Copyrights play an integral role for writers and artists. And in this day of websites and Internet downloading, copyright rules are evolving. The United States Register of Copyrights, Marybeth Peters, will lead a day-long discussion on the state of copyright law on Friday, April 20 at the Vanderbilt University First Amendment Center.
Peters will give an update of the Copyright Office’s recent and pending rulemaking, litigation and international activity.
She will also discuss the enforceability of copyright work-for-hire provisions in contracts for sound recordings and their effect on the rights of artists and the recording industry. Other topics in that discussion will include copyright ownership, termination rights and negotiating strategies for artists and recording companies. This afternoon panel on work for hire in sound recordings is open to the public. It starts at 4 p.m.
Additional issues being discussed at the conference include copyright litigation, copyright issues in cyberspace and legislative activity of the 110th Congress.
Peters has served as the United States Register of Copyrights since 1994. She also served as acting general counsel of the Copyright Office and as chief of both the examining and the information and reference divisions. She is also the author of The General Guide to the Copyright Act of 1976.
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Media Contact: Amy Wolf, (615) 322-NEWS
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