2017 Kastenmeier Lecture |Previous Kastenmeier Events| Audio & Video of Previous Events

Robert W. Kastenmeier

This lecture is supported by the fund established to honor Robert W. Kastenmeier, an outstanding graduate of University of Wisconsin Law School, who served with great distinction in the United States Congress from 1958–1990. During his tenure, Congressman Kastenmeier made special contributions to the improvement of the judiciary and to the field of intellectual property law. He drafted the rules for the House Committee on the Judiciary that were used for the impeachment of President Richard M. Nixon, as well as the articles of impeachment against Judge Harry Claiborne. In 1985, Congressman Kastenmeier received the Warren E. Burger Award, presented by the Institute for Court Management, and the Service Award of the National Center for State Courts.  In 1988, American Judicature Society honored him with its Justice Award for his contributions to improving the administration of justice. 

The Kastenmeier Fund was created to recognize these contributions by fostering important legal scholarship in the fields of intellectual property, corrections, administration of justice, and civil liberties. It is a fitting tribute to the leadership of Robert W. Kastenmeier in these areas.

Planning Committee: Peter Carstensen and Anuj Desai

2017 Robert W. Kastenmeier Lecture

Maria A. Pallante
President and CEO of the Association of American Publishers

Biography

Maria A. Pallante is the president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers (AAP), a membership organization that represents the legal, policy, and business interests of book and journal publishers in the United States, including trade, education, professional, and scholarly publishers. She was appointed by the board of directors on January 17, 2017.

Pallante is a recognized leader in the field of intellectual property.  From June 1, 2011 through October 29, 2016, she served as United States Register of Copyrights and director of the U.S. Copyright Office. In this role, she administered an increasingly complex legal system of programs, practices, and regulations and assisted executive branch agencies with trade, treaties, and litigation. Pallante was a key advisor to the U.S. Congress, working closely with lawmakers to evaluate the efficacy and balance of the Copyright Act; address issues at the intersection of law, business, and technology; and modernize the national copyright system. Under her leadership, the Copyright Office produced extensive policy studies, legislative recommendations, and strategic plans, working with a vast stakeholder community and thousands of public comments.

From 2007-2010, Pallante held two senior positions in the U.S. Copyright Office: deputy general counsel, and associate register and director of policy and international affairs. From 1999 to 2007, she was associate counsel and director of licensing for the worldwide network of Guggenheim Museums, working on a variety of intellectual property, governance, and business issues.  In addition to private practice, she served briefly as assistant director of the Authors Guild and executive director of the National Writers Union, in both positions advising on copyright policy, transactions, litigation, and freedom of expression issues.

Pallante has testified numerous times before Congress, served on United States Government delegations, and delivered a number of distinguished lectures.  These include the 2013 Horace S. Manges Lecture (Columbia Journal of Law and the Arts), the 2012 and 2013 David Nelson Lectures (Berkeley Technology Law Journal); and the 2016 Roger L. Shidler Lecture (Washington Journal of Law, Technology and the Arts).

Pallante is a graduate of George Washington University Law School. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Misericordia University, which also awarded her an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Previous Kastenmeier Events