Shira Perlmutter appointed new Register of Copyrights

By Emmanuel Legrand

Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has appointed Shira Perlmutter (pictured, above) as the 14th Register of Copyrights and director of the US Copyright Office. In her new role, she will lead the 150-year-old institution that plays a central role in administering US Copyright law and advising Congress on copyright policy decisions.

 

  Among her priorities will be the ongoing modernisation of the Copyright Office and ensuring that the Music Modernisation Act of 2018 in properly implemented, in particular the Music Licensing Collective, due to start operating on January 1, 2021, while at the same time continuing to review portions of the 1998 DMCA legislation.

  Perlmutter will fill a position that had been left vacant since the departure of Karyn Temple to the Motion Picture Association in January 2020. In the interim, Associate Register of Copyrights for Policy and International Affairs Maria Strong served as acting Register. Strong will return to her position once the the appointment of Perlmutter will be effective at the end of October.

 

Immeasurably qualified

  Maria Pallante, the President of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), who was herself a former Register of Copyrights and was demoted in 2016 by Carla Hayden and subsequently resigned, said she considered Perlmutter to be "an exceptional copyright lawyer and government executive." For Pallante, "Shira is immeasurably qualified to both lead the agency and guide the significant law and policy developments that are the Register’s statutory mandate."

  Perlmutter has served since 2012 as chief policy officer and director for international affairs at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Previously, she worked in London as executive vice president for global legal policy at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

  She is not a stranger to the Copyright office as she served as the Associate Register for Policy and International Affairs from 1995 through 1999. At the USPTO, she worked with other government and regulatory agencies including the Copyright Office, the Office of the US Trade Representative, the US Department of State, the US Department of Justice, among others. 

 

Deep knowledge of copyright law

 

  Hayden said Perlmutter "brings to this role a deep knowledge of domestic and international copyright law and policy and a background in negotiating international intellectual property agreements. She has experience working with a wide range of stakeholders and finding common ground on complex issues.”

  “I’m honored to have the opportunity to lead the US Copyright Office during its 150th year,” said Perlmutter. “I look forward to working with Dr. Hayden and rejoining the dedicated staff of the Copyright Office on its mission of promoting the creation and dissemination of works of authorship to the benefit of the American public.” 

            
  Well-known within the copyright and IP community, Perlmutter's appointment was welcomed by stakeholders such as the Copyright Alliance. Keith Kupferschmid, the CEO of the Washington, DC-based organisation, praised Hayden "for selecting such an experienced, knowledgeable, and capable person to be the next Register." He added: “In appointing Register Perlmutter, Dr. Hayden has entrusted the US Copyright Office to someone who has been a proven leader and a beacon of knowledge and integrity within the intellectual property community for decades and will serve all stakeholders and users of the Copyright Office services well in her new post."

 

Advance the public good

  Mitch Glazier, Chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), said Perlmutter was an "outstanding choice." “No one knows more about copyright than Shira," said Glazier. "In her long career of public service and scholarship, Register Perlmutter has consistently worked to promote understanding and progress in copyright law and has established herself as a preeminent authority. We look forward to working with Register Perlmutter as she brings people together to advance the public good through a wise and rigorous understanding and application of US Copyright law."

 

  For Michael Huppe, President and Chief Executive Officer of neighbouring rights society SoundExchange Perlmutter’s "extensive background both in government and the private sector makes her an inspired choice to be the Register of Copyrights.” 

 

  Motion Picture Association Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin said that Perlmutter has shown a "commitment to supporting the rights of creators for the ultimate public good."

  Interestingly, the American Library Association (ALA) also welcomed of Hayden's choice, based on her experience in working with the library community on the US implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty during which she "demonstrated a commitment to improved access to information resources and reading materials for print disabled persons in the United States and around the world," according to ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr. He added: "As digital copyright policy and modernization of the Copyright Office are at a critical stage of formation, Ms. Perlmutter’s ability to collaborate with both users of information and rights holders has the potential to bring balance to the expanding ecosystem of creators, consumers and copyright holders.”