Legal Expertise with Publishing Industry Insight
With over three decades of experience in the publishing industry, I bring unparalleled insight and expertise to my role as a book publishing attorney. My mission is to empower authors, literary agents, and publishers to navigate the complex world of intellectual property law and secure advantageous book contracts. From evaluating publishing agreements and film options to addressing issues of defamation, copyright and trademark protection, contract drafting, and negotiation, I provide comprehensive legal guidance tailored to the unique needs of the publishing world.
As a literary rights attorney, I review unpublished manuscripts for libel and guide clients through selecting and registering their valuable trademarks. Whether choosing the title for a new book series or the name of a self-publishing company, I offer clients peace of mind by advising them on how to proceed legally and defensively.
I received my law degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1991. I am admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. I also practice before the USPTO, preparing and prosecuting applications for trademark registration.
After graduating from law school, I worked for Viacom Enterprises, a division of Viacom International (now Paramount Global) -- the world's largest independent distributor of feature films and off-network television programming. Later, I joined the law firm of Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, where I worked on complex opyright and trademark matters for high-profile clients in the fashion, film, television, music, and licensing industries.
Before becoming a creative rights lawyer, I enjoyed a successful career in book publishing. During my tenure at Simon & Schuster, I served as Publicity Director for Prentice Hall Press, working with bestselling authors such as Simon Winchester and Gael Greene and branded book programs for franchises such as Frommer's Travel Guides, New York Public Library, and Time-Life Books. Before joining S&S, I was Associate Publicity Director, and later Advertising Director, at St. Martin's Press, where I worked with authors like Ntozake Shange, Ishmael Reed, R., Buckminster Fuller, Dave Marsh, James Herriot, Terry Pratchett, and cultural figures such as The Who, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and June Carter Cash.
I co-wrote The Copyright Permission and Libel Handbook (John Wiley & Sons) with Steven C. Schechter and have contributed articles to Publishers Weekly, the Authors Guild Bulletin, and a chapter to Author 1o1: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents (Adams Media). I've been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angles Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Columbia Journalism Review, and other major publications. I've taken the stage at BookExpo and spoken at Publishers Weekly, Book Industry Study Group, Dramatists Guild, and Copyright Society events. I served as an adjunct professor at the New York University Center for Publishing, where I taught a course on digital rights and permissions for four years.
I am an active member of the publishing community. I served as Chair of the Center for Independent Publishing Executive Committee and First Amendment Counsel for the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Currently, I serve on the Beacon Press Advisory Board.
My understanding of the industries my clients operate in and my extensive network of contacts within the publishing, entertainment, and licensing communities set my practice apart. By leveraging this network, I can provide invaluable connections and insights to help my clients achieve their goals.
Whether you are a literary agent, editor, ghostwriter, or author considering a traditional publishing path or planning to self-publish, seeking expert legal advice is crucial to protecting your interests and intellectual property. From manuscript review to contract negotiation and trademark protection to general business advice, I'm committed to empowering authors and publishers to make informed decisions.
Email: jassin@copylaw.org | Phone: (212) 354-4442
Selected Speaking Engagements
- Celebrity Lessons & Estate Planning: Copyright Termination,
National Estate Planning & Legacy Week, Webinar, October 22, 2021,
Dramatists Guild [Click here to view webinar]
- The Real Person in Your Play, Webinar, April 16, 2020, Dramatists
Guild
- Representing Writers, Designers, Artists, Musicians, and More: Getting
the Best Results For New Jersey's Finest Creative Minds, Continuing Legal Education Program, New Jersey Law Center, August 1,
2019, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Negotiating Book Publishing Contracts, Continuing Legal Education
Program, June 28, 2017, Philadelphia Bar Association
- 2013: Getting Copyright Termination Right, Continuing Legal
Education Program, The Copyright Society, Philadelphia, PA
- Celebrity Lessons & Estate Planning: Copyright Termination, National Estate Planning & Legacy Week, Webinar, October 22, 2021, Dramatists Guild [Click here to view webinar]
- The Real Person in Your Play, Webinar, April 16, 2020, Dramatists Guild
- Representing Writers, Designers, Artists, Musicians, and More: Getting the Best Results For New Jersey's Finest Creative Minds, Continuing Legal Education Program, New Jersey Law Center, August 1, 2019, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Negotiating Book Publishing Contracts, Continuing Legal Education Program, June 28, 2017, Philadelphia Bar Association
- 2013: Getting Copyright Termination Right, Continuing Legal Education Program, The Copyright Society, Philadelphia, PA
Recent Articles
- Generative AI vs Copyright, Publishers Weekly, September October 22, 2023
- Simon & Schuster Children's Books Swoops for Two Novellas from 'Extraordinary' Lauren Roberts, The Bookseller, January 23, 2024
"Books are the intellectual property headwaters of revenue streams as diverse as motion pictures, podcasts, and ways previously thought possible only in science fiction."
-- Lloyd Jassin
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