LCA offers pro bono legal help to financially eligible applicants with arts-related legal matters in all disciplines of the literary, performing and visual arts and in many, but not all, areas of law. To learn more about our work and the types of legal matters we handle, please click on Legal Services. We do not, for example, handle family law (i.e., divorce) or criminal law matters. You may be able to find assistance in those areas of the law through Illinois Legal Aid Online, the Chicago Bar Association or the Illinois State Bar Association.

The Application
Applying for legal assistance through LCA begins with the Application below. Please fill out the Application completely and accurately, so that we can promptly assist you.

Client Policies and Procedures
By submitting an Application for legal services, you are acknowledging that you and any additional members of your group or business have read our Client Policies and Referral Procedures, and that you understand and agree with the terms.

Application Fee
There is a non-refundable $25 processing fee for individual applicants. The fee is $75 for corporations, established entities or groups of two or more persons. No fees will be due until your application has been reviewed by LCA staff, the intake process is complete, and we have determined that you are qualified under LCA guidelines. Once we have reviewed your Application, we will contact you to discuss your legal issues and advise you of the process for payment of the applicable fee.

Limiting the Scope of your Request
In our experience, attorneys are more likely to volunteer for a matter that has a specific, limited scope. Since our goal is to facilitate the placement of your matter with a volunteer who will provide free legal services, we recommend focusing on the legal issue that you consider your highest priority.

Emergencies
We are not able to provide emergency legal service, because we are not a law firm and do not have staff available to meet pressing demands. We cannot undertake to prioritize time-sensitive matters above other matters, nor can we undertake to research the pendency of time deadlines, such as statutes of limitations, court deadlines, and the like. If you feel your matter requires a quick response from LCA, by all means tell us that.  But, you should also independently seek assistance from other sources who may be able to respond more quickly.  You may be able to find assistance for time-sensitive matters through Illinois Legal Aid Online, the Chicago Bar Association, or the Illinois State Bar Association.

Outside of Illinois
We are located in downtown Chicago and the majority of our volunteers are licensed in Illinois. If your legal needs do not involve parties or legal issues in Illinois, we recommend searching for counsel using our Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts List to find a VLA organization in your home state.

IMPORTANT FINAL STEPS
Finally, after you submit the application, we will be reaching out to you, by phone, for the purpose of completing the intake process. We understand how annoying it can be to answer the phone to robo-callers; but, the easier it is for us to reach you, the sooner we will be able to submit your request to our panel of volunteer attorneys. Please try to answer the phone if at all possible, until the intake process is complete.

Note Regarding Changes
A lot of time and energy goes into processing a request for legal help. It involves LCA staff, volunteer attorneys and often times a pro bono coordinator, please let us know if at any time your situation has changed and you no longer need legal help or if the nature of the help that you need has changed. If you have a different legal issue, we may need a new application.

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LCA Offices Closed for the Holidays

Thank you for submitting your application for legal services. Please note that LCA's offices will be closed from December 21, 2024, through January 6, 2025. We will begin reviewing applications after that date and may not respond to your request until the week of January 6.

If your situation requires immediate attention before then, we encourage you to contact one of the organizations listed below based on the nature and urgency of your request.

We wish you a safe and joyous holiday season and look forward to connecting with you in the new year.

• CARPLS
  (312) 738-920
• Legal Aid Chicago
  (312) 341-1070
• Illinois State Bar Association, Illinois Lawyer Finder
  https://www.isba.org/public/cantaffordalawyer
• Chicago Bar Association
  www.chicagobar.org or (312) 554-2001
• UIC Fair Housing Legal Support Center
  https://law.uic.edu/experiential-education/clinics/fairhousing/
• John Marshall Legal Support Center and Clinic
  https://jmls.uic.edu/clinics/ or (312) 786-2267

Are you an artist, an arts worker, or applying on behalf of an arts organization? *Please selectYesNo

Note

LCA exclusively provides assistance to individuals and organizations in the arts field facing legal issues. If you don't fall into any of these categories, please visit our HELPFUL LINKS page for information on alternative legal service organizations.

Are you, the related arts organization, or the legal issue for which you seek assistance based in Illinois (IL)? *Please selectYesNo

Note

LCA primarily collaborates with lawyers certified to practice law within the state of Illinois. If none of the mentioned entities or issues are located in IL, kindly refer to our NATIONAL VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS DIRECTORY for assistance in other states.

Art-Related Activities *

• Dance
• Film/TV
• Literature
• Music
• Performance Art
• Theater
• Visual Art
• Other

Other Art-Related Activity *

Contact Information

First Name *

Middle Name

Last Name *

Email *

Daytime Phone *

Mobile Phone (if different from Daytime Phone)

Demographic Information (Optional)

Race and EthnicityPrefer not to answerAmerican Indian or Alaska NativeAsianBlack or African AmericanNative Hawaiian or Other Pacific IslanderHispanic or LatinxWhite (Not Hispanic or Latinx)Other or Multiracial

AgePrefer not to answerLess than 1818-3435-5960+

Gender IdentityPrefer not to answerFemaleMaleNon-BinaryTransgender WomanTransgender ManAgender/I don't identify with any genderGender not listed

Mailing Address

Country *United StatesAfghanistanAland IslandsAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCanadaCape VerdeCaribbean NetherlandsCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombiaComorosCongo (Brazzaville)Congo (Kinshasa)Cook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGuadeloupeGuamGuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard Island and McDonald IslandsHondurasHong Kong S.A.R., ChinaHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacao S.A.R., ChinaMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserratMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorth KoreaNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPalestinian TerritoryPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairnPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaSaint BarthélemySaint HelenaSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Martin (French part)Saint Pierre and MiquelonSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich IslandsSouth KoreaSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSvalbard and Jan MayenSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-LesteTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluU.S. Virgin IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVaticanVenezuelaVietnamWallis and FutunaWestern SaharaYemenZambiaZimbabwe

Address 1 *

Address 2

City *

State: *IllinoisAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingAmerican SamoaGuamNorthern Mariana IslandsPuerto RicoU.S. Virgin IslandsDistrict of Columbia

County *CookAdamsAlexanderBondBooneBrownBureauCalhounCarrollCassChampaignChristianClarkClayClintonColesCrawfordCumberlandDekalbDewittDouglasDuPageEdgarEdwardsEffinghamFayetteFordFranklinFultonGallatinGreeneGrundyHamiltonHancockHardinHendersonHenryIroquoisJacksonJasperJeffersonJerseyJo DaviessJohnsonKaneKankakeeKendallKnoxLakeLaSalleLawrenceLeeLivingstonLoganMaconMacoupinMadisonMarionMarshallMasonMassacMcDonoughMcHenryMcLeanMenardMercerMonroeMontgomeryMorganMoultrieOglePeoriaPerryPiattPikePopePulaskiPutnamRandolphRichlandRock IslandSalineSangamonSchuylerScottShelbySt. ClairStarkStephensonTazewellUnionVermilionWabashWarrenWashingtonWayneWhiteWhitesideWillWilliamsonWinnebagoWoodford

ZIP code *

Business Information (Optional)

Business Name

Indicate all business names, including stage or artist names, currently used or that you intend to use. If incorporated, give the name of the corporation. If your business is a not-for-profit corporation, give the name of the corporation and indicate if it has a 501(c)(3) tax exemption. Please limit your entry to 200 characters.

Business Website / URL

Please provide valid URL(s) with the starting https:// or http://

Type of Assistance

I am seeking legal counsel as a/an: *

• Individual
• Group of individuals or partnership
• Not-for-profit entity
• For Profit Entity - 2+ Owners
• For Profit Entity - Sole Owned

Do you seek pro bono (free), or reduced fee, legal assistance? *Please selectYesNo

How many people, including yourself, live in your household? *Please select1234567891011121314151617181920+

Additional Group Members

Have you applied for tax-exemption from the IRS? *Please selectYesNo

Did you receive your tax-exemption determination letter from the IRS *Please selectYesNo

Board Members

Registration Type *Please selectCorporationLimited Liability CompanyOther

Additional Shareholders or Members

State in which your business is registered: *IllinoisAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingAmerican SamoaGuamNorthern Mariana IslandsPuerto RicoU.S. Virgin IslandsDistrict of Columbia

Financial Information

Please provide your annual household income: *

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Please provide the combined household income of all partners and members of the group: *

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Please provide the combined gross revenue from your business and the total gross family incomes of the principals of the organization: *

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Please provide your non-profit's annual budget: *

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Did you file a tax return for the most recent tax year? *

• Yes
• No

Is your income limited to state or federal benefits, such as Social Security, SSI, disability or any similar benefit program? *

• Yes
• No

Monthly Benefit Payment *

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Do you have any special financial circumstances that affect your ability to pay? Please provide the amount below.

Extraordinary Medical Expenses:

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Student Loan Debt:

Please enter only numerical values in this field. Do not include any symbols, letters, or other characters.

Other special financial circumstances that impact your ability to pay for legal service:

Legal Issue

Requested Legal Assistance *

• Business Startup/Corporate
• Commercial Litigation
• Contracts
• Copyright Infringement
• Copyright Protection/Licensing
• Disputes
• Employment
• Estates
• Landlord-Tenant
• Not for Profit Advice
• Patent Protection
• Patent Infringement
• Personal Injury/Damage to Property
• Rights of Privacy and Publicity
• Trademark Infringement
• Trademark Protection
• Visa and Immigration
• Other

Other Requested Legal Assistance *

The State in which your legal issue arises or occurred *IllinoisAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingDistrict of ColumbiaAmerican SamoaGuamNorthern Mariana IslandsPuerto RicoUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsVirgin Islands, U.S.

Briefly describe your legal issues *

Adverse or Additional Parties

Please list all individuals and companies involved in any way with your matter or legal issue. If your legal issue involves claims, litigation or other disputes, please provide the names of every person or company on both sides of the dispute. Similarly, if your legal issue relates to a business relationship, such as a partnership, contract, employment, or real estate matter, list all individuals and companies with any interest or involvement in that relationship. In addition to the name of the individual or company please provide the city and state where the person is located and the nature of the relationship to the matter.

 

Note that it sometimes happens that we receive a request for referral from individuals or entities that are adverse to other individuals or entities that separately contact us for referral on the same or related matter. In these situations, we will not disclose information provided by one applicant to the adverse applicant, and we will not disclose the fact that applicants who are adverse to one another have applied to us for legal help. We will attempt to expeditiously find separate referral counsel for each applicant that qualifies for our assistance.

Do you have adverse or additional parties you'd like to add to this application? *Please selectNoYes - 1 additional partyYes - 2 additional partyYes - 3 additional partyYes - 4 additional party

Additional Party 1

Name 1

Company 1

Location 1

Relation to Matter 1

Additional Party 2

Name 2

Company 2

Location 2

Relation to Matter 2

Additional Party 3

Name 3

Company 3

Location 3

Relation to Matter 3

Additional Party 4

Name 4

Company 4

Location 4

Relation to Matter 4

Have you already consulted an attorney in the matter? *

• Yes
• No

Other Attorney(s): *

How did you hear about LCA?Please selectFriendBoard MemberWord of MouthWebsiteSocial MediaAttorneyOther Art OrganizationEvent/SeminarMagazine/NewspaperOther Legal ServiceOther

Would you like to be a part of our mailing list and receive information on upcoming webinars, seminars, or events? *

• Yes
• No

Client Declaration: *

• To the best of my knowledge, all information provided in this Application is accurate and true. In addition, I have read, and I understand LCA’s Client Referral Policies and Procedures, and I agree with the terms stated therein.

• Client Referral Policies and Procedures
• Terms of Service

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