Aidan Dolik is a 2L at Chicago-Kent College of Law. Aidan previously interned with the National Legal Advocacy Network and originally hails from the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.
Q: Many of our interns come to us with unique backgrounds in the arts. Do you have any personal background in the arts?
A: I dabbled. I studied creative writing and film production in college, and while I was getting my degrees, I drummed in a handful of small bands, though they never ventured outside our college town. After graduating, I directed a couple zero-budget shorts, but those were more for my own edification than to break into the industry. I wrote a feature, too, but I want to write a few more before I try to shop anything around. Growing up, I was saturated with theater and classical music: my mom sang opera, my brother and dad were stagehands in the local IATSE chapter, one uncle is a choreographer, and another uncle was a pianist.
How did you hear about LCA?
One of my good friends from film school met one of LCA’s previous executive directors, Jerry Glover, at a volunteer function. He connected me with Jerry, and then Jerry and I got together for coffee the summer before I started law school, where he told me what goes into entertainment practice, best networking practices, and about LCA.
What did you expect? Did anything here surprise you?
I expected that my work would consist of reviewing documents, interviewing clients, and conducting research for discrete issues. This is more or less the work that I received. After speaking with Jerry in the summer of 2019, I familiar with what types of issues would arise, but I was surprised by the sheer volume of cases LCA has had throughout the first half of the year. It was intimidating at first having to flip flop between such a wide variety of issues, but everyone at LCA was committed to bringing me up to speed. I was also surprised by the huge volume of educational material LCA has available through the Video Law Library.
Do you have any favorite moments or projects from your time with us?
One particularly notable conversation took place recently with a member of a famous Chicago blues group. After we clarified his legal issues, we ended up talking about his life and music for a couple hours (it was a slow day for intakes).
As far as interesting research goes, my favorite project was probably digging into whether an employer can require an employee to get a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment. I also recently looked into whether there was a working legal definition for “beats” in the context of hip hop production, and whether there exists a standard for determining whether a beat is sufficiently original to obtain copyright protection.
How has your experience at LCA connected with what you have been learning in law school?
I was expecting most of LCA’s clients to have copyright-related issues, and while that may be true, a significant number applied for help with trademarks. I’m taking a trademark class right now, and it was a really great chance to combine an academic understanding of the field with the practical needs of clients.
Did you come into LCA hoping to get experience in a particular area of law? Have your interests changed at all?
I was hoping to get experience drafting contracts and learning about soft IP issues, and I certainly got that exposure I was looking for. Rather than changing, this experience has confirmed that this is work I could see myself doing for my career.
What’s next for you? Has your time at LCA helped you to narrow your options?
There is still so much out there in law I have yet to explore! This coming summer, I’m going to be working with the Lawndale Christian Legal Center, a nonprofit that provides legal support and beyond to criminal defendants in the Lawndale neighborhood. Once I’ve gotten that experience and after I graduate, I’m hoping I will be able to follow my gut as to which field I can most thrive in while providing support to folks who need it.
Do you hope to volunteer with LCA once you have your degree?
100%. Absolutely.
What value does an organization like LCA add to the arts community?
Artists are going to enter into contracts, and their work will be regulated by state law or local ordinances. When an artist is aware of their rights and responsibilities or potential liabilities to others, they can express themselves in a way that won’t result in headaches down the road. Every year, LCA gives hundreds of artists the resources to help them create their work, secure compensation for their work, and stop others from exploiting their work without credit.
What's a fun fact about you?
I can beatbox decently well, though I’m still trying to get good enough to compete in the Midwest Beatbox Battle.
Which tv-show/movie/song/book have you recently finished that you would recommend?
TV: My fiancé and I just binged Attack on Titan and are looking forward to the finale this winter.
Movie: “The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On” (1987) is a documentary that follows a Kenzo Okuzaki, a WW2 veteran who drops in unannounced on his old war buddies who fought together in New Guinea. While his friends think he’s just popping in to reminisce, the conversations take a sharp turn as he accuses them of committing crimes as the war drew to a close.
Album: Dmitry Pokrovsky Folk Ensemble – Night in Galicia (2000) [Avant-Folk, Slavic Folk, Modern Classical]. I haven’t heard too much this year, but this is my favorite listen so far.
Song: Sharhabeel Ahmed – "Argos Farfish" (1960s) [Sudanese Jazz].
Book: Debt: The First 5,000 Years (David Graeber, 2011)
Thank you Aidan for all of your hard work as an intern this semester! Check the website or follow us on social media for future intern profiles and other exciting content.