CLE 5: The Politics of Music, and Future Copyright Battles
A dissection of the political interests and energy regarding music policies and law.
Presenters
Jay Rosenthal is Senior Vice-President and General Counsel with the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). Mr. Rosenthal was formerly General Counsel for the Recording Artists' Coalition (RAC), and has represented, among others, SoundExchange, Thievery Corporation, ESL Music, Mya, Salt N Pepa, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Rare Essence, David Bautista, and comedian Robert Schimmel.
Mr. Rosenthal is an adjunct professor of Entertainment Law at Georgetown Law School, the George Washington University Law School and the Washington College of Law at The American University. He is a former Copyright Alliance Board Member, a founding SoundExchange Board Member, and a former Copyright Examiner with the U.S. Copyright Office.
Mr. Rosenthal received an Undergraduate Degree in History and a Masters Degree in International Affairs from The American University, a Juris Doctor Degree in Law from The Antioch School of Law, and a Master of Law Degree in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University Law Center.
Lee Knife is the Executive Director of the Digital Media Association (“DiMA”) a Washington, D.C. trade organization that represents digital media companies including Apple’s iTunes, Google/YouTube, Microsoft, Rhapsody and many others. Lee is responsible for all aspects of the association’s business, from legislative and lobbying efforts to administrative matters. He handles negotiations and arbitrations associated with sound recording and musical composition royalty rates.
Prior to joining DiMA, Lee practiced entertainment law in New York for over 15 years. He served as a Business & Legal Affairs Executive at several major record companies including EMI, BMG and Polygram – as well as Sanctuary Records, a large independent “360˚” company that provided management, production, recording, distribution and other services to artists. Earlier in his career Lee represented artists, musical instrument manufacturers and small record and production companies, drafting agreements, handling copyright and trademark matters and also handling civil litigation.
Colin Rushing
General Counsel, SoundExchange
As General Counsel of SoundExchange, Colin Rushing oversees the company’s legal, regulatory, and corporate affairs, supervises rate setting proceedings, and directs the company’s enforcement program. Colin was previously Senior Counsel for Licensing and Enforcement at SoundExchange, during which time he developed a comprehensive enforcement program, and supervised rate setting proceedings. Colin graduated from James Madison University and the University of Virginia School of Law. After law school, he clerked for the Hon. T.S. Ellis III in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Before he joined SoundExchange, Colin was an attorney at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP Washington, D.C., where he focused on intellectual property and media law.
Saturday, March 16
