Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator

Victoria A. Espinel
U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator

Victoria A. Espinel serves in the Executive Office of the President as the first U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator. She was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in September 2009 and was confirmed by the Senate in December 2009.

Ms. Espinel is charged with developing and implementing the Administration’s overall strategy for enforcement of intellectual property.

Prior to her appointment, Ms. Espinel was a professor at the George Mason University School of Law, teaching intellectual property and international trade law. While at George Mason, she acted as an advisor on intellectual property issues to the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee. In 2009, Ms. Espinel founded Bridging the Innovation Divide, a not-for-profit foundation focused on addressing the "innovation divide" and empowering all Americans to obtain the full benefit of their creativity and ingenuity.

In 2001, Ms. Espinel joined the Office of the US Trade Representative as the senior counsel for intellectual property issues. In 2005, Ms. Espinel was asked to serve as the first Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, creating the office of Intellectual Property and Innovation at USTR and serving as the chief U.S. trade negotiator for intellectual property and innovation. While at USTR, she testified on numerous occasions before the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Ms. Espinel holds an LLM from the London School of Economics, a JD from Georgetown University Law School, and a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.