Robert J. Kasunic

Robert J. Kasunic is an Adjunct Professor of Law at American University’s Washington College of Law where he has been teaching an advanced seminar on copyright law since 2003. He has been teaching copyright law for over thirty years and previously taught at the Georgetown University Law Center and the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Rob recently retired from the United States Copyright Office after twenty-five years of service. He was appointed the Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of Registration Policy and Practice for the United States Copyright Office in 2013 and served in that role until August 2025. In that position, Rob oversaw the Office of Registration Policy and Practice, which administers the U.S. copyright registration system and advises the Register of Copyrights on questions of registration policy, related regulations, and interpretations of the copyright law. He was instrumental in the creation of the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, Third Edition, and provided strong foundation for a re-envisioned, user-centric copyright registration system that will become a central component of the Enterprise Copyright System.

Rob joined the U.S. Copyright Office in 2000 as a Senior Attorney in the Office of General Counsel, became a Principal Legal Advisor in 2003, and was appointed Deputy General Counsel in 2010.

Prior to arriving at the Copyright Office, he had a private practice that included successful copyright infringement litigation against the Baltimore Ravens and National Football League Properties.

Rob is a recognized copyright expert, has published numerous law review articles, and has spoken at hundreds of copyright events. He earned a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law and a BA in political science from Columbia University. He is also a founding member of the Copyright Society’s house band, Crude, Humble, and Obvious.