Case List

Content Review: Memoir

21-0504 Minority author of a memoir needs help evaluating her potential liability for publishing a book that contains personal information about her ex-husband and about her now-deceased grandmother.

Contract Drafting: Cast and Crew Deal Memo: Film

21-0846 Minority filmmaker/musician is producing a short film about personal relationships and needs a contract for cast and crew members.

Contract Drafting: Client and Independent Contractor Agreements: Film

21-0978 Minority filmmaker and producer needs a standard independent contractor agreement, as well as a standard client contract.

Contract Drafting: License/Collaboration Agreement: Music

21-0776 Minority client created a brand around motorcycles and music, and needs help formalizing an agreement with a musician. Client and the musician plan to work together to promote the brand and the sale of the music.

Contract Drafting: Screenwriter Agreement: Film

21-0959 Screenwriter who is developing a script based on a book about a woman who lived in the 1600s and survived a pandemic, needs an agreement with the author of the book.

Contract Review & Intellectual Property Protection: Music

21-1044 Minority hip hop artist is preparing to release an album. He needs intellectual property advice and counsel to review four beat licenses and a split sheet to determine whether he has the rights necessary to release the album.

Contract Review: Agreement with Music Aggregator

Music Producer client has been approached by a music aggregation service that wishes to sublicense musical compositions and sound recordings to which client owns the rights. He needs counsel to review the agreement provided by the music aggregation service.

Contract Review: Series Option Agreement: Television

21-0909 Author of a television series about paranormal experiences received an option agreement from a small out-of-state studio and needs counsel to review the agreement, propose changes and negotiate with the studio.

Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Digital Art

21-1060 Digital artist created a piece of digital artwork depicting an actor from a 1997 horror film and posted it on social media. The actor is now selling t-shirts with an unauthorized print of the digital artwork on his website. Artist needs help evaluating a claim for copyright infringement.

Dispute: Demand Letter: Actor Management Agreement

21-0572 Minority actor signed a written agreement with a management company; but shortly after signing terminated the agreement. Just prior to termination, the management company made unauthorized charges against Client's credit card. Client needs counsel to send a demand letter to recover amounts owed.

Dispute: Estates: Music Royalties for Recently Deceased Band Member

21-0491 One of the members of a World Music group, that has been together for ten years, recently passed away leaving two adult children as the heirs to his estate. The Band intends to direct royalties to the deceased member's heirs, but the record label is refusing to divide the deceased member's portion of the royalties. Record label claims that royalties need to go to one person. Client needs help resolving this dispute.

Dispute: Non-payment of Royalties: Music

21-0857 Co-author of a successful house music song needs help evaluating her right to royalties. In addition, if recommended, she will need assistance with recovery though litigation. The song was originally published in the late 1980's and is still being sampled, remixed, and used in various mediums including television and video games. Prior LCA counsel has exhausted options short of litigation. Discovery may reveal that the Client has a claim for fraud.

Estates: Contract Review: Publishing

21-0915 Client, a short story writer, entered into a written agreement with a Nigerian Science Fiction writer who passed away shortly after the contract was executed. Under the agreement the parties planned to publish a joint short story collection. Client needs help understanding the scope of her rights given that the other party is now deceased.

Immigration: Music

Client is a jazz drummer who is currently on a F-1 visa. She is scheduled to complete a fellowship with a local music institute this year and return to her home country, but wishes to be able to return to the U.S. as soon as possible. She needs help identifying the correct Visa for this situation.

Legal Advice: NFT

21-0501 NFP needs legal advice regarding marketing and selling an artists work as an NFT.

NFP: Fundraising Regulations

21-0870 Illinois NFP needs help evaluating whether they are permitted or need special licensing to use a Facebook spinning wheel game to facilitate fundraising.

Start-up and Trademark: Music

21-0537 Minority owned music production company that has been producing beats for hip hop, pop, and R&B, for about 14 years needs help with business structure and trademark registration for one mark.

Start-up/Intellectual Property Protection: Visual Art

21-1047 Author needs advice regarding the availability of intellectual property protection for an art kit.

Start-up: Music

21-0848 Leader of an Afro-Latin band needs start-up advice, help with business structure and an agreement with the band members. Counsel to represent the leader of the band, not the other members.

Start-up: Sculpture

21-0992 Sculptor needs start-up advice, help with business structure, and advice regarding business licensing.