Pallante Appointed Permanent Head of Copyright Office

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2011 – Librarian of Congress James Billington made permanent the appointment of Maria Pallante to the top post at the U.S. Copyright Office, where she has served as Acting Register of Copyrights since the beginning of the year.

Pallante’s appointment secures her spot as the successor of Marybeth Peters, who retired from the Copyright Office at the end of 2010 after 16 years of service.

Register of Copyrights, Maria Pallante

“Maria’s background and experience make her an ideal choice to lead the Copyright Office at this time,” said Billington. “She is a thoughtful civil servant, a proven and effective manager, a leader in the wider copyright community and a recognized expert in domestic and international copyright law.”

The Motion Picture Association of America, which advocates on behalf of the television and movie industries and supports strong copyright protections, applauded the announcement through a statement on Wednesday.

“[Pallante’s] history working on copyright issues in both the public and private sectors makes her an experienced, well-qualified candidate for this important role,” said Fritz Attaway, MPAA Executive Vice President and Special Policy Advisor.

Pallante’s has held various roles within the Copyright Office since 2007 after nine years as intellectual property counsel and director of the licensing group for the worldwide Guggenheim Museums.  She earlier held a post within the Copyright Office as a Policy Advisor as well as stints at the National Writers Union, the Authors Guild, and the Washington-based law firm and literary agency, Lichtman, Trister, Singer and Ross.

“I am honored by the appointment and by Dr. Billington’s trust in me,” Pallante said. “I look forward to working with the talented staff of the Copyright Office and Library of Congress to set a path for the future, and I will look to engage and partner with my colleagues in the copyright community in as many ways as possible.”

Pallante’s effective date of appointment was June 1, 2011.