Experience
Legal Expertise
Sofia Castillo is a member of MSK's Motion Picture, Television and Music Transactions Department. Sofia has experience representing trade associations in the book publishing, film, entertainment software, and music industries on matters concerning copyright policy. Her work includes representing clients in the context of legislative and regulatory processes, international treaty implementation, and submissions of amicus briefs for high-impact litigation. She has extensive experience advocating before federal agencies and the U.S. Congress on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), limitations and exceptions, Copyright Office practices, open licensing, privacy, accessibility and international trade.
Representative Matters
- Serves as counsel to International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA), a coalition of five copyright-based industry trade associations (comprised of over 3,200 companies), on international copyright protection and enforcement matters.
- Represented creative industries on various Copyright Office roundtables on the right of making available and Sections 512 and 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
- Drafted comments on numerous matters on behalf of the book publishing industry, including, the Library of Congress’ mandatory deposit program, Copyright Office fees and modernization, Sections 512 and 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, among others.
- Prepared witnesses for Congressional hearings during the Copyright Review (2013-2015)
- Represented book publishers in the drafting, review and comment process for the American Law Institute’s Restatement of Copyright Law.
- Participated, on behalf of book publishers, in negotiations for U.S. implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.
- Edited and drafted numerous amicus briefs.
Professional, Business and civic Affiliations
- Hispanic Bar Association (DC Chapter)
- Hispanic Lobbyists Association
- Copyright Society of the USA (2015-2017 DC Chapter Co-Chair)
Other Career Experience
- Association of American Publishers, Assistant General Counsel (2018-2019)
- Association of American Publishers, Staff Attorney (2015-2018)
- Copyright Alliance, Legal Fellow (2013-2015)
- United States Copyright Office, Law Clerk (2012-2013)
- International Intellectual Property Institute, Legal Intern (2011)
- Center for Justice and International Law, Institutional Development Officer (2007-2010)
Headlines
Publications
- Global Arbitration Review - Investment Treaty Arbitration Know-how, December 9, 2020
- Wolters Kluwer; The Licensing Journal, May 2020, Volume 40, Number 5 (p. 20-21)
Client Alerts
- August 20, 2020
- July 9, 2020
- April 28, 2020
- April 23, 2020
- April 3, 2020
- March 27, 2020
- Your Trademark and the COVID-19 OutbreakMarch 19, 2020
Practice Areas
Admissions
- New York
Education
American University Washington College of Law, Washington, DC, J.D., May 2013
Stanford University, Stanford, CA, MA in Latin American Studies, Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Fellowship, May 2007
Trent University, Peterborough, ON, Canada, BA with honors in Anthropology & Int’l Development Studies, May 2005
Li Po Chun United World College, Hong Kong, China, International Baccalaureate Diploma, May 2002
Languages
Spanish
Portuguese, professional proficiency