LEGAL SERVICES AT LCA

What Kind of Legal Services Does LCA Provide?

LCA provides artists with legal services in all art-related areas and in general legal areas where artists may need help. Most of our clients need assistance with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property matters, as well as general business, contracts of all kinds, landlord/tenant matters, immigration, employment, taxes and other areas. We also help clients with disputes, over payments or other issues. We do not provide services for some legal matters, such as criminal, divorce, domestic relations, or personal injury. We are not equipped to handle emergency matters.

Is There a Charge for LCA Services?

LCA provides its services on a pro bono – free – basis to qualifying artists and arts organizations. To qualify, an individual must have a household gross income under $30,000 per year. A nonprofit organization qualifies if its budget is under $250,000 per year. Pro bono clients must pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred, such as court fees, filing fees, registration fees etc.

What if I Do Not Qualify for Pro Bono Services?

We frequently have clients who do not qualify for pro bono services, but who come to us for referrals to attorneys who are expert in the arts, entertainment, intellectual property or other fields, or who have knowledge and experience with the arts. These clients may not be able to afford full market rate attorneys fees. We help these clients as Expanded Referrals. We help locate an attorney who will handle such matters, and often the client and attorney can negotiate a fee agreement. Often an attorney will agree to delay payment of some or all of a fee until a project, such as a film or musical project, is completed. You will be obligated to pay any out-of-pocket expenses incurred, such as court fees, filing fees, registration fees etc.

How Do I Obtain Legal Services?

The first step is to fill out an application. These are available for Individuals and Organizations. They may also be obtained by calling our office at 312.649.4111 or by contacting us online. Send in the application with a check in the proper amount. We will call you to set up an appointment if one is required. We may be able to help you by phone or e-mail with very simple matters. Those will not require an application or fee. Contact us to see if that is possible.

What Happens Next?

You will have an appointment in our office with our Director of Legal Services or another attorney. If we can handle the matter in-house with our own staff and in-house volunteers we may do so. Otherwise we will refer your matter to one of our volunteer attorneys. These attorneys are all expert in and specialize in one or more areas of law that our clients are involved with. It will be your obligation to contact that attorney and go forward with your attorney-client relationship. Once we have made the connection, LCA will not be involved in your relationship with the attorney. We do want to know when it is completed, for our records.

Am I Guaranteed an Attorney and How Long Will it Take?

All of our volunteer attorneys are in private practice and have obligations to their firms and clients. Once you become a client, you will be treated as any other client. However, they are busy, and we cannot impose a matter on them. We have to wait for an attorney to take your case. We will often make special efforts to find an attorney for an unusual matter. It may take several weeks for someone to pick up your matter, and some kinds of cases, such as disputes and litigation, which are open-ended as to time, are harder to place than other matters.

What is the Extent of my Legal Engagement with the Volunteer Attorney?

Typically the volunteer attorney is engaged to handle a particular matter. He or she does not become your “general counsel” to handle other matters. That is something you can discuss with the attorney, but the attorney is not obligated to perform further services.

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Lawyers for the Creative Arts provides an array of educational programming:

Workshops and Seminars in several different areas of interest to the arts community are given on a regular basis. We give a seminar on the Formation and Operation of Not-for-Profit Corporations and Tax Exemption several times each year. Other seminars on copyright, trademark, music, film and many other subjects are given. Consult the Calendar Section of this site, or call 312-649-4111.

Arts Careers for Youth Program is a program designed to provide Chicago area high school students, who are interested in careers in any of the arts , including the performing arts, with the basic business and legal information they need. We help them steer clear of the many pitfalls they may encounter and provide them with the sources of help, often free, they may need.

Collaborations with many other arts and legal organizations to present lectures, seminars and information are provided.

We are available to give lectures, seminars and workshops on arts and legal topics to your organization. Call the office at 312.649.4111 or contact us online.