Strategies for a Fulfilling Career in Copyright

Speakers:

Carrie Dumont is an experienced Senior Vice President, Legal & Business Affairs, with a demonstrated history of working in both the Canadian and US entertainment industries at all stages of development, production, distribution and licensing. Strong legal professional with extensive experience in Entertainment, Licensing and Digital Distribution and Intellectual Property Law. Background includes working closely with executives for scripted, live-action and animated programs and series, analyzing and resolving guild and union issues, negotiating subscription and ad-supported on demand licensing, consumer product licensing, establishing and managing anti-piracy programs particularly related to China, and developing and implementing regulatory compliance for websites and social media platforms

Naomi Gray is a principal in the law firm Shades of Gray Law Group, P.C., where she focuses her practice on copyright and trademark litigation, prosecution and counseling. She is the immediate Past President of the Copyright Society, a nonprofit organization devoted to copyright law awareness and education. She has managed complex cases in all phases of litigation, from prelitigation counseling through appellate review, and has considerable experience in discovery and motion practice.

Rom Bar-Nissim is a resourceful and diligent attorney whose practice focuses on the media, internet, and entertainment industries. His experience encompasses both litigation and transactional work, having worked for a major studio and television network, along with boutique law firms. Rom has strong knowledge of IP and First Amendment law. He co-authored a chapter on law enforcement practices for investigating journalists in an ABA publication entitled “Whistleblowers, Leaks, and The Media.” He also co-authored an amicus brief to the 9th Circuit in the controversial case Garcia v. Google. Other advocacy projects include filing public comments to The Department of Commerce, FCC, and U.S. Copyright Office.

Terrica Carrington is VP, Legal Policy and Copyright Counsel at the Copyright Alliance. Since joining the Copyright Alliance in 2016, she has advocated before Congress, the U.S. Copyright Office, and other federal agencies on a number of legal and policy issues, including the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act (CASE Act), Copyright Office modernization, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and other copyright-related matters. In 2020, she testified before the House Judiciary Committee on the efficacy of Section 512 of the Copyright Act after two decades. In addition, Terrica spearheads the Copyright Alliance’s efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the copyright arena. Terrica is also an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law, where she assists as a Supervising Attorney with the Arts & Entertainment Advocacy Clinic, and volunteers with the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA). Terrica was awarded the 2021 G. Hamilton Loeb Award for Pro Bono Excellence by WALA in recognition of her service to the DC Metropolitan Creative Community, and received the IPO Education Foundation’s inaugural Inspiration Award in 2022 for her work promoting and championing IP rights for members of underrepresented communities. Terrica is an active member of the Copyright Society, serving on its Board of Trustees and its Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and is a Practitioner in Residence at the Center for Intellectual Property x Innovation Policy (C-IP²).

Moderator

Sofia Castillo is a member of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp’s Entertainment Transactions Group based in Washington DC. Sofia advises and counsels entertainment media companies and individual creators on copyright and trademark matters, and has experience drafting and reviewing contracts pertaining to content development, production, licensing and distribution. Sofia also represents trade associations in the book publishing, film, entertainment software, and music industries on copyright policy matters including advocating before the U.S. Congress on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, limitations and exceptions, and international trade and treaty implementation. Previously, she was Assistant General Counsel at the Association of American Publishers and a Legal Fellow at the Copyright Alliance. She is an active member of the Hispanic Bar Association – DC Chapter and the Hispanic Lobbyists Association. Sofia obtained her law degree from American University, Washington College of Law, a master’s degree from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree from Trent University. Sofia is on the Board of Trustees of The Copyright Society (2021-2024) and she co-chaired the DC Chapter 2015-2017