New York, NY, October 1, 2007: The American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP) has promoted Joan McGivern to Senior Vice President, General Counsel, it was announced today by John LoFrumento, Chief Executive Officer. In her new position, she will report to LoFrumento and direct all day-to-day ASCAP legal matters including the management of internal and outside legal services for the Society and its various entities including The ASCAP Foundation. McGivern, who was most recently Vice President of Legal Corporate, joined ASCAP in 1998 and is based in New York.
Since joining ASCAP, she has assisted with the formation of ASCAP Enterprises LLC, MusicPro Insurance Agency LLC, Mediaguide, the ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO and the ASCAP Network among many others. In addition, McGivern consults with ASCAP business staff on a wide variety of matters, including software development and technology contracts, new media deals, marketing and sponsorship arrangements, insurance and property leases. She also handles legal relations with ASCAP's foreign affiliated societies, provides oversight for compulsory license proceedings as well as fund claims and contracts for The ASCAP Foundation, and serves as a board member of ASCAP Employees for Relief, Inc.
LoFrumento commented, "Joan's intelligence, legal expertise and business insights have proven invaluable to ASCAP. Her advice and counsel have been instrumental in ASCAP becoming much more than just a performing rights organization. This promotion not only recognizes her past contributions, but our confidence in her ability to help us take ASCAP into new areas of service and financial benefit for our members."
Before joining ASCAP, McGivern worked in commercial litigation at White & Case in Washington and New York starting in 1985. Prior to that, she clerked for Chief Judge Thomas Platt in the Eastern District of New York. She has a B.A. from Dartmouth, an M.A. from Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs and a J.D. from Georgetown, where she was an editor on the International Law Journal. Joan is a member of the NY State Bar and serves as a committee member for many legal associations.
I. Fred Koenigsberg, a partner of White & Case, LLC, continues in the role as Counsel to the ASCAP Board of Directors, a position which he has fulfilled with great distinction since 1993. Commenting on the promotion, Koenigsberg said, "I have known Joan McGivern for her entire career, and she is an exceptionally able attorney. ASCAP's members could not have better representation, and I look forward to working with her in her new role."
About ASCAPEstablished in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 300,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with over 90 music rights organizations such that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American Performing Rights Organization owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.
www.ascap.com
