attorney.

Transfers of copyright are normally made by contract. The Copyright
Office does not have any forms for such transfers. The law does provide
for the recordation in the Copyright Office of transfers of copyright
ownership. Although recordation is not required to make a valid transfer
between the parties, it does provide certain legal advantages and may be
required to validate the transfer as against third parties. For
information on recordation of transfers and other documents related to
copyright, request "Recordation of Transfers and Other Documents"
[http://www.loc.gov/copyright/circs/circ12.pdf].



Termination of Transfers

Under the previous law, the copyright in a work reverted to the author,
if living, or if the author was not living, to other specified
beneficiaries, provided a renewal claim was registered in the 28th year
of the original term.* The present law drops the renewal feature except
for works already in the first term of statutory protection when the
present law took effect. Instead, the present law permits termination of
a grant of rights after 35 years under certain conditions by serving
written notice on the transferee within specified time limits.

*The copyright in works eligible for renewal on or after June 26, 1992,
will vest in the name of the renewal claimant on the effective date of
any renewal registration made during the 28th year of the original term.
Otherwise, the renewal copyright will vest in the party entitled to
claim renewal as of December 31st of the 28th year.