Case List

Contract Drafting: Co-Production Agreement: Film

23-0311 Film production company is developing an international film with a company based in Singapore and needs counsel to draft a co-production agreement.

Contract Drafting: Collaboration Agreement: Theatre

23-0312 Producer, composer, and librettist are developing a musical theatrical work about LGBTQ history in the US. They need counsel to draft an agreement clarifying their roles, rights, and responsibilities.

Contract Drafting: Mural Licensing/Assignment: Visual Art

23-0476 Hand-painted signs and design studio was hired to produce a mural for a coffee shop. The studio hired a subcontractor to assist with the design of the mural. There was no written agreement with either party. Now that the mural has been completed, there is some dispute as to copyright ownership/licensing. They need counsel to help communicate with the hiring party and assist with a licensing/assignment agreement.

Contract Review/Drafting: Sponsorship Agreements: Fashion

23-0330 Fashion entrepreneur that produces fashion events needs counsel to review and update their standard event sponsorship agreement.

Contract Review: Coproduction Agreement: Film

23-0395 Film producer is developing a film alongside a nonprofit film production company. The nonprofit production company recently offered the producer a new coproduction agreement, and the producer needs counsel to review the contract.

Contract Review: Standard Contracts: Photography/Visual Art

23-0490 Photographer and visual artist needs counsel to review a number of standard contracts they plan to use with customers and clients.

Dispute: Accounting: Literature

23-0029 Author published a book with a large DIY publisher but has not received any royalties. Client needs help securing a royalty statement and determining if the publisher is withholding royalty payments.

Dispute: Breach of Contract: Literature

23-0328 Author is developing a semi-fictional book inspired by a model based in Uruguay. After a previous contract dispute with the model, the parties entered into a settlement agreement that included representations by the model that he would not obstruct the author's ability to access the model's public social media pages. Since the execution of the settlement agreement, the model has blocked the author on a prominent photo sharing social media site. Author seeks counsel to help evaluate a claim for breach of the contract.

Dispute: Collection: Photography

23-0263 Photographer was hired by a personal injury law firm to take professional headshots. Photographer provided a price sheet before the shoot, and issued an invoice accordingly. Photographer provided the photos to the law firm, but they are now refusing to pay the full amount of the invoice. Photographer needs counsel to help recover the amounts owed.

Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Audio Documentary

22-0527 Documentarian produced an audio documentary about UFOs in the 70s. Someone has made the documentary available online without compensating the rightsholders. Documentarian needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for copyright infringement.

Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Music

23-0337 Recording artist wrote, recorded, and copyrighted a song in 2017. Shortly afterwards, he sent a copy of the song to a well known music producer and artist. A year later, the producer and artist released a song with many similar elements, including title, chord structure, rhythm, and lyrics. Client is involved in ongoing copyright infringement litigation in the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois over this dispute. Previous counsel had to withdraw and artist is seeking representation for the ongoing litigation.

Dispute: Damage to Property: Visual Art

23-0187 Filmmaker hired an art studio/gallery to digitally reproduce a painting. Studio/gallery allegedly destroyed the painting. Previous LCA counsel has determined that filmmaker has a viable claim for conversion, but this analysis is based on assumptions that cannot be confirmed without proceeding through discovery. Filmmaker needs counsel to help pursue this claim via litigation.

Dispute: Employment: Theatre

22-1125 Stage technician recently quit his job due to a number of workplace issues, including alleged harassment on the basis of religion. He needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for constructive discharge.

Dispute: Loss of Property: Visual Art

23-0406 Visual artist was storing a collection of his art in a storage locker. He fell behind on rental payments, and the contents of the storage locker were auctioned off. He needs counsel to help evaluate his rights and options moving forward.

Dispute: Post-Judgement Proceedings: Attorneys' Fees

23-0099 Choreographer and former plaintiff in unsuccessful civil rights arbitration against former employer needs advice in defending against order to pay award of costs assessed by arbitrator.

Dispute: Unjust Enrichment: Theater

23-0496 Client is a theatrical producer. Several years ago, a judgment was entered ordering client to pay a large sum of money to another production company, and allowing the other production company to withhold royalty payments until such time that the judgment was satisfied. Client now believes that the judgement was satisfied several years ago, but the adverse party refuses to provide an accounting. Client recently filed suit for fraud, unjust enrichment, abuse of process, and accounting. Current counsel is winding down their practice and plans to withdraw. Client needs counsel to assist with litigation.

Employment: Mandated Reporter Training: Theater

23-0497 Social justice theater company is preparing to hire teaching artists to work with children in summer programming and in partnership with school districts. Theater company needs counsel to help evaluate whether these artists are mandate reporters and identifying any required training.

Nonprofit: Foundation Classification: Theater

23-0504 Nonprofit theatre company currently operating as a private foundation is seeking to switch to a public charity classification. They need counsel to assist with this transition.

Start-up: Card Game

23-0493 Arts entrepreneur created a card game and wants to start a formal business entity. He needs general start-up advice, help with choice of entity, and assistance with formation documents.

Trademark Protection: Literature

Nonprofit publication by and for people incarcerated in Illinois prisons needs counsel to assist with trademark registration for one word mark.