Following is the charter for the OIX Legal Analysis Working Group as defined and governed by Part IV of the OIX Member Rules. For more information, or to join this Working Group, please send email to help [at] openidentityexchange [dot] org (subject: OIX%20US%20ICAM%20Trust%20Framework%20Working%20Group) (John Ehrig, OIX Program Manager).

Name

The name of this Working Group is the OIX Legal Analysis Working Group (LAWG).

Purpose

The purpose of this Working Group is to lead the analysis of legal issues across OIX trust frameworks and the OIX Working Group community.

The OIX LAWG is intended (in collaboration with the OIX Advisory Board when appropriate) to review, synthesize, analyze, evaluate, and make recommendations regarding legal issues and trends relating to global online and telecommunications identity data and information systems, trust framework construction, and related subjects. 

Deliverables

Work may be undertaken by the LAWG based on (i) request of the OIX board or one or more OIX officers, (ii) its own initiative, or (iii) the request of another OIX Working Group, provided that, requests under (iii) will be subject to the review and approval of the LAWG Chair and either the OIX Board Chair or OIX Executive Director. 

The LAWG will not provide legal advice to OIX (which is handled by OIX counsel), and members of the LAWG are not engaged, through their work with the LAWG, in providing such advice to OIX, its board or officers, any OIX member, any OIX Contributor or any member of the public.

Deliverables will be identified by the LAWG as its work proceeds.  Initially, the proposed deliverables of this Working Group are:

1. Legal duty, risk and liability analysis materials and tools.  Production of research papers, analyses, suggestions for conceptual frameworks and legal structuring tools, and other materials that assist OIX members and OIX Working Groups to develop and implement trust frameworks and trust framework infrastructure.
2. The OIX Risk Wiki. This is a specific collaboration and publication mechanism for the content above.

Other recommendations and reports will include:

• Suggestions to OIX officers and the OIX board for modifications or additions to OIX programs and operations (such as the OIX Listing Service) aimed at improving conditions for all stakeholders in the online and telecommunications identity services sector;
• Recommendations for developing and adopting: (i) standardized enforceable stakeholder-level agreement terms and definitions, and (ii) standardized collaboration and legal document preparation processes and practices; 
• Recommendations for modifications to the OIX Listing Service to maximize the flow of relevant market information regarding legal issues, structures, standards, and specifications for identity systems; 
• Approaches to integration of OIX information, programs, and practices with relevant government initiatives and market trends;
• Other matters of a legal nature that can help produce reliable, predictable, and interoperable online and telecommunications identity systems and trust networks.

Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

This Working Group will operate under the IPR rules defined in Part III of the OIX Member Rules.  Except as licensed to OIX under those rules, Participants in Working Groups will retain all pre-existing rights to their Contributions.

In addition, this Working Group will operate under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike license. This means all deliverables of this Working Group must be unrestricted and royalty-free with the exception of attribution. 

Membership Requirements

This Working Group is open to all OIX Members and Contributors as defined in the OIX Member Rules.  Participation by representatives of a broad variety of stakeholders is encouraged, provided that, due to the particular nature of the discussions of this group, experience in legal issues is strongly recommended.  The Working Group may create rules for participation in the group as long as these are based on objective criteria, such as relevant experience, knowledge, credentials, or other available skills that support the work. 

Scope Limitations

The activities of this Working Group are limited to the purpose and deliverables stated above.

Duration

This Working Group expects to complete its initial deliverables in the fall of 2010. It is anticipated that the LAWG will remain active to continue its work as the needs of stakeholders and the market change over time.

Organizer(s) and Initial Members

The organizer(s) of this Working Group are:

• Scott David
• Don Thibeau
• Drummond Reed

The initial members of this Working Group are:

• Scott David
• Don Thibeau, OIX
• Drummond Reed, OIX

First Meeting

The first meeting of the Working Group will be held on September 7, 2010, in the Washington DC area. Specific times and locations will be announced later.

Meeting Schedule

The Working Group expects to hold online meetings monthly.