IP Czar confirmation hearings set for November 4

The Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled the confirmation hearings for Victoria Espinel's nomination as the first U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator -- aka "IP Czar" -- for this Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. Espinel's nomination received widespread praise when it was announced September 25, and I'm unaware of any opposition that has arisen since. Senate confirmation appears to be a foregone conclusion; shortly after Espinel was named, Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said of the nominee:

I am pleased that today President Obama announced that he intends to nominate Victoria to this important position. Intellectual property is among our most valuable, and most vulnerable, assets. I believe Espinel’s experience will prove valuable in this inter-agency, and I look forward to working with her and the administration strengthen and enforce the laws protecting our intellectual property.

Leahy, a longtime champion of copyright owners, was a co-sponsor of the PRO-IP Act, which established the IP Czar position in the Executive Office of the President. The PRO-IP Act passed the House 410-11 and by unanimous consent in the Senate, and was signed into law by then-President Bush on October 13, 2008.