Case List

Contract Drafting: Teaching Artist Agreement: Visual Arts

22-0763 Teaching artist has been hired to teach classes at a family support center and needs counsel to draft a teaching artist agreement to memorialize terms.

Contract Review: Commercial Lease: Theatre

22-0770 Suburban community theatre company is planning to enter into a long-term lease for their performance space. They need counsel to review the agreement and assist with any necessary negotiations.

Contract Review: Separation Agreement: Literature

22-0582 Client, a classically trained vocalist, was recently terminated by a literary publishing company. She needs counsel to review the separation agreement and evaluate her rights.

Copyright Registration: Board Game

22-0713 Organization focused on raising awareness for social justice needs counsel to help them obtain copyright registration for an online discussion board game they have developed that addresses impactful issues related to discrimination and inclusion.

Dispute: Breach of Contract: Literature

22-0362 Client is a visual artist and author. She has taken classes from a local writing school for many years. In the most recent session, she submitted a late payment, and the school expelled her. Client is seeking the return of the submitted payment.

Dispute: Breach of Contract: Visual Art

22-0669 Graphic designer was hired to design several issues of a magazine without a formal agreement. Designer completed work on 3 issues, but due to difficulties in the working relationship and ability to obtain payment, terminated the arrangement. Magazine has failed to complete payment for services rendered and has demanded that designer turn over all source files for the work completed. Designer needs counsel to assist with recovery of fees for services rendered and advise on her rights and obligations with regard to completed work.

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

22-0455 TIME SENSITIVE MATTER: 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: Copyright Infringement: Music

22-0507 DJ and composer client wrote and published song in 2014. Over the last several years, another company has been using a sample of the original sound recording in their releases. Client has filed several DMCA notices, and has received at least one counternotice. Client needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for copyright infringement.

Dispute: Damage to Property: Visual Art

22-0585 Filmmaker hired an art studio/gallery to digitally reproduce a painting. Studio/gallery allegedly destroyed the painting. Filmmaker needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for conversion

Dispute: Employment Discrimination: Visual Art

22-0330 Visual artist was recently fired from a teaching position with a local art school. He believes he has a claim for race-based employment discrimination and needs counsel to evaluate his claim.

Dispute: Employment: Unemployment Contributions

22-0467 Nonprofit that provides social and emotional learning programming for schools was recently informed by the IDES that they are now required to contribute to the unemployment fund. Nonprofit filed an appeal and needs counsel to evaluate their current status and obligations, and provide advice going forward.

Dispute: Nonprofit Governance: Performing Arts

22-0715 Membership of a nonprofit performing arts organization needs counsel to evaluate their rights in the wake of a board vote to amend the bylaws of the organization to take away the right of the members to elect the organization's board of directors.

Dispute: Tax: Comics

22-0098 Client is a renown comic book artist and author. Her publisher has classified her as an employee, and as a result, there is some confusion as to her filing status with the IRS. Client has not paid taxes in several years. Client needs counsel to evaluate her rights and liabilities.

Dispute: Trademark Infringement: Music

22-0771 Musician registered the trademark in his stage name several years ago. He recently discovered another artist using the same name and needs counsel to evaluate a claim for trademark infringement.

Immigration: Dance Company

21-1168 Established Chicago dance company is starting a year long training program and has received inquiries of participation from international students. Company wants to accept these students and believes they need to obtain status as an SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) approved school. Company needs counsel to advise and assist them in this process.

NFP: Dance Education

22-0733 Client runs pre-professional dance training program that is currently organized as an Illinois LLC. They require counsel to assist with the process of converting the LLC to an Illinois nonprofit corporation.

NFP: Dissolution: Dance

22-0593 Nonprofit arts history/education organization has begun the process of winding down and dissolving the entity and needs advice on the dissolution process.

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.

Nonprofit: Amended Registrations: Music

22-0734 Nonprofit music school was initially incorporated as a religious organization, but no longer operates as such. Nonprofit needs counsel to identify any registrations with the Secretary of State, Illinois Attorney General's Office, or the IRS that will need to be updated to reflect this change in mission.

Nonprofit: Conflict of Interest Policy: Music

22-0640 Pending nonprofit organization is planning to obtain tax-exempt status to raise scholarship funds to pay for music lessons for children provided by a for-profit music school. Organization needs general nonprofit advice and assistance with a conflict of interest policy.

Nonprofit: Governance: Museum

22-0610 Museum focused on a famous local science fiction writer is currently operating as a program of a larger nonprofit organization. Museum needs counsel to advise on this structure, options for the future, and potentially draft an agreement to formalize the arrangement with the larger nonprofit organization.

Start-up: Photography

22-0603 Collective of Chicago photographers that presents exhibitions and regular meetings would like to create a formal entity and needs counsel to assist with choice of entity and entity formation.

Trademark Protection: Music

22-0798 Local band has been using a certain band name for 10+ years. They were recently contacted by a band with a similar name that seems to be requesting that the client band refrain from using the name in the future. Client band needs counsel to advise on their rights and potential risks.

Trademark Registration: Visual Art

22-0701 Parent of talented child artist needs counsel to assist with trademark registration for two word marks representing the the brand/artist names the child artist uses for her work.