Oblon Spivak Welcomes Former United States Register of Copyrights Marybeth Peters

For Immediate Release
October 14, 2011

Alexandria, Va. – Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P. is proud to announce that Marybeth Peters has joined the firm as Senior Counsel in the Trademark and Copyright practice group. Ms. Peters held several roles during her distinguished career with the Copyright Office, most recently serving as the 11th U.S. Register of Copyrights. For 16 years, she was responsible for promoting the progress of the arts and protection for the works of authors. She testified before Congress and frequently spoke on copyright-related topics at conferences in the U.S. and abroad.

“We are absolutely delighted that Marybeth has decided to join Oblon Spivak, expanding the copyright service offerings we can provide to our clients,” said Richard Kelly, managing partner of Oblon Spivak.  Jeffrey Kaufman, chair of the Trademark and Copyright Practice Group added:  “Marybeth has selflessly and exemplarily served the nation through her stewardship at the Copyright Office, and her vast knowledge and insight of the copyright process will be of great value to our clients.”

Prior to becoming the Register of Copyrights, Ms. Peters held the position of policy planning adviser to the Register. She has also served as acting general counsel of the Copyright Office and as chief of both the Examining and Information and Reference divisions. Ms. Peters is a frequent speaker on copyright issues; she is the author of The General Guide to the Copyright Act of 1976. She delivered the 2010 Distinguished Finnegan Lecture at the Washington College of Law, American University, and the 2004 Brace Memorial Lecture (at New York University School of Law). She serves on the Intellectual Property Advisory Committees of several law schools.

Ms. Peters is a member of The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., the Intellectual Property Section of the American Bar Association, the U.S. Chapter of the Association litteraire et artistique internationale (ALAI), the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) and the International Technology Law Association.

Ms. Peters was a lecturer in the Communications Law Institute of The Catholic University of America's law school from 1986 to 1995 and previously served as adjunct professor of copyright law at The University of Miami School of Law and at The Georgetown University Law Center.

She also was a consultant on copyright law to the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ms. Peters has received numerous awards for her work as Register of Copyrights. They include:  the inaugural 2011 Mark T. Banner Award received from the American Bar Association Section of Intellectual Property Law for extraordinary contributions that have had a major impact on IP law or practice; the 2010 Library of Congress Distinguished Service Award; the 2010 District of Columbia Bar IP Champion Award; the 2010 Managing Intellectual Property’s Outstanding IP Lawyer Award for North America; the 2005 Jefferson Medal, awarded by the New Jersey Intellectual Property Law Association, for exceptional contributions in the field of intellectual property; the 2004 Cyber Champion Award presented by the Business Software Alliance, for exceptional contributions in the field of computer law; the 2003 Computer Law Association Past President’s Award for distinguished service to information technology lawyers throughout the world; an award from the American Society of Media Photographers for “exemplary fairness and contributions to photographers;” an award from the Graphic Artists Guild; the Women in Music 1999 Touchstone Award for legislative contributions that brought significant benefit to those in music; the Los Angeles Copyright Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award; the American Intellectual Property Law Association 2006 Excellence Award and State Bar of Texas Entertainment & Sports Law Section 2007 Texas Star Award.

Ms. Peters received her undergraduate degree from Rhode Island College and her law degree, with honors, from The George Washington University Law School. She is a member of the bar of the District of Columbia.

Assisting clients for more than 40 years, Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P. is one of the largest intellectual property specialty firms in the United States. The firm provides a full range of intellectual property services, including litigation matters in all courts, as well as trademark and copyright.

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