Start | FOSS, Law & Digital Sovereignty - with a focus on team culture
Freedom in IT Systems - because digital sovereignty requires freedom and a strong spirit of collaboration.Digital sovereignty begins with a simple question: Who controls your IT - you or someone else?
Whether you already rely entirely on Free Software or are just starting to integrate individual components into your existing proprietary IT environment:
Open, transparent systems without dependencies give you full control over software, data, and processes.
This is how true digital self-determination begins - and with it, the freedom to shape your digital future step by step.
Do you use Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) or GNU/Linux as an embedded OS and wonder:
- What licensing rules apply to GPL, MIT, Apache, and others?
- What do copyleft, dual licensing, and license compatibility mean?
- How does legally compliant distribution and documentation work?
- How can proprietary and open source software be combined?
Freedom within the system does not end with software - it begins with how people work together.
I support companies and organizations with:
✓ Guidance on the compliant use of FOSS and Embedded GNU/Linux
✓ Consulting, workshops, training, and public speaking
✓ Consulting, training, and presentations
✓ Interim / project legal counsel for FOSS-compliance-projects
✓ Mediation & conflict resolution for FOSS projects and licensing issues
✓ External, confidential team support for preventive conflict management
Get in touch now
News & references:
- Previous consulting for internationally active companies in mechanical engineering, construction and electrical industries, IT services and for organizations
- Previous conflict resolution for internationally active companies in IT services, and for organizations
- Contributing to the FSF-Licensing-Compliance-Tean with focus on mediative legal solutions
- Public Speaking Linuxdays Graz (11.04.2026)
Feedbacks (orig. german): "Super! Danke!"; "Ich habe den Vortrag letztes Jahr schon toll gefunden und auch heuer war ich wieder begeistert. Ich glaube, dass vor allem rechtliche Themen oft übersehen werden, daher finde ich es extrem wichtig, dass man auch darüber Vorträge hält und auf eventuelle Problematiken/Stolpersteine aufmerksam macht. Danke für den tollen Vortrag :)" - Public Speaking Linuxdays Graz (26.04.2025)
Feedback (orig. german): „Ich war mir zu Beginn nicht sicher, ob das Thema nicht zu jura-lastig ist, aber Frau Punz hat eine perfekte Balance zwischen Jura und Open Source gefunden." - Interview with Free Software Foundation (20.2.2025)
OpenSourceLegal
Law & Mediation for FOSS
Melanie Carmen Punz
FOSS Compliance & Mediation - Consultancy
Legal counsel with many years of industry experience
Contributing to the Free Software Foundation's Licensing Team
Mediator for constructive and creative conflict resolution
E-Mail: info(AT)open-source.legal
Web: www.open-source.legal
Telephone: +43 720 518 976
Location: Austria, 8673 Ratten
Web: www.open-source.legal
Telephone: +43 720 518 976
Location: Austria, 8673 Ratten