The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge Christina L. Shifton as Interim Chief Copyright Royalty Judge while the Library works to fill the term vacated upon the retirement of Judge David Shaw.

Judge Shifton is a Section Research Manager in the American Law Division of the Congressional Research Service, covering intellectual property law. Before joining CRS, Judge Shifton practiced as a litigator in private practice, representing clients in patent and copyright matters at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts, in administrative fora, and in arbitration. Her intellectual property experience focused on patent and copyright law including infringement, validity, and ownership issues, the calculation of damages and royalty awards, interpretations of statutory provisions, and appellate review. Before her work as a litigator, she served as an Appellate Court Attorney with the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, where she provided confidential analyses to the court’s justices.

The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge Jesse Feder as Copyright Royalty Judge (copyright) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2014. In 2019, the Librarian appointed him as Chief Copyright Royalty Judge upon the retirement of his predecessor to serve the remainder of her term. Judge Feder is the third chief judge.

Judge Feder is a recognized copyright law expert, having served in various capacities in the U.S. Copyright Office before becoming the Director of International Trade and Intellectual Property at BSA/The Software Alliance. During his two decades in Washington, DC, Judge Feder has participated in setting the U.S. government’s domestic and international copyright policy.

Judge Feder is a published author with more than 25 years’ experience dealing with technology issues. Prior to his public service, Judge Feder gained experience in private practice, particularly related to international copyright issues.

Judge Feder brings to the CRB a wealth of talent and relevant experience.

Judge Feder received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his law degree from Columbia University School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Michigan and John Marshall Law School in Illinois.

The Librarian of Congress appointed Judge David Strickler as Copyright Royalty Judge (economics) in 2013 to fill a vacancy and complete the six-year term of his predecessor. The Librarian reappointed him to a six-year term in 2016 and to another six year-term in 2022.

Judge Strickler received his M.A. in economics from Columbia University in New York City in 1977, where he was a University Fellow. He earned his undergraduate degree, also in economics, in 1976, from New York University, where he was a Regents Scholar (and a member of the baseball team). Judge Strickler received his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Miami School of Law in 1980, where he was a member of the Law Review. In law school, Judge Strickler was also a Law & Economics Fellow.

After law school, he spent several years as a federal litigator with the Department of Energy and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Thereafter, he was a commercial litigator in private practice in New Jersey for almost three decades.

Judge Strickler is an adjunct professor at the NYU School of Law and in the NYU Steinhardt School’s Music Business program. He has also taught microeconomics and macroeconomics at Kean University and Brookdale College in New Jersey.

In the interdisciplinary area of copyrights, economics, and law, Judge Strickler is a member of the Society for Economic Research on Copyright Issues (SERCI). He has had the privilege of serving as a featured speaker at SERCI’s 2015 Annual Congress in Glasgow, Scotland; the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School; the Vanderbilt University School of Law; and the NYU Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. Judge Strickler has also served as an anonymous article referee for the Review of Economic Research on Copyright Issues (RERCI) and for the Review of Industrial Organization, and as a panelist for ALAI Canada. In December 2015, RERCI published an article by Judge Strickler entitled: Royalty Rate Setting for Sound Recordings by the United States Copyright Royalty Board: The Judicial Need for Independent Scholarly Economic Analysis.

The Librarian of Congress appointed Steve Ruwe to the position of copyright royalty judge. Effective Oct. 13, Ruwe will serve an interim appointment through Dec. 7, 2019, followed by a six-year appointment.

Ruwe fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Jesse Feder as chief judge. Judge Ruwe brings to the Copyright Royalty Board more than 15 years of experience in copyright and intellectual property law, most recently as assistant general counsel in the Copyright Office’s Office of General Counsel.