Case List

To learn more about any of the matters on our current Case List, contact our Director of Legal Services, Stacy Baygood Streur.

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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 our Director of Legal Services, Stacy Baygood Streur, at 312.837.3520, or sstreur@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
21-0175 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Protection/Licensing	Music, Visual Art	Content Clearance: Film 20-1099 Client is filming a series of puppet shows for children to promote multiculturalism. Client needs legal advice regarding whether she needs a license to use the puppets in a film series. Client also needs legal advice regarding clearing rights to photos and music. Representing the LCA Filmmaker: Overview of Film Law Topics
21-0204 Pro Bono	Contracts	Film/TV	Contract Drafting: Agreements for Producers, and Cast and Crew: Film 21-0204 Minority film producer, working on a film about several women of color planning a heist, needs two contracts, one for the production managers and one for cast and crew.
21-0079 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Protection/Licensing	Visual Art	Contract Drafting: Arts Organization 21-0079 NFP arts collective is launching an artist census. The NFP is working with a technology company and another NFP to develop and supplement the census. Client needs two contracts, one for each of their partners and advice regarding copyright and licensing.
21-0205 Pro Bono	Trademark Protection	Dance, Music, Performance Art, Theater	Contract Drafting: Copyright Assignment and NDA 21-0205 Client commissioned renderings for a multimedia theme park and needs an assignment of copyright to be signed by the artist who created the renderings. Client also need a non-disclosure agreement to protect her ideas when the drawings are submitted to the local planning committee.
20-1184 Pro Bono	Contracts	Film/TV	Contract Drafting: Copyright License: Film 20-1184 Award-winning, minority, filmmaker is producing a feature film about the Chicago Police Department (CPD) and needs a license to use the CPD logo. Client is looking for counsel to negotiate with CPD. Representing the LCA Filmmaker: Overview of Film Law Topics
20-1021 Pro Bono	Contracts	Film/TV, Theater	Contract Drafting: Film 20-1021 Client produced a multi-cultural web-series with the assistance of another producer who did the pre-production and post-production work. Client would like to split the rights to the series 50/50 and needs counsel to draft the agreement. Representing the LCA Filmmaker: Overview of Film Law Topics
21-0222 Pro Bono	Contracts, Rights of Privacy and Publicity	Film/TV	Contract Drafting: Life Rights: Film 21-0222 Minority filmmaker, producing a documentary film series about a minority, female, professional coach and the challenges that she faces in that role, needs a Life Rights Agreement for the coach.
21-0016 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Protection/Licensing	Music	Contract Drafting: Music Manager 21-0016 Start-up music manager who also plans to perform the functions of a record label needs a standard contract for his artists. Representing the LCA Music Client: Recording Agreements
21-0160 Pro Bono	Contracts, Trademark Protection, Copyright Protection/Licensing	Arts Education, Literature, Other	Contract Drafting: Waiver for Interview Subjects 21-0160 Experienced consultant for arts organizations is writing a book and producing a web-series about NFP arts organizations that have succeeded in the face of adversity. In creating this work Client has conducted numerous interviews with leadership at these organizations, Client needs help drafting a release that allows her to use the content of those interviews in her work.
21-0228 Pro Bono	Contracts	Visual Art	Contract Review: Application for an Award 21-0028 Client is a NFP gallery that holds an annual contest to feature the work of a particular artist. NFP needs counsel to review its application to participate in the contest and suggest language to protect the NFP.
21-0106 Pro Bono	Contracts	Visual Art	Contract Review: Artistic Landscaping Agreement 21-0106 Environmental sculptor who was awarded a contract, by a government agency, to create a large scale earth art landscape project, will act as the general contractor for the project, and needs counsel to review her general contract, which has already been signed, and a proposed subcontractor agreement.
21-0201 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Protection/Licensing	Film/TV, Visual Art	Contract Review: Consignment of Art Agreement: Photography 21-0201 Minority photographer has been invited to show his works at an Illinois gallery and needs counsel to review the Consignment of Art Agreement.
21-0203 Pro Bono	Contracts	Other	Contract Review: Exclusive Model Management Agreement 21-0203 Seventeen-year-old who does modeling received an agreement from a local Modeling Agency. Client's Mother submitted the LCA application seeking counsel to help Mother and Daughter evaluate the terms proposed in the agreement.
21-0103 Pro Bono	Copyright Infringement	Music	Contract Review: License Agreement, Royalty Audit, Notice and TakeDown 21-0103 Client is a vocalist on a song that was recorded 1993. Client registered copyright in the performance and needs counsel to assess her rights under the licensing agreement and obtain an accounting of royalties associated with the performance. She is also interested in having an unauthorized YouTube video that includes the recording taken down pursuant to the DMCA. Representing the LCA Music Client: Rights in Sound Recordings
21-0141 Pro Bono	Copyright Protection/Licensing	Film/TV	Copyright Licensing: Documentary Film 21-0141 Documentary filmmaker needs help determining the scope of his right to use police scanner footage in his documentary film.
21-0045 Pro Bono	Contracts	Visual Art	Copyright Registration: Visual 21-0045 Award winning, minority, animator needs help with copyright registration for one animation pitch book. Client would like to work with his attorney on the application, so that he will have the skills to complete the next registration without assistance.
21-0215 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Infringement, Disputes	Film/TV	Copyright: Scope of Rights 21-0215 Client together with a collaborator created a treatment for a screenplay. The treatment was submitted to the Copyright Office, but the registration has not been issued yet. The parties had a falling out and Client needs help evaluating the scope of her rights in the treatment.
21-0187 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate	Music	Corporate: Music School 21-0187 Client runs a music school that is currently set up as an L3C. Client needs help evaluating whether this is the best organizational structure for the current operations of the business.
21-0184 Pro Bono	Contracts	Film/TV	Dispute: Accounting: Film 21-1084 Minority film producer needs help enforcing her right to an accounting under a written agreement that she has with a local distributor.
21-0146 Pro Bono	Disputes	Music	Dispute: Accounting: Music 21-0146 Minority music artist, Client, registered with one of the DIY music streaming distributors. Client needs help securing a royalty statement and determining if the distributor is withholding royalty payments.
21-0089 Pro Bono	Contracts, Copyright Infringement	Music	Dispute: Cease and Desist: Music 21-0089 Songwriter entered into a publishing agreement that expired in 2015. Despite that, the publisher continues to try to collect royalties on Client's music. Publisher recently registered with MLC without Client's consent. Client needs counsel to send a cease and desist letter. Representing the LCA Music Client: Mechanical Licensing
21-0015 Pro Bono	Contracts	Other, Performance Art	Dispute: Contract Termination: Business Manager Agreement (Artist side) 21-0015 Video producer entered into a contract with a business/artist manager. The manager has failed to perform under the contract and Client needs help terminating the agreement.
20-0961 Pro Bono	Employment, Disputes	Literature, Other	Dispute: Control of a Literary NFP 20-961 Founder of a literary NFP, that has been in existence for more than a decade, was a member of the Board of Directors and the Managing Editor of the organization when he was involuntarily removed from the Board after a new Executive Director launched a campaign to discredit and remove him from his position. Client needs help reviewing the situation and evaluating his options.
20-0896 Pro Bono	Copyright Infringement, Disputes	Other	Dispute: Copyright Infringement: YouTube Strike 20-896 Client posted a commentary on a popular ISP site, detailing rumors about the upcoming release of a popular video game. The copyright holder sent a notice and take-down request, which resulted in the content being removed from the site. Client has requested reinstatement and needs help evaluating his options in the event that the reinstatement request is denied. Copyright Principles in the Arts: DMCA Notice and Takedown Procedure
21-0111 Pro Bono	Other	Visual Art	Dispute: Demand Letter: Collection (French Speaking Client) 21-0111 Client, a visual artist, whose works were for-sale at a local gallery, needs counsel to assist with a demand letter to recover amounts the gallery owes to Client for works that were damaged or sold.
21-0060 Pro Bono	Landlord-Tenant	Visual Art	Dispute: Landlord Tenant: Visual Artist: Fashion 21-0060 Minority visual artist, in the fashion sector, needs help terminating her lease and recovering the security deposit. Client's space is in a multi-unit building and her neighbor in the next unit has been complaining about the fumes from client's supplies. The situation has escalated and Client does not feel safe in the space.
20-1173 Undetermined	Not for Profit Advice	Music, Performance Art, Visual Art	Dispute: NFP Bylaws 20-1173 Chicago-based Native American culture and history organization needs assistance in updating its governing structure (board and membership) to better reflect the group’s current operations. Background in American Indian legal issues helpful, but not required.
20-1019 Pro Bono	Other, Disputes	Visual Art	Dispute: Pending Litigation: Joint Work (Defense) 20-1019 Two visual artists collaborated on a series of paintings and Client is the defendant in an action by the Plaintiff to recover possession of the physical works. Client needs counsel to represent her in the litigation.
21-0149 Pro Bono	Other	Visual Art	Dispute: Tax: Visual Artist 21-0149 Visual artist with a long term outstanding debt to the IRS needs help evaluating whether she qualifies for Emergency COVID Tax Relief in the nature of a cancellation of the debt or abatement of interest and penalties.
21-0075 Contingent Fee (PB Eligible)	Disputes	Music	Dispute: Termination of Assignment of Copyright: Music 21-0075 Client, the son of a successful songwriter, inherited his fathers catalogue of music. He has a Writer Successor Agreement and a Publishing Successor Agreement with BMI. Client decided to request a termaination of the original publishing agreement and needs help negotiating with the publisher.
20-0943 Pro Bono	Other	Visual Art	Employment and Contracts and NFP: General Counsel 20-943 NFP that provides arts education and art therapy is looking for a local attorney to serve on their Board and provide legal advice on various matters as they arise.
20-0846 Pro Bono	Other	Literature, Visual Art	Estate Planning: Asset Protection: Elderly Artist 20-846 Minority author is concerned about a nursing home attaching her bank account and needs legal advice regarding asset protection. Client is 74 and is planning for the future. She is not currently in a residential facility.
21-0070 Pro Bono	Other	Film/TV, Music, Visual Art	Estate: Distribution of Royalties: Music 21-0070 Client is a sculptor and a person with disabilities. Client's brother was a successful recording artist who passed away in 2003. Client, with the assistance of his guardian, collected funds from the deceased brother's record label and needs help determining how to properly handle the funds.
20-0822 Pro Bono	Other	Film/TV, Music, Visual Art	Estate: Music 20-822 Client is a person with disabilities, his brother, a successful recording artist, passed away and client needs help evaluating any claim he might have to the assets.
21-0092 Pro Bono	Not for Profit Advice	Film/TV, Literature, Music, Other	NFP Advice: Podcast 21-0092 Start-up NFP that does podcasting, and was formerly a project of the founder, needs help evaluating proper steps for transferring assets and liabilities to the NFP.
20-1086 Pro Bono	Not for Profit Advice	Film/TV	NFP: Dissolution: Film 20--1086 Award winning NFP film production company needs help with dissolution of the organization.
21-0165 Pro Bono	Not for Profit Advice	Film/TV	NFP: Update of Bylaws: Film 21-0165 NFP film group that has been in existence for more than a decade needs help amending their bylaws to reflect that current needs of the organization. LCA has a list of Client concerns.
21-0010 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate, Contracts, Disputes	Visual Art	Start-up and Contract Drafting: Experiential Artist 21-0010 Client creates built out spaces and needs start-up advice, help with business structure and one Customer Contract.
20-1151 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate	Visual Art	Start-up: Art Supplies 20-1151 Client who is launching a business to sell art supply kits, needs start-up advice and help with business structure.
20-1178 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate	Dance	Start-up: Dance 20-1178 Client needs help evaluating various business structures for an a center dedicated to African diaspora movement research.
21-0048 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate	Music	Start-up: Music Educator and Coach 21-0048 Flutist who plans to expand her educational offerings needs start-up advice and help with business structure.
20-1033 Pro Bono	Business Startup/Corporate	Visual Art	Start-up: Textile Artist 20-1033 Textile artist who recently relocated to Illinois needs legal advice regarding registering her business in Illinois.
21-0212 Pro Bono	Trademark Protection, Not for Profit Advice	Music	Trademark Registration (Intent to Use): Music Education 21-0212 Client is launching a music education program and needs help with an Intent to Use Trademark Application.