"The Lion Sleeps Tonight" is an iconic tune, but what can it teach us about the importance of copyright for artists and other creatives?

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Bhamati Viswanathan, a copyright lawyer, and affiliate professor here at Emerson College, about what you need to know to protect your intellectual property.

Whether it’s copyright, patent, or trademark, securing your IP is the only way to make sure that you can make a living while doing what you love. Together, we’ll learn why some amount of legalese is an important part of every artist's vocabulary.

ABOUT OUR GUEST...Dr. Bhamati Viswanathan teaches, advises and writes about the intersection of creative economies, arts and culture, and copyright law.

An affiliate faculty member at Emerson Bhamati teaches Business of Creative Enterprise courses on the intersection of intellectual property law and creativity, business fundamentals, the creative economy, creative collaboration and leadership, and cultural appropriation.

She has recently written a book entitled Cultivating Copyright: How Creative Industries Can Harness Intellectual Property to Survive the Digital Age (Routledge/Taylor & Francis Press: 2019). Her next book will examine intellectual property law, arts and culture, and philosophy in the age of artificial intelligence.

Bhamati holds a Doctorate of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) and a Masters in Law (LL.M.) from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She also holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Michigan Law School. She received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, cum laude, from Williams College.

Bhamati is Trustee and Chair of the New England Chapter of the Copyright Society of the USA. She is Co-Chair of the American Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Section: Emerging Technologies Committee. She is a Faculty Advisor of the Copyright Alliance Academic Advisory Board. She is Education Advisor to the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts/Massachusetts Arts and Business Council. Bhamati is also Trustee of the Williams College Asian and Asian American Alumni Network.

Bhamati is a competitive figure skater, violinist, and published poet/translator. She resides in Boston.