating a rapidly changing regulatory landscape, the rules of expertise are being rewritten in real time. Jack explains why generative AI is a powerful tool but a poor substitute for judgment, why professionals must understand how these systems actually work, and why the winners won't be those who use AI the most, but those who know when not to trust it. The future belongs to professionals who can supervise AI, not simply rely on it. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 11, 20266 min

The Valley Current®: The Deep Five™️–Why Every Knowledge Worker Must Learn About Deep Learning

AI isn't replacing knowledge workers, but it is rewriting the rules of expertise. Jack Russo explores why lawyers, doctors, accountants, and other professionals must understand how deep learning actually works, where generative AI can go wrong, and why human judgment remains essential when powerful technology produces convincing but potentially costly mistakes. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 10, 202639 min

The Valley Current®: Does Persistence Matter in Federal IP Litigation?

A poop-themed dog toy took on one of America's most iconic whiskey brands and after 12 years in federal court, it helped reshape trademark law. In this episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo unpacks the extraordinary legal battle between Jack Daniel's and VIP Products, tracing the case from the trial court to the Supreme Court and back to the Ninth Circuit. Along the way, he explains how parody, source identifiers, and brand dilution collided in a dispute that became far bigger than a squeaky toy. More importantly, Jack explores what the case reveals about the true cost of intellectual property litigation, where persistence can be as valuable as legal strategy, and why the party that changes the law is often the one that simply refuses to quit. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 5, 202643 min

The Valley Current®: Why Consult Neutral Expert Eyes Pre‐Trial, Post‐Trial & Pre‐Appeal

Every trial team needs an advocate, but the smartest ones also need a skeptic. The most valuable voice in high-stakes litigation may be the one that's least invested in the outcome. In today's episode of The Valley Current®, Jack Russo explains why the best litigation strategy often begins with an objective perspective. He explores how a neutral appellate specialist can add value at five critical stages of a case, helping trial teams preserve the record, realistically assess settlement opportunities, and avoid strategic mistakes before they're locked in. Jack also examines the unforgiving math behind appeals, why standards of review often matter more than the underlying merits of a case, and how data-driven judgment can overcome the blind spots created by years of advocacy. In litigation, objectivity isn't a luxury; it may be your greatest competitive advantage. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️

August 4, 202639 min

The Valley Current®: Big Firms, Big Matters, Big Fees, Big Screwups

The most expensive legal mistakes aren't always bad arguments; sometimes they're undisclosed conflicts. In this episode of The Valley Current®, host Jack Russo examines the $25.4 million judgment against Cooley LLP and the startup dispute that became one of the most closely watched legal malpractice cases in Silicon Valley. At the center is a founder who claimed the same law firm advising him was also helping the venture capitalists who ultimately forced him out of his own company. Jack explores why signed conflict waivers didn't shield the firm, how nine years of litigation transformed a $15.6 million jury verdict into a $25.4 million judgment, and what every lawyer, founder, and investor can learn from the case. In high-stakes deals, the biggest risk isn't always losing the negotiation; it's discovering too late that no one was looking out for you. Jack Russo Managing Partner Jrusso@computerlaw.com www.computerlaw.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackrusso "Every Entrepreneur Imagines a Better World"®️