Catherine Zaller Rowland Image

Catherine Zaller Rowland

Vice President, General Counsel

Copyright Clearance Center

Catherine Zaller Rowland is Vice President, General Counsel, at Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) where she oversees the Legal Department and advises on complex issues including copyright licensing, software, professional services, and the intersection of copyright and emerging technologies. Previously, Rowland held a range of positions in the private sector and federal government, focusing on intellectual property matters. Most recently, she served as Associate Register of Copyrights and Director of the Office of Public Information and Education at the U.S. Copyright Office, where she was one of four principal legal advisors to the head of the Copyright Office. She began her legal career in private practice focusing on intellectual property litigation, transactions, and counseling.

Recent Articles by Catherine Zaller Rowland

The Licensing Vector: A Fair Approach to Content Use in LLMs

A spate of recent lawsuits is shining light on how some generative AI (GenAI) companies are using copyrighted materials, without permission, as a core part of their products. Among the most recent examples is the New York Times Company’s’ lawsuit against OpenAI, which alleges a variety of copyright-related claims. For their part, some GenAI companies like OpenAI argue that there is no infringement, either because there is no “copying” of protected materials or that the copyright principle of fair use uniformly applies to generative AI activities. These arguments are deeply flawed and gloss over crucial technical and legal issues. They also divert attention from the fact that it is not only possible but practical to be pro-copyright and pro-AI.