Maria Pallante named Register of Copyrights

Librarian of Congress James Billington appointed Maria Pallante Register of Copyrights on Wednesday after she served in the position on an acting basis for the past five months.

The U.S. Copyright Office has been part of the Library of Congress since 1870 and serves as the main repository of U.S. authorship. Billington stressed the increasingly important role of copyright law in the online environment of the 21st century.

"Maria’s background and experience make her an ideal choice to lead the Copyright Office at this time," Billington said. "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."

Pallante has held a number of positions in the Copyright Office including associate Register for policy and international affairs and deputy general counsel. She worked from 1999-2007 as intellectual property counsel and director of the licensing group for the worldwide Guggenheim Museums.

She has also helped lead two national author organizations, the National Writers Union and the Authors Guild. Pallante is a 1990 graduate of the George Washington University Law School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Misericordia University.