For thousands of years, earthlings have turned to the law to help deal with ethical, philosophical, and geopolitical issues presented by scientific advancement. So it’s a safe bet that the law will play an important role when we make what is perhaps the ultimate scientific advancement: first contact with alien life. No matter the circumstances, first contact is sure to present a host of unprecedented legal questions. Which nations or organizations should have the right to communicate with intelligent alien life on behalf of earth? Should private companies be permitted to bring alien pathogens to earth in pursuit of profits? Would it be ethical to clone alien organisms? Who owns that spaceship that crashed into your barn, and who is going to pay for all that damage? Our panel will explore the extent to which the laws of earth are equipped to deal with humankind’s first contact with alien life. We will discuss existing U.S. law on a number of relevant topics ranging from freedom of information to intellectual property protection, and we will also discuss earth’s international legal system as a model for an interstellar treaty regime. Presented by: Robert Uriarte and Monte Cooper