Case List
To learn more about any of the matters on our current Case List, contact our Associate Director of Legal Services, Christopher Johnson.
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You can also view the matters listed below as a PDF document.
And, thank you very much for your interest in helping LCA clients!
The following is a current list LCA matters within the identified Categories.
To learn more about any of the matters on our Case List, please contact ou Associate Director of Legal Services, Christopher Johnson, at (312) 837-3521 or cjohnson@law-arts.org.
Available Video Law Library Programming in Blue
Available Materials in Green
Thank you very much for your interest in helping LCA clients!
Case # | Legal Category | Arts Category | Description | |
---|---|---|---|---|
22-0667 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Visual Art |
Start-up: Graphic Design 22-0667 Graphic designer who does branding work for small businesses needs start-up advice and assistance with LLC formation. |
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22-0661 Paying |
Copyright Protection/Licensing | Music |
Content Clearance: Public Domain: Music 22-0661 Classical guitarist is planning to record the works of a Paraguayan composer who passed away in the 1940s and needs help confirming that a series of compositions are in the public domain. |
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22-0658 Pro Bono |
Contracts | Film/TV, Visual Art |
Contract Drafting: Work-Made-for-Hire Agreement: Film 22-0658 Screenwriter is developing a new animated television series and is planning to hire an animator to assist. He needs counsel to draft a work-made-for-hire agreement. |
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22-0643 Paying |
Contracts | Visual Art |
Contract Review: Letter of Intent: Visual Art 22-0643 Visual artist has been offered a space in an accelerator program designed to help artists grow their practice and their business and has been offered a Letter of Intent agreement. She needs counsel to review the agreement. |
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22-0642 Paying |
Contracts, Trademark Protection | Literature |
Contract Drafting: Illustrator Agreement: Literature Author is writing a children's book about their father and is looking to hire an artist to do the illustrations. Author needs counsel to draft an illustrator agreement. |
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22-0641 Pro Bono |
Contracts | Film/TV |
Contract Review: Distribution Agreement 22-0641 Writer has been offered a license agreement with a local distributor for the digital distribution of a television show. She needs counsel to review the agreement. |
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22-0640 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Arts Education, Music |
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. |
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22-0608 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Visual Art |
Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Visual Art 22-0608 Visual artist working on canvas recently discovered that prints of his artwork are listed for sale on a Russian website without his permission. He needs assistance to register copyright in this work (and others) and evaluate a claim for copyright infringement. |
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22-0605 Pro Bono |
Trademark Infringement | Film/TV |
Dispute: Trademark Infringement: Film/TV 22-0605 Client is a chef and musician who creates and publishes cooking/music videos on YouTube and other social media sites. He has two registered trademarks. He recently discovered that a competitor is using the same name. He needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for infringement. |
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22-0604 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Fashion, Visual Art |
Start-up: Visual Arts/Fashion 22-0604 Visual Artist and fashion designer is planning to start a business and needs general start-up advice and help with choice of entity. |
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22-0603 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Visual Art |
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. |
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22-0593 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Dance, Other |
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. |
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22-0585 Pro Bono |
Personal Injury/Damage to Property | Film/TV |
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 |
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22-0584 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Music |
NFP: Dissolution: Choir 22-0584 Nonprofit choral ensemble is planning to wind down and dissolve the entity and needs advice on the dissolution process and options for distribution of the entity's assets. |
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22-0582 Pro Bono |
Employment, Disputes | Music, Performance Art |
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. |
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22-0579 Pro Bono |
Contracts, Other | Music |
Dispute: Breach of Contract: Consignment Agreement 22-0579 Client consigned an extremely valuable violin to a violin dealer. Pursuant to the consignment agreement, client attempted to terminate the agreement. Dealer has not returned the violin or paid the client proceeds from any sale. Violin is insured, but insurer refuses to pay. Client needs counsel to help evaluate any claim for breach of contract, assist with the recovery of the violin, or assist with the insurance claim. |
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22-0578 Paying |
Employment | Dance |
Dispute: Employment: Dance 22-0578 Nonprofit dance company recently terminated a company dancer and general employment law advice on whether or not the termination was handled appropriately. |
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22-0573 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Music, Performance Art |
NFP: Out-of-State Operations 22-0573 Florida-based NFP that provides training in opera performance would like to begin operating in Illinois. Organization needs help to identify and complete the necessary registrations to operate in Illinois, as well as address any administrative/governance concerns. |
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22-0571 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Theater |
NFP: Dissolution: Theatre 22-0571 Nonprofit theatre company has begun the process of to winding down and dissolving the entity and needs advice on the dissolution process and options for distribution of the entity's assets. |
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22-0550 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts | Film/TV, Visual Art |
Contract Review: Co-Production Agreement: Film 22-0550 Filmmaker working on an experimental narrative film about loneliness and the human condition is partnering with a Dutch production company and needs counsel to review and, if appropriate, update, the Co-Production Agreement. |
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22-0527 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Other |
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. |
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22-0507 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Music |
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. |
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22-0494 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts | Music |
Contract Review / Drafting: Catalog Agreement: Music 22-0494 DJ has started a company to administer the rights for DJ mixes. He has a broad Catalog Agreement, but he needs counsel to review the contract and adapt it to license/administer limited rights - mechanical, master use, and derivative works. |
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22-0491 Pro Bono |
Disputes, Landlord-Tenant | Music, Visual Art |
Dispute: Landlord/Tenant: Visual Art 22-0491 Visual artist contacted the owner of a commercial building about renting studio space. Artist came to agreement with landlord as to rent orally and via text message, but no lease was ever signed. Artist paid a down payment, and several other fees assessed by the landlord, and landlord continued to add additional charges to the monthly rent to which artist initially agreed. Artist needs counsel to evaluate her rights and, if possible, recover amounts paid. |
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22-0483 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement, Copyright Protection/Licensing | Visual Art |
Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Visual Arts 22-0483 Photographer created an image that was later published in an online publication. A local social club pulled the image from the online publication without permission and used it as part of their marketing materials for an event. Photographer needs counsel to evaluate her claim for copyright infringement. |
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22-0474 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Music |
Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Music 22-0474 Client is a songwriter and musician who separated from his band in 2019. Client wrote and registered copyright in 6 musical compositions that were performed by the band. The lead singer subsequently registered copyright in the same songs under different titles. Client wishes to challenge the lead singer's copyright registration and needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for copyright infringement. |
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22-0467 Pro Bono |
Employment, Not for Profit Advice | Visual Art |
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. |
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22-0461 Paying |
Disputes | Music, Visual Art |
Dispute: Accounting: Literature 22-0461 Author published a book with a literary publisher in 2012. A second edition was released in 2019, and the author doesn't believe they are being paid appropriately. Client needs help securing a royalty statement and determining if the publisher is withholding royalty payments. |
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22-0455 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Music |
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. |
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22-0400 Pro Bono |
Contracts | Music |
Contract Drafting: Performer Agreement & Work for Hire: Film 22-0400 Client is producing a get-out-the-vote video that will feature local ministers and community figures. Client needs counsel to draft a standard agreement to memorialize her arrangement with the community figures, as well as a work for hire agreement for the artists creating the sound recording to be used in the video. |
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22-0394 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts | Music, Performance Art |
Contract Drafting: Collaboration Agreement: Film 22-0394 Filmmaker is devising an experimental film focused on music, movement, and meditation and needs counsel to draft an agreement memorializing the rights and responsibilities of his collaborators. |
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22-0391 Paying |
Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts, Not for Profit Advice | Performance Art |
Contract Drafting: Participation Agreements: Reenactment 22-0391 Client is organizing a reenactment of a historical journey and needs counsel to draft agreements for the participants. |
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22-0387 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts | Film/TV |
Contract Review: Option Agreement and Assignment: Film 22-0387 Filmmaker entered into an option agreement and a short-form assignment agreement with a screenwriter for the screenplay for a film the filmmaker is producing. She has not yet paid the full amount stated in the option agreement, and she needs counsel to review the agreements and help her understand the status of her rights in the screenplay. |
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22-0373 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Theater |
NFP: Bylaws: Theatre 22-0373 NFP theatre company that uses stage combat to tell stories that elevate the voices of underrepresented communities needs counsel to review and, if appropriate, update their bylaws. |
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22-0362 Pro Bono |
Disputes | Literature, Visual Art |
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. |
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22-0330 Pro Bono |
Employment, Other | Visual Art |
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. |
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22-0298 Pro Bono |
Other | Music |
NFP: Dissolution: Music 22-0298 NFP music ensemble is planning to wind down and dissolve the entity and needs advice on the dissolution process and options for distribution of the entity's assets. |
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22-0219 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Literature |
Contract Drafting: Partnership Agreement: Literature 22-0219 Author of children's books is planning to enter into a business partnership with another individual. Author will handle the artistic side of things, while the potential partner would work to develop technology and merchandise associated with the books. Author needs counsel to draft an agreement memorializing the arrangement. |
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22-0215 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Music |
Dispute: Copyright Infringement: Music 22-0215 Client is a rapper who tells stories about the realities of living in Chicago. Client released a song and related music video in 2012. Several times throughout the last few years, another performer has posted music and videos online of a new song that uses the client's lyrics. Client needs counsel to help evaluate a claim for copyright infringement. |
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22-0206 Pro Bono |
Copyright Infringement | Music |
Copyright Infringement: Music 22-0206 Singer-songwriter performed, distributed, and registered copyright in an original pop song in 2017. This year, another artist released a chart-topping song with similar thematic, lyrical, and melodic components. Singer-songwriter needs counsel to help evaluate any potential claim for copyright infringement. |
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22-0196 Paying |
Other, Disputes | Music |
Dispute: Defamation: Music 22-0196 DJ hired a UK-based PR firm to promote her music. PR firm has failed to meet deliverables and DJ terminated the contract. PR firm then took down articles DJ previously paid for and published allegedly defamatory statements about the DJ. DJ needs counsel to issue a demand letter requesting the PR firm to rescind allegedly defamatory statements and re-publish agreed upon articles. If PR firm refuses, DJ needs counsel to evaluate a claim for defamation. |
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22-0156 Pro Bono |
Other | Film/TV |
Dispute: Dissolution of LLC: Film 22-0156 Filmmaker client is a member of a film production LLC that was created to produce a film project about football. Client spent a great deal of his own money on the project and believes that he has not been properly compensated per the operating agreement, and wishes to dissolve the LLC and be made whole. Client needs counsel to review the relevant documents and evaluate his rights, and if appropriate, assist with his exit from, or the dissolution of, the LLC. |
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22-0098 Pro Bono |
Other | Literature |
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. |
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22-0001 Pro Bono |
Landlord-Tenant | Visual Art |
Dispute: Commercial Eviction: Visual Art 22-0001 Visual artist has had a commercial lease on studio space for several years. Prior to the pandemic, he fell behind on rent. The lease eventually expired, but artist continued occupying the space and making attempts to pay off the amounts owed. Now, the landlord has served the artist with eviction paperwork, and the artist needs counsel to evaluate his case and advise as to his options. |
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21-1337 Pro Bono |
Other, Copyright Protection/Licensing | Literature, Other |
Copyright Registration: Translations 21-1337 Translator needs counsel to assist with copyright registration for two licensed translations of pre-existing works. |
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21-1168 Pro Bono |
Visa and Immigration, Not for Profit Advice | Dance |
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. |
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21-0972 Pro Bono |
Business Startup/Corporate | Literature |
Start-up: Literature 21-0972 Author needs start-up advice and help with business structure. |
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21-0870 Pro Bono |
Not for Profit Advice | Film/TV |
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. |
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21-0857 Contingent Fee (PB Eligible) |
Other, Disputes | Film/TV, Music |
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. |
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