Judith M. Saffer

Judy, who graduated from NYU Law School, without ever graduating from high school, practiced law for over 50 years. During her entire career, she was involved in the music industry, holding various senior legal positions at the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) and Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI). In those positions, she represented composers and music publishers, serving as litigation counsel, supervising attorneys across the country. She also advised clients on royalty and legislative issues.

In addition to her regular “job”, Judy was involved and held officer positions in numerous professional organizations and Intellectual Property Bar Associations, including the American Bar Association (ABA). She was the President of the Copyright Society from 1996 through 1998, and the 100th President of the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) from 2006-2007.

As a result of these positions, the US State department asked Judy to speak about IP piracy in many countries around the world, and to participate in IP Treaty negotiations. Public speaking was in her DNA – she was the daughter of a successful actor, and was a professional dancer and performer herself before deciding to go to law school. That was a decision she never regretted.

Judy is now retired, and a grandmother of 3. She stays involved in many charitable organizations, and as a member of the board of Symphony Space, she remains committed to helping assure the future of creativity and the arts.