This program is eligible for 2 hours of CLE credit in 60-minute states. In 50-minute states, this program is eligible for 2.4 hours of CLE credit. Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.
Overview
Understanding Modern Communication in Legal Contexts
As digital communication evolves, so does its impact on litigation. From smiley faces to viral memes, courts are increasingly tasked with interpreting expressive, nontraditional forms of language—and so must you.
Join legal tech scholar Eric Goldman and contracts and pop culture expert Stacey Lantagne for a dynamic, practical CLE that decodes how emojis, memes, and GIFs are showing up in courtrooms—and what every practicing attorney needs to know.
Eric Goldman will break down:
- What emojis actually mean in legal contexts
- How frequently they appear in litigation
- Why they’re different from plain text—and why that matters
- Key case studies on judicial emoji interpretation
- Practical tips for lawyers dealing with emoji evidence
Stacey Lantagne will explore:
- Their meaning and use in legal contexts
- When they’re jokes vs. serious threats
- The importance of context and First Amendment concerns
- Their role in schools, government, and criminal cases
- Surprising insights on copyright implications
Don’t get lost in translation. Learn how to approach these modern forms of expression with clarity and confidence.
Recorded in October 2025.
Faculty
Eric Goldman, J.D./M.B.A.
Eric Goldman is Associate Dean for Research, Professor of Law, Co-Director of the High Tech Law Institute, and Co-Supervisor of the Privacy Law Certificate, at Santa Clara University School of Law. His research and teaching focuses on Internet law, and he blogs on that topic at the Technology & Marketing Law Blog [http://blog.ericgoldman.org]. He is one of the nation’s leading experts on emoji law, and he has conducted numerous trainings for judges about emojis. His 2018 paper, Emojis and the Law, can be found at
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3133412.
Stacey Lantagne, J.D.
Stacey Lantagne is a Professor of Law who joined the faculty of Suffolk University Law School this fall. Her research focuses on the intersection of digital creativity and copyright and trademark law, with a particular focus on fanfiction and internet memes. She is a member of the Legal Committee of the Organization for Transformative Works, a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of fanworks.
Prior to joining Suffolk, Professor Lantagne taught at Western New England University School of Law, University of Mississippi School of Law and Loyola University New Orleans College of Law. She was previously an intellectual property litigator at Goodwin Procter in Boston and Drinker Biddle & Reath in Washington, DC, after clerking for Judge Martin Feldman of the Eastern District of Louisiana. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Boston College, with a major in English and a minor in computer science, and her J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was co-executive editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Technology.
Professor Lantagne has been quoted in news outlets including Law360, The Atlantic, NPR (1A), Slate, Vox, Wired, and The Verge. Her scholarship has appeared in publications including the Harvard Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law, the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Law Journal, the Nevada Law Journal, the University of Richmond Law Review, the Georgia State University Law Review, and the Michigan Telecommunication and Technology Law Review. She is a frequent presenter and guest speaker, including at pop culture and fan studies conferences and fan conventions.
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