EDUCATION

Harvard Law School, J.D. (1981)
Duke University, B.A. (1977, cum laude, Angier B. Duke Scholar )

BAR ADMISSIONS

Carolyn Martin has almost 40 years of experience as a lawyer, law professor, and executive focusing on intellectual property, communications, contracts, mergers and acquisitions and venture capital. She has proven results in working with corporate and nonprofit clients to develop strategies, business ventures and market-driven product introductions. Her board experience includes startups, educational institutions ranging from pre-schools to K-12 to universities and nonprofits focused on youth and educator development. Carolyn has a special interest in privacy and artificial intelligence, particularly as they affect K-12 education and creative professionals.

Carolyn spent 16 years at Gannett Co., Inc., as Assistant General Counsel and most recently as Director of New Media, Planning and Development, where she helped build the USA TODAY brand and introduced over 50 new market-driven products in education, print, electronic publishing, and merchandising. Prior to joining Gannett in 1985, she was in private practice at Dow, Lohnes & Albertson in Washington, D.C.

In 2002, after more than two decades in the corporate world developing new products and brands, Carolyn co-founded Giving Tree Group, LLC, a brand building and intellectual property development consulting firm for nonprofit organizations and value-based companies. Her clients have included Catholic Charities USA, Cambridge Information Group, CSA, the National Archives Experience, The Shakespeare Theatre Company, Sitar Arts Center, Sotheby’s Institute of Art – London and New York, and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA/GLOBALCOMM).

Carolyn has almost 30 years of experience as an Adjunct Professor of Intellectual Property, Media and Internet law. She currently teaches Intellectual Property Management and Strategic Planning at American University’s Washington College of Law.

Carolyn has significant corporate governance experience, having served on the boards of a range of for profit and non-profit institutions, including The Away Network, Luxury Link, LLC, Legacy.com, Inc., I/PRO (Board Observer), Georgetown Day School (Board President 2008-2010), Center for Inspired Teaching, National Child Research Center, Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy, Duke University, and Greater Washington Boys & Girls Clubs.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Copyright Law
• Trademarks and Brand Protection
• Internet and Social Media
• Entertainment and the Arts
• Nonprofit Organizations

PUBLICATIONS AND SPEECHES

BOOKS AND ARTICLES

• Law of the Web: A Field Guide to Internet Publishing, by Jonathan D. Hart, Contributor
• A Marriage of Necessity, Newspaper Association of America, Co-Author with Arnold Lutzker
• Copyright & Trademarks, Protecting Your Assets, Co-Author with Arnold Lutzker

REPRESENTATIVE SPEECHES

• The Impact of Multimedia, The Internet and Online Services on Content Licensing : A Mock Negotiation, Technology Law for the Information Age, D.C. Bar, Computer and Telecommunications Law Section
• Multimedia: The Changing Landscape, D.C. Bar Winter Convention Seminar
• Association of News Media Internal Auditors
• Music Meets Technology, D.C. Bar, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts, Washington Area Music Association, Georgetown University Law Center Sports and Entertainment Law Society
• International Federation of Newspaper Executives
• The Brookings Institution – MIT Alfred Sloan Fellows
• Wireless Data Conference
• University of Navarro, Pamplona, Spain
• Research and Engineering Council of the Graphics Arts Industry, Inc.
• Conference on Newspaper and Telecommunications Opportunities, Voice, Fax and Online Services, The Kelsey Group
• Mobile Data Conference & Exhibition
• Journalism in the Information Age, New York City Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
• Understanding Business Policy and Operations, Brookings Institution Conference for Corporate Executives