HLF advises clients regarding copyright protection and infringement avoidance. A copyright protects fixed representations in a tangible medium, e.g., a painting, literary work or recorded music. Even though copyright rights exist once a work is published, before the rights can be enforced, the copyright must be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. The Copyright Office is a department of the US Library of Congress. HLF also advises regarding the scope of copyright protection and exceptions to the protection, such as fair use.