Learn about the basics of copyright at this presentation and Q & A session:

U.S. Copyright Basics

What is a copyright?

Who owns a copyright?

When does a copyright exist?

What is the effect of registration?

What is the effect of a copyright notice?

What is a release?

What is a license?

Copyrighted works involving people or third-party works

Basics of Fair Use

Remedies in the United States

DMCA

Facilitators:

Kevin Madigan - VP, Legal Policy and Copyright Counsel

Rachel Kim - Copyright Counsel, Copyright Alliance

Kevin Madigan is VP, Legal Policy and Copyright Counsel at the Copyright Alliance. Kevin joined the Copyright Alliance in early 2020 after four years at the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property (CPIP) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School. Serving most recently as CPIP’s Deputy Director, Kevin conducted academic and policy work across all areas of intellectual property law. Before CPIP, Kevin worked as a research associate at Finnegan Henderson Garabow Garrett & Dunner, a law clerk at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, and as an intern at the Recording Industry Association of America.

Kevin’s work in copyright includes drafting amicus briefs, regulatory comments, policy papers, and essays on diverse topics such as public performance rights, copyright office modernization, the Music Modernization Act, the CASE Act, and the European Copyright Directive. He has authored law review articles on patent and trade secret policy issues, and he blogs at mistercopyright.org. In addition to being a lawyer and advocate for the rights of creators, Kevin is a visual artist, musician, and registered copyright owner.

Kevin holds a B.A. from Boston College, a J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and an LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law from George Washington University Law School. He is admitted to practice law in Maryland and Washington, DC.

Rachel Kim is Copyright Counsel at the Copyright Alliance. Prior to rejoining the Copyright Alliance in 2021, she was Counsel at CBS Studios and a Contracts Specialist/Law Clerk at NBCUniversal, working on a variety of legal issues and transactional matters for various television production teams and creatives. Rachel also worked as a Legal Fellow for the Copyright Alliance and was an intern at the National Music Publishers Association.

Rachel earned her J.D. from the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, and her B.A. in Chinese Language/Literature from George Mason University. She is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C. In her spare time, she enjoys dabbling in various creative outlets including writing poetry and cooking.

Visit Copyright Alliance's website at: http://copyrightalliance.org/