Edward Damich | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Damich in 2022 | |
| Senior Judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims | |
| Assumed office October 22, 2013 | |
| Chief Judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims | |
| In office 2002–2009 | |
| Appointed by | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Lawrence Baskir |
| Succeeded by | Emily C. Hewitt |
| Judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims | |
| In office October 22, 1998 – October 22, 2013 | |
| Appointed by | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | James F. Merow |
| Succeeded by | Armando O. Bonilla |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edward John Damich 1948 (age 77–78) Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Education | St. Stephen's College (BA) Catholic University (JD) Columbia University (LLM,JSD) |
Edward John Damich[1] (born 1948) is an American lawyer serving as aseniorjudge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims. He served as the court's chief judge from 2002 to 2009.[2]
Born inPittsburgh,Pennsylvania, in a family ofCroatian immigrants,[3] Damich received aBachelor of Arts degree from St. Stephen's College,Dover, Massachusetts in 1970,[3] and aJuris Doctor degree fromCatholic University of America in 1976.[3]
He was a professor of law in the Delaware School of Law atWidener University from 1976 to 1984, also serving as a Law and Economics fellow atColumbia University, from which he received aMaster of Laws in 1983 and aDoctor of Juridical Science degree in 1991.[3][4] From 1984 to 1988, he was a professor of law atGeorge Mason University.[3]
In September 1992, Damich was appointed by President George H. W. Bush to be a commissioner of the Copyright Royalty Tribunal, serving as a commissioner until November 1993.[4] From 1995 to 1998 Damich served as chief intellectual property counsel for theSenate Judiciary Committee. During his tenure on the committee, he assisted the chairman, SenatorOrrin Hatch, with the passage of theDigital Millennium Copyright Act and the Omnibus Patent Act, the basis for the 1999American Inventors Protection Act.[4] He was also a member of the U.S. delegation at theWorld Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) diplomatic conference, which concluded theWIPO Copyright Treaty and theWIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.[4]
Damich was appointed a judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims on October 22, 1998, by PresidentBill Clinton.[3] On May 13, 2002, Damich was appointed Chief Judge by PresidentGeorge W. Bush, serving in that capacity until 2009.[3][4] He assumedsenior status on October 22, 2013.[5]
Damich is also a distinguished visiting professor of intellectual property at theColumbus School of Law of Catholic University and an adjunct professor of law atGeorge Washington University.[4] He has also been an adjunct professor of law at theGeorgetown University Law Center.[3][4]
Damich is the author of numerous articles, mostly on copyright law, but also on jurisprudence, land use planning, and criminal law.[4] His copyright law articles have been cited in three federal district court opinions, most notably inWojnarowicz v. American Family Assn.,[6] in which the court adopted his interpretation of a New York statute. His articles are cited in all the major casebooks in copyright law and in the leading treatise,Nimmer on Copyright.[4]
He has testified before congressional committees on five occasions on copyright issues and on U.S. foreign policy regarding the formerYugoslavia.[4] Damich is admitted to the Bars of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Federal Circuit, and the District of Columbia.[4] He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Bar Association of the District of Columbia, and the Association Litteraire et Artistique Internationale. Damich was the first president of the National Federation of Croatian Americans.[4] On May 8, 2009, Damich received the Loren A. Smith Award, the highest award the court bestows for service on its behalf.[4]
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims 1998–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Judge of theUnited States Court of Federal Claims 2002–2009 | Succeeded by |