Overview
Steve Masur advises emerging and established companies across the technology, media, and entertainment sectors, providing strategic counsel on corporate, intellectual property, and regulatory matters. With over 30 years of experience, he guides clients through various stages of growth, from initial funding and venture capital financings to mergers and acquisitions and public offerings. Steve also represents the venture capital firms, family offices, and angel investors who support these companies.
Clients value the comprehensive perspective Steve brings, stemming from his extensive background working on pioneering business models in artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain and digital assets, fintech, metaverses, augmented and virtual reality (XR), gaming, esports, social media, mobile apps, streaming, enterprise software (SaaS), IoT, e-commerce, and a wide variety of consumer products, including cannabis, phsychedelics, and food and beverages. Steve’s extensive industry experience enables him to deliver actionable, tailored advice that aligns with clients’ business objectives.
With a strong belief in the transformative power of technology, Steve is considered one of the foremost legal advisors to businesses affected by disruptive technologies. He has served many boards and industry associations and regularly lectures and writes about technology, venture capital, and emerging industries.
Education
- Colby College, 1984
- American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 1993
- Freie Universität Berlin, 1992
Admissions
- State Bar of New York
Publications
- Masur, Steve, DAOs are the Punk Rock of Corporate Law, June 20, 2022
- Masur, Steve, What to Do to Qualify for QSBS Exemption, January 31, 2022
- Masur, Steve, How To Qualify For QSBS Exemption, March 5, 2021
- Masur, Steve, The Balancing Test Between Data Privacy and Public Health n a Pandemic, January 12, 2021
- Masur, Steve, Should Independent Contractors Form Loan-Out Companies, or Not?, November 15, 2020
- Masur, Steve, Digital, Social Media, OTT Players Should Play the Long Game, and Stop Unnecessarily Exploiting Content Creators, October 8, 2020
- Masur, Steve, Sync Negotiations: How Much Should You Ask for Your Music?, July 15, 2020
- Masur, Steve, Smart Creatives Use Loan-Out Companies, July 8, 2020
- Masur, Steve, The Ins and Outs of Qualified Small Business Stock, June 10, 2020
- Masur, Steve, Am I More of a C-Corp or and S-Corp?, May 10, 2020
- Masur, Steve, Crypto Mom’s SEC Safe Harbor Proposal for New Token Offerings, April 20. 2020
- Masur, Steve, What the FUCT: Can the USPTO Still Deny Your Vulgar or Offensive Mark? September, 23, 2019
- Masur, Steve, Is Ethereum a Security? April 18, 2019
- Masur, Steve, Wyoming’s New Frontier for Blockchain and Digital Assets, March 20, 2019
- Masur, Steve, Choosing Between NQSO and ISO Stock Options for your Business, October 22, 2019
- Masur, Steve, Why Malta? ICO’s and the Application of Extraterritorial SEC Regulations, April 27 2018
- Masur, Steve, U.S, Regulators & Your Cryptocurrency: State Money Transmission Laws. April 20, 2018
- Masur, Steve, The SEC, CFTC and Possible Future of Utility Tokens, March 7, 2018
- Masur, Steve, Cryptocurrency, the Howey Test, and the Munchee’s Guidance on How to Apply it, January 10, 2018
- Masur, Steve, I’ve Seen the Future and It’s Voice Activated, March 20, 2017
- Masur, Steve, SoundCloudability, June 7, 2012
- Masur, Steve, The Y of VR, May 15, 2011
- Steven Masur, Collective Rights Licensing For Internet Downloads and Streams: Would It Properly Compensate Rights Holders?, 15 J. Internet L. 3 (November 2011).
- BOOK: Steven Masur et al., Collective Licensing at the ISP Level (David Mazur dep. ed., 2010).
- Steven Masur, What’s the Point in New York’s LLC Publication Requirement? VOL. 13, NO. 1, NYSBA BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL (2009).
- Steven Masur and David Mazur, Veoh: Increased Protection for Service Providers, Or a Trapdoor?, 15 No. 5 INTELL. PROP. STRATEGIST 1 (2009).
- Ready, Handset, Go: The Rules of Mobile Marketing, BILLBOARD, July 19, 2008, at 8.
- Steven Masur and John Maher, Mobile Phone Text Message Spam: Building A Vibrant Market For Mobile Advertising While Keeping Customers Happy, 7 Va. Sports & Ent. L.J. 41 (2007).
- Playing to Win: Negotiating Tips for Mobile Game Development Agreements, 18 No. 2 NYSBA ENT., ARTS AND SPORTS L.J. 64 (2007).
- Confidentiality in a High–Tech World, GP SOLO, July/August 2007, at 42.
- A Good Deal More, MOBILE ENT., May 2007, at 37.
Associations and Activities
- Foundation of Art and Blockchain, Board Member
- Harvestworks, Board of Directors
- Crypto Oracle Collective, AI Committee
- National Arts Club, former Co-Chair, Art & Technology Committee
- Producers Guild of America, New Media Council former member
- New York’s Industrial and Technology Assistance Corporation (ITAC), Board of Directors
- Institute of Play, Board of Directors, former Board Chair
- International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL), Executive Board, Editor of IAEL Book: Collective Licensing at the ISP Level (2010)
- Transmission Institute, International Advisory Board
- New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), Business Law Section, Executive Committee; former Chair, TechVenture Law Committee
- New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section
- org, Former Board Member
- International Game Developers Association (IGDA)
- NY Technology Meetup (NYTM), Community Committee, Law and Business Liaison
- National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) Digital Think Tank
- Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF), Americas, Former Board Member
- New York County Lawyer’s Association (NYCLA), Entertainment, Media Intellectual Property and Sports Law Section Co-Founder and Former Chair
- New York City Bar Association, Entertainment Law Committee