Erik J. Heels is an MIT engineer; trademark, domain name, and patent lawyer; Red Sox fan; and music lover. He blogs about technology, law, baseball, and rock 'n' roll at ErikJHeels.com.
Erik has been on the Internet since 1984 and has extensive experience working in high-tech companies such as Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), Cayman Systems, and Verio Inc. In 1992, Erik wrote "The Legal List," the first book published simultaneously on the Internet and in print. Erik's 15 minutes of fame started after reviews of that book appeared in Internet World, Wired, and The New York Times. He has been writing the "nothing.but.net" column for the ABA's Law Practice magazine since 1996 and regularly speaks about issues related to law and technology. After law school, he worked for various Internet companies, including a four-year stint with Verio, which was sold for $6 billion cash in the largest cash deal in Internet history. In 2001, he launched Clock Tower Law Group. He earned his BS in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his JD from the University of Maine School of Law (Maine Law).
In his spare time, Erik enjoys hacking with computers, writing, baseball, and seeking the perfect Hammond B-3 sound on his keyboard. On Erik's desk are pictures of his lovely wife, Pirjo, and their three children: Sam, Ben, and Sonja. His life adventures include living in Finland, traveling to 10 countries and to 48 of the 50 states, pulling 6 Gs and soloing a jet in the Air Force, and swimming in the Arctic Ocean.