Conflict of interest in IIPL amicus brief in Google Books case?

In Who’s Messing With the Google Book Settlement? Hint: They’re in Redmond, Washington, Steven Levy at epicenter raises an eyebrow at the fact that the New York Law School’s amicus brief in the Google Books settlement is part of a project funded by Microsoft. The possible conflict of interest here is that “Microsoft has been lobbying to get the government to constrain Google.” Now they have given an academic grant that will fund work that “may help put some judicial heat on its rival.”