Robert A Monath - Attorney at Law

With Steve Wehmoff, Koch Entertainment
and Dr. John Rutter, CBE
at Hinshaw’s Celebration XXXIII

CMPA annual meeting
Palm Springs, CA

Profile

Rob concentrates his practice on intellectual property matters. He advises clients in the principal areas of copyright and trademark, as well as in the related areas of entertainment law, internet law, licensing, and trade secrets. Rob has represented software developers, publishers, hospitals, professional organizations, business and financial institutions, theatrical producers, musicians, composers, writers, and sports professionals in connection with the protection and exploitation of intellectual property rights. He has successfully prosecuted and defended several federal copyright infringement actions. Rob is routinely associated by law firms to consult on copyright and trademark issues, and he lectures on these and related subjects at various conferences and seminars throughout the country. Rob is also a certified mediator.

Rob is a veteran of the music business and recording industry, and presently serves as counsel and business advisor to a number of music publishers, including Chapel Hill-based Hinshaw Music. Rob admires entrepreneurship and has established and helped manage business start-ups involving publishing, design and gourmet products.

Previously, Rob has served as an appellate law clerk, general practitioner, business law professor and in-house publishing counsel. General practice experience includes business formation, contracts, collections, wills, probate and domestic relations.

Rob holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in English (B. A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1982) and Law (J.D., 1985). He speaks Spanish and is an avid amateur photographer and guitarist.

In the studio with Lisa Leuschner

Develop a strategic intangible assets protection plan and handle the prosecution and enforcement of all trademarks and copyrights for a leading national modular housing manufacturer.
Mediate full settlement of complex federal copyright infringement action involving popular decorative product line distributed through national home improvement store chain.
Oversee the development and marketing of an electronic medical record management system for a health care technology service provider.
Draft intellectual property ownership and use policy for medical college.
Establish in-house procedures for clearance and acquisition of advertising content (brochures, promotional DVD’s, website materials and print content) through blanket assignments of rights, copyright registration and federal trademark applications.

Clear multi-episode public television series, companion podcasts and merchandise tie-ins for worldwide exhibition and use in all media.
Negotiate blanket music performance licenses with ASCAP, BMI and SESAC for financial services corporation.
Represent contemporary performing artist in major record label deal and related publishing endeavors.
License musical compositions for inclusion and use in major motion picture.
Obtain permission to arrange Top-40 song for vocal ensemble performance.

Negotiate major trade book publication contract.
License orchestrations and arrangements for inclusion and use in first and second class theatrical productions.
Generate model public art agreement for use by commissioning municipality.
Retroactively license graphic artwork for national baby product packaging.

Assess scope of territorial common law trademark exclusivity for professional trade name and formulate amplified protection and registration plan.
Secure federal trademark registration and protection for related brand names, logos, and slogans on behalf of service industry franchise.
Secure federal trademark protection for name and slogan of business consulting group.

With renowned Hungarian composer,
Gyorgy Orban, in Budapest.

Digital Rights—A World Perspective, featured panelist and speaker, Major Orchestra Librarians Association. Summer, 2011. London, England.

Copy Left vs. Copyright, featured panelist, Wake Forest School of Law, Intellectual Property Annual Symposium. Spring 2010. Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Copyright Issues in the Digital Age: Practical and Legal Issues presented to the National Association of Schools of Music. Fall 2009. San Diego, California.

Copyright and Fair Use in Academics presented to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, School of Music Faculty. Fall 2009. Greensboro, North Carolina.

Intellectual Property Issues for Filmmakers, featured panelist and speaker, Charlotte Film Festival. Fall 2009. Charlotte, North Carolina.

Tap Dancing Your Way Into Grand Rights, featured panelist, Major Orchestra Librarians Association. Spring 2009. Washington, DC.

Advanced Topics in Copyright Law, featured guest lecturer, Wake Forest University School of Law. Winter 2009. Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Copyright Joint Authorship and Collaboration Issues Raised by the Procul Harem, Whiter Shade of Pale Rulings, presented to the NCBA/IP Section Roundtable. Winter 2009. Salisbury, North Carolina.

Digital Music Copyright Issues, presented to the American Choral Directors Association, North Carolina Division. Fall 2008. Greensboro, North Carolina.

Our Digital Future, featured panelist and speaker, Major Orchestra Librarians Association. Spring 2007. Chicago, Illinois.

Best Practices for Licensing Music, Video and Related Media Content in a Post-MGM v. Grokster World, presented to the Intellectual Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association. Spring 2006. Cary, North Carolina.

What Every Church Musician Should Know about Copyright Law, presented to the Fellowship of American Baptist Musicians, FABM National Conference. Summer 2005. Green Lake, Wisconsin.

Intellectual Property Rights Protection Abroad, featured panelist and speaker, United States Department of Commerce. Winter 2005. Charlotte, North Carolina.

Current Developments in Copyright; Publishing and the Digital Delivery of Proprietary Content, presented to the Carolina Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association. Fall 2004. Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Council Member (2009-12 term), Intellectual Property Section of the North Carolina Bar Association.
Board of Managers (2005-08 term), Carolina Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association.
Member of the North Carolina State Bar and admitted to practice before all State and Federal courts in North Carolina, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.
Certified Mediator, North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission.
Senior Warden and Vestry Member, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, and Board Member, St. Luke's Foundation, Salisbury.