Rachel Fertig

Bringing prior experience in the media industry and U.S. Copyright Office to her practice, Rachel strategically advises clients on copyright transactions, litigation, and counseling at DLA Piper. Rachel handles high-stakes copyright matters for clients in a broad array of industries, including in art, music, fashion, technology, and media sectors. With her focus on copyright, Rachel routinely works as a subject matter specialist on high-stakes copyright litigation before trial and appellate courts throughout the country for copyright owners and content users, advising on protective and defensive arguments, including fair use. Rachel also routinely assists clients on copyright clearance, risk analysis, and protection related to product launches as well as licensing and pre-litigation dispute resolution. In addition to her work at DLA, Rachel is dedicated to giving back to the copyright community by working on pro bono matters for creators and serving as co-chair of the DC Chapter of the Copyright Society as well as co-chair of the ChIPs NextGen Mock Pitch Committee.

Rachel previously served as a Barbara Ringer legal fellow at the U.S. Copyright Office and worked on the Office’s public study on the effectiveness of the DMCA safe harbor provisions contained in Section 512 of Title 17, the U.S. government’s Supreme Court brief in Star Athletica, L.L.C. v. Varsity Brands, Inc., revising the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices (3d ed.), and determining whether to grant or deny final appeals of rejected copyright applications in connection with the Review Board. Rachel started her career as a copyright counsel to the Association of American Publishers and drafted public comments on behalf of over 350 publishers about copyright issues raised by the Department of Commerce, Copyright Office, and Congress in a government-wide review of the Copyright Act.