Monthly Archives: March 2016

Rachel is an avid advocate for professional creators of music, film and visual arts. As a past officer and Governor of The Recording Academy’s Los Angeles Chapter, and an active member of The Recording Academy's Los Angeles Chapter Advocacy Committee, Rachel has led dozens of meetings between members of Congress and professional musicians.

Rachel was also invited by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and United States Copyright Office to be a panelist on a collaborative expert roundtable, addressing challenges to filmmakers and musicians caused by certain sections of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

District Advocate

Rachel has overseen or run "District Advocate" (formerly “GRAMMYs in My District”) meetings for The Recording Academy in forty congressional districts over the last seven years.  These events consisted of meetings between Members of Congress and music professionals advocating copyright law reform, including legislation that would benefit owners of musical compositions and sound recordings.

GRAMMYs On The Hill

Rachel has participated in The Recording Academy’s annual national advocacy event, GRAMMYs on The Hill, eleven times.  This two-day event in Washington brings over one hundred professional music creators to Capitol Hill for a grassroots lobby day during which Academy members meet with a bipartisan swath of members of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

Published Articles Advocating For Creators' Rights

Rachel is a prolific author of articles pertaining to policy and law affecting creators of copyrightable works, and their heirs.  Here’s a sampling of articles she wrote, or co-wrote:

• Rachel's Comments to the United States Copyright Office on How to Better Protect Copyright Owners Under "Takedown" and "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (2016). 

• “The Quest for Royalties for the Use of Sound Recordings on AM/FMRadio: In Full Swing” (2014).

• “How PIPA Can Be Effective at Combating Online Piracy,” Los Angeles Lawyer (2012).

• “The Case for The Performance Rights Act,” Los Angeles Lawyer (2009).

• “Which Public, Whose Interest? How Deregulation of Radio Station Ownership Has Harmed The Public Interest and How We Can Escape From The Swamp,” Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review (2006).

Photography captions:

• • 1st Image - From left: Three-time GRAMMY nominee Denise Donatelli, Recording Academy Los Angeles Chapter President John Burk, Congress Member Karen Bass, and nine-time GRAMMY nominee Ledisi. This photo was taken at the historic Village Recording Studio AT GRAMMYs In MY DISTRICT in 2015.

• • 2nd Image - Rachel speaks with Recording Academy members from Las Vegas about advocacy on behalf of independent music creators. Thank you to Studio at The Palms for hosting this lively event.

• • 3rd Image - Rachel with Congressman Tony Cardenas, discussing legislation that would benefit music creators. Thank you to Mason Sound & Harvey Mason, Jr. for hosting and leading this meeting with Rep. Cardenas and over two dozen musicians from Southern California during GRAMMYs in My District 2015.

• • 4th Image - Rachel joins Fellow recording academy members at “GRAMMYs On The Hill” with Senator Barbara Boxer.

• • 5th Image -Recording Academy members meet with Congresswoman Julia Brownley at her District Office in Thousand Oaks during GRAMMYs in My District 2014. Back row from left: David Helfant, Esq., Edgar Lowell, Gordon Goodwin, Peter Asher, Euge Groove. Front row from left: Daryl Friedman, Robert Fischer, Congresswoman Julia Brownley, Ray Parker, Jr., Rachel Stilwell, Amy Keys.

• • 6th Image - Representing Southern California at GRAMMYs on The Hill with fellow members of The Recording Academy. From left: Amanda Mills, Brian McNelis, David Helfant, Esq., Richard Glasser, Mindi Abair, Kelley Purcell, Rachel Stilwell.

• • 7th Image - Recording Academy members meet Congressman Brad Sherman during GRAMMYs in My DISTRICT 2014.

• • 8th Image - SXSW Music 2014, panel: “Music Up Down & Around Capitol Hill.” From left: Rachel Stilwell, Jacqueline Charlesworth, General Counsel and Associate Register for the United States Copyright Office, moderator Peter Strand, Esq.

• • 9th Image - Music creators meet with Congressman Ted Lieu during GRAMMYs in My District 2015.

• • 10th Image - Rachel provides her expertise on Statutory Damages in Copyright, at the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s Green Paper Round Table. Rachel discussed monetary damages caused by infringements of independent films. She advocated for continued strength in the statutory damages framework of federal copyright law.