Legal Resources for ArtistsShannon M. WhitemoreOctober 27, 2009

Washington Lawyers for the Arts:

From our mission statement, we are a nonprofit service organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Washington state by creating alliances and making legal resources accessible to artists and arts organizations of all disciplines.

But what do we do?

Brown Bag Seminars:

Lecture and Q&A by experienced lawyers regarding a specific legal issueUsually one to two hours starting at noon – bring your lunchSubject may be directed at a particular arts discipline, or be a subject affecting many different disciplinesAttended by artists and attorneys – questions at all levels are welcome$10-15 for artists/$35-40 for attorneys – these funds help to cover our overhead and event expenses.

Brown Bag Seminars:

Sample topics include:

Contract FundamentalsCopyright BasicsEmployment Law for ArtistsReleases for PhotographersTrademark Law for MusiciansTax Issues for Artists (evening seminar repeated annually)

Brown Bag Seminars – Upcoming Brown Bags:

Rights of Publicity and PrivacyNovember 17, 2009, 12:00-1:30 p.m.Stoel Rives, downtown Seattle

Copyright for MusiciansJanuary 21, 2010, 6:00-9:00 p.m.Vera Project, Seattle Center

Design and Fashion LawDate and location to be determined

Speakers Bureau:

Through our Speakers Bureau, we bring a Brown Bag Seminar to your organization. We help to choose a topic that is of particular interest to your group, and locate an experienced attorney to come to your group’s meeting or event to present a seminar on that topic. WLA requests a small honorarium for this service, geared to help defray our operating costs.

Arts Legal Clinic:

Low cost, private legal consultations on arts-related issues One-on-One consultation with an experienced attorney Thirty minutes, suggested donation $20 Second and fourth Monday for Seattle clinic (SU or UW) Varied schedule for Edmonds, Tacoma, and other Washington cities

Arts Legal Clinic:

Legal issues addressed at the Clinic include copyright, trademark, licensing, fair use and contract and business issues.

Some examples of artists and arts organizations finding help at the Clinic include:

An author presented with an offer to adapt her book into an independent film, seeking review of the proposed contract.A painter having trouble getting paid and getting unsold work returned by a gallery owner.Band members looking for advice on incorporating their band and co-owning rights to their songs and recordings.

Arts Legal Clinic:

Subjects not covered by the clinic would includeLandlord/Tenant issuesFamily law issuesEmployment issuesBusiness issues unrelated to the artist’s artistic discipline

(Don’t despair – there are other legal resources out there!)

Arts Legal Clinic – Upcoming Clinics

Monday, November 9th & 23rd, December 14th, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.Seattle University, Seattle, WA Saturday & Sunday, November 14th & 15th 2009, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.Northwest Symposium, Tacoma, WA Monday, December 7th , 2009 – Everett, Arts Council of Snohomish County,1507 Wall St, Everett, WA 98206. – 6:30-8:30 pm Monday, December 21st , 2009, 6:30-8:30 p.m.Edmonds ArtWorks, 2nd Ave. S., Edmonds, WA

Lawyer Referral Service:

WLA’s new program in 2010 for artists, arts organizations and others seeking a referral to an experienced attorney. For a small fee (around $20), the LRS staff will provide the name of an attorney with experience in arts-related law, who will provide a half-hour consultation. Should the artist decide to engage the attorney for ongoing legal help, the attorney’s regular fee will apply.

WLA Newsletter:

Also in 2010, WLA will begin publication of a quarterly newsletter, tentatively named the Spark. The Spark will contain articles on new legal issues affecting the arts community, and will feature a local artist or arts group profile in each issue.

Other Legal Resources – for Everyone:

In King County: Neighborhood Legal Clinics, similar to the Arts Legal Clinic, cover various legal topics affecting the public, such as family law (divorce), landlord/tenant law, employment law and contract issues. Look for the “Free Legal Assistance” page at <www.kcba.org>.Also, you can call the Crisis Clinic line for additional legal referrals, by dialing 211.

Outside King County:Northwest Justice Project has programs for low-income individuals not covered by King County. Call the CLEAR hotline at 888.201.1014. Northwest Justice Project also has self-help legal guides and additional resources on their website <www.nwjustice.org>.

Other Legal Resources – for Everyone (Cont.):

Statewide:The Washington State Bar Association lists additional resources under the “For the Public” tab on their website, <WSBA.org>.

Washington Law Help provides self-help guides on a variety of legal topics and information on finding legal representation on their site, <www.washingtonlawhelp.org>.

Washington’s Court system has some resources available for family law and domestic violence cases, <courts.wa.gov> or contact your local courthouse.

Legal Voice (formerly Northwest Women’s Law Center) has additional resources available for family law issues. <www.nwwlc.org>.

Washington Lawyers for the Arts:

Information on all programs, including how to set up an appointment or future events, can be found at <www.TheWLA.org>, where you can also sign up for our monthly WLAEnews.