Director's Reliance on Legal Advice Negates Intent in Copyright Infringement Case

A corporate director faced criminal charges for copyright infringement and unfair competition after publishing a brochure featuring buildings designed by a former employee while working for the original company; the court upheld the decision to discontinue the criminal investigation because the director could not be held criminally liable due to a lack of intent, as he had proactively sought and relied upon legal advice from his attorney, who assured him the brochure was compliant with both copyright and competition law, thereby negating the element of eventual intent required for conviction under the relevant statutes.