Copyright Office appoints the three Copyright Claims Board officers

By Emmanuel Legrand

The US Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden has appointed the first three copyright claims officers on the newly established Copyright Claims Board (CCB), upon recommendations from the US Register of Copyrights Shira Perlmutter.

  The new officers – David Carson, Monica P. McCabe, and Brad Newberg – will serve under the jurisdiction of the Copyright Office, as stipulated by the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020 (CASE Act), passed by Congress in December 2020.

  The CCB was created as a tribunal to provide an efficient and user-friendly option to resolve copyright disputes of a small monetary value. Awards allocated to copyright cases will not exceed $15,000.   

Three copyright law experts

Carson has headed since 2014 the Copyright Policy Team in the Office of Policy and International Affairs at the US Patent and Trademark Office. He previously served as the Executive Vice President for global legal policy at the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI). Before that, he served at the Copyright Office, where he was General Counsel for thirteen years and Associate Register for Policy and International Affairs for two years.

  McCabe has chaired the intellectual property department at law firm Phillips Nizer since 2018. She has served on numerous arbitration panels, including for the International Trademark Association, the Southern District of New York, and the New York State Supreme Court Commercial Division.

  Newberg has led the copyright and trademark litigation practice at law firm McGuire Woods since 2014, and has served as lead counsel in well over a hundred copyright matters in the past 20 years.  

Deep knowledge and skills

  “We are pleased to welcome these three experts with such substantial experience in copyright law and alternative dispute resolution,” said Perlmutter (pictured, below). “Their combined deep knowledge and skills will help ensure the successful launch and operation of this important new tribunal.”  

  Carson’s appointment became effective July 6. McCabe’s appointment will become effective September 13, and Newberg will start serving on August 16.