Andy Sutherland is a 2L at Loyola University of Chicago interested in Intellectual Property and Art law. Andy previously held the role of Marketing Manager for the Beverly Arts Center, as well as Marketing and Communications Coordinator for Adventure Stage Chicago. In his free time, he is a musician who has enjoyed performing at venues all over 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’m a musician (drummer) who plays in bands on the side, notably alternative rock, ska, and funk. I also spent several years working in arts administration and arts marketing prior to starting law school.
How did you hear about LCA?
I first heard about LCA a few years ago when I saw a job posting for a Communications professional. I was ultimately unqualified for the role, but when I made the decision to go to law school, I started looking up organizations that were doing the work I wanted, helping artists and creative professionals navigate the law and help them understand how it works.
What did you expect? Did anything here surprise you?
I was surprised at just how many hats attorneys need to wear to help the arts. I went in thinking there would be many clients needing help with intellectual property, but so far I’ve dealt with just as many cases needing help with employment disputes and immigration matters. It really goes to show that there is a lot of diversity to the needs of our clients and how serving them to the best of our ability requires knowing about many aspects of the law.
Do you have any favorite moments or projects from your time with us?
I really enjoyed researching the MEUC (Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation) program and how it was being implemented in different states. This was an excellent opportunity to see how new laws get carried out and how many times, lawyers need to learn on the fly to best help their clients. It was also humbling to be able to package my research into proposals that LCA was able to offer to the Illinois Department of Employment Services on how to implement this policy for Illinois artists. Everyone on staff has been warm, welcoming, and patient as I learn the ropes with my first legal job. I wish COVID wasn’t around so I could meet everyone in person, though I did love running into Chris by happenstance at a restaurant!
What has it been like to work with LCA clients?
Having worked with many artists and arts organizations in the past, I knew how to communicate with clients, but I was also nervous about my limited legal knowledge to address their questions. However, clients have inspired me with their kindness and pleasure just to have someone willing to help and listen to them. Additionally, there’s been so many unique ideas I’ve come across, that I’ve found myself appreciating each client interaction.The opportunities for client interaction have also enhanced my understanding of how to issue-spot, as well as given me much-needed perspective on what is actually important to clients. For many, this is a last resort and resolving a client’s issue is just as much a personal issue as it is a legal issue. It really taught me to listen to a client’s story as it can truly shape the legal analysis.
How has your experience at LCA connected with what you have been learning in law school?
I spent my 1L year in an intellectual property legal writing class where we dissected issues regarding copyrights and trademarks. It was fascinating to see numerous real-life examples firsthand, and even allowed me to answer basic questions from clients during intake, such as can multiple people be authors of a work and what is required to be joint authors.
Did you come into LCA hoping to get experience in a particular area of law? Have your interests changed at all?
I came in hoping to get more experience in copyrights and trademarks. I still have that interest and the work has definitely helped me get more familiar. I’m also interested in learning more employment and labor law after hearing about several clients issues in those fields though.
What’s next for you? Has your time at LCA helped you to narrow your options?
I’m hoping to use my experience at LCA to help me get a job at a law firm going forward, hopefully specializing in transactional work.
Do you hope to volunteer with LCA once you have your degree?
Absolutely! I want to give back to the arts community any way that I can. I went to law school to help the Chicago art community so LCA was top of my list for places I wanted to work. I’m so honored to be able to provide some assistance to an organization with a mission so near and dear to my heart.
What value does an organization like LCA add to the arts community?
In my own experiences, people in the arts do not always understand how the law functions. By providing an affordable outlet to help these individuals and organizations, LCA enables artists to focus on their craft without needing to spend time brushing up on the intricacies of copyright law. It would be one thing if LCA just focused on providing legal services to clients. However, LCA goes beyond that by actively educating creative individuals on how the law impacts their art, including issues they are likely to come across. This is an invaluable resource because this gives artists the tools they need for success to be proactive instead of reactive to their legal needs. This allows them the agency to take their careers to the next level.
What's a fun fact about you?
I love to hike and right before the pandemic blew up, I was able to go on a trip to New Zealand to fulfill my dream of hiking the places where Lord of the Rings was filmed. In fact, I was on the last flight in to New Zealand before they made everyone quarantine upon arrival. I lucked out and was able to visit that insanely gorgeous country and even complete my 16 mile hike through Mount Doom!
Which tv-show/movie/song/book have you recently finished that you would recommend?
Promising Young Woman. It was a dark but incredible story about a woman coming to terms with being a sexual assault survivor. The acting, cinematography, and writing was stellar in telling such a heartbreaking, but needed story.
Thank you Andy 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.