International Copyright: Strategic Thinking for U.S. Rightsholders

Prior to founding the Law Offices of Joshua Graubart, P.C., Josh practiced as a litigator with a number of international law firms, including Sonnenschein Nash & Rosenthal (now Dentons) and Thacher Proffitt & Wood. While still a law student, he also clerked in the Tokyo offices of Baker & McKenzie and the Kuroda Law and Patent Office. Josh received his J.D. from Duke University School of Law and his LL.M. (with merit) in intellectual property law from the University of London. He also holds degrees in history from Duke University and Dartmouth College.

Josh has chaired the Information Technology Law Committee at the New York City Bar Association, and served on the City Bar’s Intellectual Property Council. He is currently a member of the City Bar’s Legal History Committee, and is active in the US chapter of the Association Littéraire et Artistique Internationale (ALAI), the leading international organization on cross-border copyright law, and the New York chapter of the Copyright Society of the USA. He has also published articles on intellectual property licensing, the effect of corporate mergers on intellectual property licenses, and the nature and practice of music copyrights.

In intellectual property law matters, Professor Hansen has been a lead counsel, consultant and expert witness in the U.S., UK, German and Polish courts.  He has also represented clients in matters before DG Competition of the European Commission. Managing Intellectual Property Magazine named Prof. Hansen one of the 50 most influential people in IP in the world three times.

Eric Schwartz, partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, has over 25 years of experience as a copyright attorney providing counsel on U.S. and foreign copyright laws, including rights, exceptions (fair use), ownership and enforcement issues. Mr. Schwartz is a transactional attorney for musical recordings and feature and documentary films. He is an expert on databases, software and all other manner of IP regarding rights, uses and transactions; an expert witness; appellate and trial litigation strategist; and counsel on Copyright Office practices.

Prior to MSK, Mr. Schwartz served as Acting General Counsel, United States Copyright Office (1994); Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, Register of Copyrights (1988–1994) and Staff Assistant/Assistant Counsel to the Committee on Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives for Hon. Joe Moakley (1979–1988). Recently, Mr. Schwartz served as Chief Production Counsel for the PBS series “Soundbreaking” – an eight hour documentary about the history of recorded music (the “legacy project” of legendary producer Sir George Martin). The series aired nationwide in November 2016, and has also been broadcast in many territories abroad. In addition to serving as counsel, he received a producer credit (“Producer for Higher Ground”) for assistance with the production, including working with the writers and directors to shape the content of the series.

Passionate about film preservation, Mr. Schwartz helped with the formation of the National Film Preservation Board by the Library of Congress–a board of experts charged with studying and addressing the problem of disappearing films. His work as pro bono counsel in proposing and guiding the 1993 study and the subsequent creation of the NFPF has been among his greatest achievements. A longtime member and trustee of the Copyright Society of the USA, Mr. Schwartz served as President from 2004-2006.  He is an adjunct professor of copyright law and international copyright law at Georgetown University Law Center, and received his J.D. and B.A. from American University’s Washington College of Law and Johns Hopkins University, respectively.