Education > For Clients > VLA Workshops
VLA offers substantive legal and business classes and over a dozen additional outreach events for the arts community and nonprofit arts and cultural organizations throughout the year. VLA’s legal and business presentations included topics as diverse as immigration, estate planning, nonprofit incorporation and tax exemption, contracts, copyright and special genre-specific classes for visual artists, filmmakers and video artists, web designers, musicians and dancers, among others. VLA classes are often an artist’s first exposure to VLA, and play an important role in helping artists and arts organizations identify the important legal and business issues they face, and in teaching them how to protect themselves and their artistic endeavors.
Registration: To register for a VLA class please return the appropriate Registration Form to Joni Todd at Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. You may either return the form by mail or fax it to . No registration will be complete without accompanying payment.
Current Class Offerings
Other Programs from VLA |
CLE |
|---|---|
| Law School for Visual Artists | NO |
| Art & Law Residency Program | NO |
| Fashion Law for Lawyers | YES |
Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exemption Workshop
When:
Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 2 - 5:30 pm*
Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 2 - 5:30 pm
Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 2 - 5:30 pm*
Wednesday, April 11, 2012, 2 -5:30 pm
Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 2 - 5:30 pm*
Wednesday, June 13, 2012, 2 - 5:30 pm
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
*3.0 CLE credits: 2 Professional Practice and 1 Skills (Approved for Non-Transitional and Transitional Attorneys)
This workshop provides valuable information about starting a nonprofit organization. State issues to be covered include articles of incorporation, bylaws, and the first organization meeting. Federal issues include the Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) and corresponding regulations, application for employer identification number, IRS disclosure rules, unrelated business taxable income, charitable contributions, and restrictions on lobbying. This workshop will also touch on the legal and ethical duties for board members; donor requirements; the new Form 990; intellectual property issues specific to nonprofit tax-exempt organizations; insurance; and employment issues. The Fiscal Sponsorship model will be addressed as an alternative to forming a non-profit organization.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Sergio's instruction calls to mind a line from The Hagakure: "A man who has mastered an art reveals it in his every action."
"I really appreciated the seminar—it fleshed out a lot of the general information I had. The information was presented in a straight-forward and easy to understand way.
"This was extremely informative. It very much helped us decide non-profit vs. for-profit. Thank you."
"This class was informational and great in aiding in my assessment of my approach to operating an Non-profit organization."
"Sergio was fantastic!"
"The workshop exceeded my expectations...it was informative and enjoyable. Sergio gave lots of concrete examples while also keeping the whole group engaded. I laughed. I cried. I feel confident to move forward!"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$75 Full-Time Student (must bring valid student I.D. to class)
$100 Arts Professional VLA Member
$150 Arts Professional non-member
$200 Legal Professional VLA Member
$250 Legal Professional non-member
(Additional individuals from the same start-up organization may register for an additional $50 each)
VLA requires all applicants seeking Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exempt Status services through VLA to attend one of these workshops before a volunteer attorney can be assigned to them.
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org.
This program is funded in part by The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation Nonprofit Assistance Program.
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Forming Your For-Profit Arts Business
When:
Thursday, December 1, 2011, 4-6pm
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 4-6pm
Thursday, April 12, 2012, 4-6pm
Thursday, June 7, 2012, 4-6pm
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
This workshop provides valuable information about starting an arts-related business. Covered issues also include: For vs. Non-Profit incorporation, fiscal sponsorship, selecting and protecting business names; the legal and tax characteristics of LLCs an publication requirements, partnerships, and type C and S corporations; choice of jurisdiction; financing your business; employees and independent contracts; and insurance.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Excellent - it was a great talk and now am moving forward on setting up the company. WIll be in contact with VLA again soon. Best wishes"
"Thank you for a great two hours yesterday afternoon. I learned a lot, and you covered the material in a very entertaining way."
"Excellent teaching style!"
"Elena made the information tangible and engaging!"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$75 Arts Professional VLA Member
$100 Arts Professional non-member
$125 Legal Professional VLA Member
$175 Legal Professional non-member
This class will be taught by VLA's Executive Director, Elena M. Paul, Esq.
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
Fiscal Sponsorships An Alternative to Forming an Arts Nonprofit*
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 6-8pm
Where: VLA Auditorium, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022
* 2.0 CLE Credit Available, Professional Practice (Traditional Format)
Many independent artists, as well as small and new arts organizations, require public donations and contributions to carry out certain artistic projects. Without the requisite 501(c)(3) status, these artists and organizations face difficulties in raising funds from philanthropic individuals, charitable foundations, and government institutions. Fortunately, Fiscal Sponsorships exist which enable individual artists, as well as small and new arts organizations, to raise grants and tax-deductible contributions for their projects. Because Fiscal Sponsorships are regulated by the IRS, there are some complicated legal issues involved. Failure to comply with IRS regulations can create legal complications for the artist and/or organization. Additionally, a Fiscal Sponsorship creates an arrangement between artist and sponsor, thus calling for a written agreement where issues of liability and intellectual property will be clearly manifested.
This VLA workshop is open to artists, arts administrators, and attorneys, and will cover the legal issues raised by a Fiscal Sponsorship, as well as a brief overview of nonprofit entities.
Registration fees:
$15 Artist VLA member
$20 Artists non-member
$75 Legal Professional VLA member
$100 Legal Professional non-member
Free for YAM’s (Young Associate Members) and All You Can Learn Pass
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
VLA is proud to present a new class in 2012:
Navigating the NY Small Claims Court System
When: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 6 -8pm
Where: VLA Auditorium, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022
Many disputes involve monetary disputes of less than $5,000, and thus may not warrant the cost of retaining an attorney. This workshop will discuss how artists can resolve these claims without the use of an attorney. Issues covered will include: what sort of claims can be heard in the New York Small Claims Court System, how to start an action, what proof is required by courts, how to obtain a judgment, and what to do with the judgment after you won. The workshop will also cover; how to defend a small claims action, vacating a default judgment entered against you, motion practice, the option to arbitrate and ways to protect yourself by memorializing your agreement in writing.
This class will be taught by VLA's Associate Director, Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq. and Katerina I. Duarte, Esq., Attorney at Lynch Rowin LLP
Fees (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class):
$20 Artist VLA Member
$30 Artist VLA non-member
$75 Legal Professional VLA Member
$100 Legal Professional VLA non-member
$50 VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members
$20 All You Can Learn Pass
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
Legal Issues in Contemporary Art: Copyright
When:
Dates TBA
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
*2.5 CLE credits: 1.5 Professional Practice and 1 Skills (Approved for Non-Transitional and Transitional Attorneys)
With the recent increase in copyright issues and lawsuits, visual and performing artists need to be aware of copyright laws and the legal issues that may affect their practice and the presentation of their art work. This class will focus on copyright law, with a primer on some of the more pressing legal concerns for artists today, such as the distinction between ideas and expression, the use of appropriated images and text, as well as fair use. The class will refer to legal cases in order to illustrate key concepts.
This VLA workshop is open to artists, arts administrators, and serves as an introduction to copyright law for admitted attorneys.
This class will be taught by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento, Esq., VLA's Associate Director.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Very informative, interesting and fun!"
"Mr. Sarmiento provided good amount of law education with a good mix of practical copyright issues through actual cases. I liked his Q & A session!"
"Good storytelling and audience engagement. DYNAMITE!"
"Very creative and engaging presentation of important issues in copyright."
"Very well taught class with extremely useful information."
"Thank you Sergio. This was a great introduction to VLA. You made the subject very interesting even after a very long day."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$15 Artist VLA member
$25 Artist non-member
$75 Legal Professional VLA member
$100 Legal Professional non-member
$50 VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members
*Free for All You Can Learn Pass
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org.
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Legal Issues in Film
When:
Thursday, February 16, 2012, 4 - 6:30pm
Thursday, June 14, 2012, 4 - 6:30pm
Thursday, October 11, 2012, 4 - 6:30pm
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
*2.5 CLE credits: 1 Professional Practice, 1 Skills and .5 Ethics (Approved for Non-Transitional and Transitional Attorneys)
This class will provide an overview of the legal issues and common business arrangements used in film and television projects. In addition, option agreements for the acquisition of literary properties, distribution agreements, and a comprehensive release for reality based television programs will be discussed. We will also take a look at legal issues surrounding recent films such as Borat. Reading materials for the class will be emailed one week prior to the class.
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$20 Full Time Student (must present proof of full-time status with registration)
$25 Arts Professional VLA Member
$35 Arts Professional non-member
$130 VLA Legal Professional VLA Member
$200 Legal Professional non-member
To register, please complete and fax this registration form.
All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org.
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Legal Issues in Choreography and Dance
When:
Thursday, April 19, 2012, 4 – 6pm
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
This class will provide an overview of the legal issues that affect non-profit and for-profit dance companies, individual creators, choreographers, and performers, such as dancers. Topics discussed include: business entity formation, intellectual property protection, rights of publicity, licensing, and labor and employment.
This class will be taught by Elena M. Paul, Esq., VLA’s Executive Director.
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$20 Full Time Student (must bring valid student ID to class)
$25 Arts Professional VLA Member
$35 Arts Professional non-member
$100 VLA Legal Professional VLA Member
$150 Legal Professional non-member
$50 VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts & Friends of the FCI Presents: Starting Your Culinary Business
When:
Tuesday February 7, 2012, 4:30 - 7pm
T uesday June 12, 2012, 4:30 - 7pm
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
This workshop provides valuable information about starting a culinary business, including restaurants, bakeries, bars, and catering companies. This class will cover important issues that every start up business person needs to know including: the selection of a business entity, incorporation; financing, branding, licensing (including liquor licenses, cabaret permits, out door seating permits), taxes and regulatory compliance. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the French Culinary Institute (FCI).
The Friends of the FCI is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable corporation that raises money for scholarships and financial aid to FCI career students based on financial need and ability to complete the program they desire. The organization was founded based on the belief that money should not stand between talented, motivated, deserving students and a first-rate culinary education.
Registration Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$25 Current FCI Student
$50 FCI Alumni
$100 Other Culinary Professionals
$75 VLA Members & All You Can Learn Pass
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Elena M. Paul, Esq., at 212.319.2787 x17. Class registration is being handled by Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA).
Just announced, new this year:
VLA’s Entertainment & Arts Career Counseling Clinic, Resume Review, and Networking Reception
When:
Dates TBA
Where:
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Join us at Paul Weiss for the unique opportunity to meet one-on-one with experts in the arts and entertainment industry to talk about your interests and goals. These one-on-one meetings include the opportunity to have your resume reviewed. A networking reception for all participants will be held after the clinic.
Based on your area of practice or interest, we will pair you with an expert in that field. Arts and entertainment fields include: Visual arts, performance, theater, dance, music, film, literature, fashion, and sports. Meetings will be 20 minutes long and you will be assigned a meeting time.
For a list of participants and their bios, please see below.
Fees (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class):
$50 for Law Students
$75 for VLA members
$100 for non-members
$50 VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members and All You Can Learn Pass Holders
To register, please complete this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please contact Benjamin J. Brandow, Esq., at 212.319.2787 x14.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Participants:
Judy Bass
Attorney
Law Offices of Judith B. Bass
Judy Bass is an attorney whose practice is dedicated to addressing the needs of clients in the creative community throughout the United States. She concentrates on intellectual property matters and on rights licensing for a variety of companies and individuals in the media and entertainment industries. She has a special focus on emerging artists as well as seasoned professionals looking for both knowledgeable representation and business savvy.
Judy works with production companies, independent producers, directors and others in structuring, negotiating and drafting a wide range of development, production, distribution, sales, syndication, and licensing deals on a domestic and international basis. Her expertise includes all forms of television, documentary and other film projects, video and DVD licensing, theater, and music. Unfortunately she does not shop music deals.
Judy also serves magazine and book publishers and writers and other members of the literary community in negotiating authors' agreements, subsidiary rights deals, options and other co-publishing arrangements and the like. She represents photographers and artists as well. She has extensive experience vetting manuscripts and other literary works pre-publication and in advising on copyright questions.
Judy handles many kinds of licensing and merchandising deals including books, calendars, video games, computer software, clothing, toys, dolls and soundtrack licenses. She also assists with advertising and promotional matters.
As a solo practitioner with both big firm and in-house experience in premier media and entertainment companies, Judy provides timely, practical and cost-effective services and advice to all her clients. An article about her practice entitled "Adding a Personal Touch for Less: Media Dealmaker Thrives Outside the Corporate World" appeared in the February 26, 2007 issue of Crain's New York Business.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Raymond J. Dowd
Partner
Dunnington, Bartholow & Miller LLP
Raymond J. Dowd is a member of DBM's corporate, intellectual property, litigation and arbitration and art law practice groups. He has broad commercial litigation experience in both federal and state trial and appellate courts, representing both plaintiffs and defendants in copyright, trademark, domain name owners and content providers in litigation and arbitration. Representations include conducting bench and jury trials, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings, emergency applications for injunctive relief, quashing subpoenas, obtaining, enforcing, and collecting judgments. Trust and estates matters include contested probate proceedings through trial, disputes involving heirship and decedents' estates. International litigation includes conducting depositions in Canada, France and Switzerland, pursuing discovery through letters rogatory, obtaining service of process in foreign countries, obtaining and challenging foreign expert and legal opinions including cross-examination at trial.
Corporate counseling includes corporate and transactional work for entrepreneurial companies including international licensing. Counseling art owners and dealers includes transactional representation, UCC filings, tracking and recovering stolen art, handling disputes involving provenance, authenticity and theft. Trademark counseling includes registration, policing and enforcing rights of trademark owners and users. Counseling political candidates includes election day onsite monitoring, poll access challenges, signature challenges, and matters involving election law and political campaigns.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Trey Hatch
Senior Counsel
Home Box Office, Inc.
Trey Hatch is currently Senior Counsel at Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO). His work at HBO primarily involves the domestic and international licensing of HBO's original programming to television broadcasters and other distributors. Trey also serves as a production attorney for numerous HBO documentaries and other HBO original programming.
Before working at HBO, Trey was an associate in the Technology Transactions Group at Morrison & Foerster in New York, where he worked on numerous licensing deals and other intellectual property transactions in areas such as technology licensing, e-commerce, software development, music, video games, mobile technology and cable television. Trey also worked for one year as a staff attorney at Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) non-profit legal service provider that serves low-income artists and non-profit arts organizations throughout the New York metropolitan region.
Trey graduated from the University of Washington in 1993 with a degree in Russian Language and Literature, and from Columbia Law School in 2001, where he focused on arts, entertainment, intellectual property and technology, and was Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia-VLA Journal of Law and Arts. Prior to law school, Trey worked as a music journalist for The Stranger in Seattle, among other online and print publications, and also spent 2 years living and working in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and other former USSR republics as a journalist and an educational exchange program director.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Matthew T. Kaplan, Esq.
Music and Entertainment Law Attorney
Matthew Kaplan has been independently practicing entertainment law since 1990. During the past twenty years, Mr. Kaplan has focused much of his attention on the indie artists and labels of the world, making sure that they are not taken advantage of by “the Man.”
Artist clients have included: Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes/Monsters Of Folk, Ratatat, Avi Buffalo, Titus Andronicus, Real Estate, Deer Tick, Middle Brother, Vaselines, Autolux, Oh No Oh My, Dresden Dolls, Ted Leo and Simian Mobile Disco. Label clients have included: Barsuk, Secretly Canadian/ Jagjaguwar/Dead Oceans, Carpark/Paw Tracks/Acute, Jade Tree, Polyvinyl, Team Love, Dovecote and Bar/None.
In addition to the foregoing, Mr. Kaplan has also done a smattering of book publishing, film related activities and even did a deal for a model who graced many top fashion magazines.
Prior to passing the bar, Mr. Kaplan clerked for the Honorable Anthony J. Scuito, in the Superior Court of New Jersey (Judge Sciuto actually drummed on a No. 1 single back in 1961, “The Peppermint Twist” by Joey Dee & The Starlighters). While in law school, Mr. Kaplan was the summer clerk for Honorable Andrew Napolitano, in the Superior Court of New Jersey, who is now a political and legal analyst for Fox News Channel.
Additionally, during his second and third years of law school, Mr. Kaplan, did much of the research for second edition of Leonard D. DuBoff’s “Deskbook of Art Law” (Oxford University Press). On the non-legal side Mr. Kaplan studied music at Eastman School Of Music in Rochester, New York and Manhattan School of Music Preparatory Division, New York City.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Barbara Kolsun, Esq.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
Stuart Weitzman, LLC
Barbara Kolsun, Esq., is Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Stuart Weitzman, LLC, a luxury shoe design, manufacturing and retail company based in New York. She started the company's first in-house legal department and manages all legal matters for the company, including intellectual property. Prior to Stuart Weitzman, Ms. Kolsun served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Seven For All Mankind, LLC, a leading denim and apparel company, and of Kate Spade, LLC, the upscale handbag and lifestyle design house. She was Assistant General Counsel of WestPoint Stevens, Inc., the home textile company, and of Calvin Klein Jeanswear Co. Prior to her time working in-house, Barbara practiced litigation for 12 years at various New York law firms, representing numerous intellectual property owners throughout the United States. She also clerked for the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. Ms. Kolsun conceived, co-edited, and co-authored the recently published Fashion Law: A Guide for Designers, Fashion Executives, and Attorneys (Fairchild Books), the first textbook on Fashion Law. Ms. Kolsun has devoted significant time and effort to the cause of enforcement of intellectual property, serving as Chairman of the Board of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC). She has also spoken and published widely on the topic of counterfeiting and trademark infringement in the United States, Asia, and Europe, and has been herself the subject of stories in numerous publications (ranging from The New York Times to Women's Wear Daily) due to her pioneering work in the anticounterfeiting field.
Ms. Kolsun rounds out a practice-based legal career with teaching and lecturing at law schools around the country, including the University of Chicago Law School. She is an adjunct professor in Fashion Law at Cardozo Law School and taught at Fordham Law School in the Fashion Law Institute. In 2002 and 2004, Ms. Kolsun taught intellectual property in Vietnam as part of STAR-Vietnam, a USAID program. She received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1982 and her undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1971. Her experience as a professional singer and actress (1970-1979) continues to motivate her fierce efforts to protect artists' and designers' intellectual property rights.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Understanding the Intellectual Property License: Fashion, Arts, Entertainment & Sports
When:
Dates TBA for Fall 2011
Where:
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP. One Battery Park Plaza, New York, NY 10004.
*6.0 CLE credits: 3 Professional Practice and 3 Skills (Approved for Non-Transitional and Transitional Attorneys; Newly admitted attorneys qualify)
VLA is pleased to announce a new course about the legal and business aspects of licensing intellectual property in fashion, arts, entertainment and sports. Licensing offers valuable economic and strategic opportunities. Virtually every creator as well as arts and cultural organization today is faced with licensing opportunities both as the owner (licensor) and potential licensee of intellectual property. Understanding licensing has never been more important for these individuals, organizations and their counsel. This workshop will give an overview of, and tips for, negotiating and drafting effective license agreements to address the common concerns and meet the goals of both licensors and licensees. Various issues arising out of contractual arrangements will be addressed from the perspective of both parties. Our panels will be structured around the types of assets being licensed (trademarks, copyrights, etc) and will focus on the type of clients/ arts businesses who typically license these assets.
Licensing Panels:
Trademark: Focus on Fashion and Cultural/Arts Organizations
Copyright: Focus on Music, Film and Visual Arts
Personal & Product Endorsements: Focus on Actors, Athletes and Models
Q&A - Negotiating Strategies, Current Trends and Seminal Cases
Panelists:
Michael Colosi, Esq.
General Counsel of Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc.
Ali Grace, Esq.
Associate Director, Business and Legal Affairs, Wilhelmina International, Ltd.
Matthew T. Kaplan, Esq.
Music and Entertainment Law Attorney
Barbara Kolsun, Esq.
General Counsel of Stuart Weitzman, LLC
Andy Lee, Esq.
Principal of ALL Counsel & Consulting
Former General Counsel, New York Jets
Jason Nardiello, Esq.
Associate at Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell, LLP
Elena M. Paul, Esq.
Executive Director of VLA
Joseph D. Penachio, Esq.
Grubman Indursky & Shire, P.C.
Eric Shaw
Vice President, Music Resources, EMI Music Publishing
Doreen Small, Esq.
Former General Counsel of Ford Models, Inc.
Roman Young
Director of Scouting & Development at Wilhelmina International, Ltd.
And others...
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
Artists, Arts Organization Representatives, and Full-time Students
$150 Artists and Arts Organizations
$75 Full-time Students
Lawyers
$ 399 Attorneys
*6.0 CLE Credits Available (3 Professional Practice, 3 Skills) Transitional and non-transitional credits (newly admitted attorneys qualify).
**All You Can Learn Pass Holders
$35 Full-time Students
$125 Artists and Arts Organizations
$299 Attorneys
Note: You must register before 2pm on May 25, 2011 to attend this event. No late registrations accepted.
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please contact Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10
CLE Financial Hardship Policy: Full and partial scholarships to attend VLA's Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs are available to attorneys with demonstrated financial hardship. For more information on our policy and requirements, please view http://www.vlany.org/education/financialaid.php, or call Ben Brandow at 212.319.2787 x14
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Fashion Law for Lawyers:
Reading, Writing and Representation
“The course provides in-depth consideration of the legal issues and common business arrangements found in the fashion industry.”
*16 CLE credits: 9 Professional Practice, 6.5 Skills and 0.5 Ethics (Approved for Non-Transitional and Transitional Attorneys)
When:
Dates TBA
Where:
All classes will be held at Davis & Gilbert LLP, 1740 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 Map it! (* except as otherwise noted)
This program is an eight-part series specifically designed for attorneys interested in fashion law and representing designers of apparel, accessories and other fashion items. The course will provide an in-depth consideration of the legal issues and common business arrangements found in the fashion industry, as well as offer writing opportunities that will be critically analyzed by the program faculty. Topics will include: legal entities and business formation; intellectual property; labor and employment; licensing; advertising and business relationships with various suppliers and vendors. Finally, enrollees will have the opportunity to participate in the counseling and representation of fashion and design artists at VLA’s Pop-Up Clinics. This series will be taught by Barbara Kolsun, General Counsel at Stuart Weitzman LLC and the co-author of Fashion Law: A Guide for Designers, Fashion Executives, and Attorneys, and Elena M. Paul, Esq., VLA’s Executive Director.
Visit Fashion Law for Lawyers website here: http://vlany.org/fashion_law.html
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
$1,500: VLA Attorney Members, YAM Members, All-You-Can-Learn Pass Holders
$1,750: Non-Member Attorneys and LLM candidates
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. To view our cancellation/refund policy, please click here. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Counseling the Fashion & Film Client
When:
Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 4 - 6pm*
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
*2 CLE credits: 2 Professional Practice (This program is “transitional,” thus newly admitted attorneys are also qualified to receive CLE)
This workshop addresses the common issues and many differences between film and fashion from the perspective of those seeking to represent and counsel artists in those fields. Artist working in those fields may also benefit from the class as it will provide an overview of the legal and business issues. Topics will include considerations in business organization and financing, and the creation, distribution and protection of business assets; industry-specific issues related to intellectual property; and common contracts for filmmakers/producers and artists working in fashion, apparel and design, modeling, photography and jewelry.
..............................................................................................................................................................
This workshop includes a private tour of the exhibition Joaquin Sorolla and the Glory of Spanish Dress at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute. The tour will take place at noon on Friday, January 20, 2012, only for attendees registered for this workshop. More details below.
..............................................................................................................................................................
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
Individuals/Orgs:
$20 for VLA members
$45 for non-members
Attorneys:
$100 for VLA members
$150 for nonmembers
VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
The Queen Sofia Spanish Institute is located at:
648 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10065
Map it!
Tour will begin at noon sharp on Friday, December 20, 2012. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to this time. If you have any questions about the tour, please contact Diana Siozios at 212.319.2787 ext. 16 or at dsiozios@vlany.org.
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
Legal Issues in the Fashion Workplace
Employment Law and related Intellectual Property Issues for Individual Designers and Arts and Fashion Business Owners and Managers.
When:
Dates TBA
Where:
VLA, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022 (Auditorium)
*2 CLE credits: 1 Professional Practice, 0.5 Skills, and 0.5 Ethics (This program is “transitional,” thus newly admitted attorneys are also qualified to receive CLE)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Gary Glaser is an excellent speaker. He is clear, concise, interesting, knowledgeable and fields questions well!"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
This program provides an overview of the laws that govern the relationships between individual artists and designers as employees and independent contractors in the fashion industry and fashion design businesses in their roles as employers. Topics include the employee/independent contractor distinction, employment contracts, intellectual property issues, non-compete agreements, and more! The program will also provide an overview of the intellectual property and other assets that are typically at the heart of these businesses, with a focus on the common employment-related issues that arise in their creation and distribution.
Presenters: Gary H. Glaser, Esq. and Elena M. Paul, Esq.
Fees: (there is a late registration fee of $10 if you register the day of the class)
Individuals/Orgs:
$35 for VLA members
$50 for non-members
Attorneys:
$125 for VLA members
$175 for non-members
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
VLA's Legal & Business Bootcamp for Arts Professionals™
When:
Friday, February 24, 2012, 9am - 4:30pm
Where:
Herrick, Feinstein LLP, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016
* 8.0 CLE Credits Available, Professional Practice (Transitional: 4 Professional, 2 Skills, 2 Ethics)
VLA is pleased to announce this intensive program, a modified version of VLA's Legal & Business Bootcamp for Arts Professionals, our signature educational program. This Bootcamp will cover the legal and business issues that affect individual artists and professionals within arts and cultural organizations.
Sessions will include:
· Intellectual Property
· Contract Essentials and Negotiation Skills
· For-Profit, Non-Profit, Fiscal Sponsorship Models
· Considerations for Documentary and Fact-Based Projects
Who Should Attend:
This course is for artists of all disciplines, including visual artists, performance artists, writers, fashion designers, filmmakers, musicians, web designers, and anyone working in interactive media. Cultural organizations, recently admitted attorneys, and other professionals who represent artists should also benefit from this program.
Co-sponsored by: Arts Council of Rockland; Dance Film Association; Dance NYC, A Branch of Dance/USA; Fractured Atlas; Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance.
More info or download registration form
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts presents:
Stress and the Individual Litigant: Managing the Practical and Emotional Aspects of Litigation and Exploring Alternatives
When: Dates TBA
Where: Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, 450 Lexington Ave (at 45th Street), New York, NY 10017
*2 CLE Credits: 1 Skills, 0.5 Ethics and 0.5 Areas of Professional Practice. (This program is transitional, thus newly admitted attorneys are also qualified to receive CLE.)
Being a party to a lawsuit, whether as plaintiff or defendant, is intellectually challenging and emotionally difficult. Lawsuits are distracting, draining and expensive. They can distort the personal lives of litigants, damage relationships and reputations, and interfere with plans for the future. Worrying about all these matters can be very stressful. In addition, legal language can be unfamiliar and intimidating to people who are not used to the legal system, and the workings of the courts are often slow, convoluted and opaque – and often unfair.
The panelists, each of whom has experience as a practicing artist or arts administrator, will discuss the practical and psychological aspects of being an individual or small business litigant and will provide tools to help make it through the process intact. The panel will touch on alternative dispute resolution methods and resources as well providing an overview of issues and concerns that can commonly lead to disputes and conflicts in the arts and entertainment field.
Moderator:
Benjamin J. Brandow, Esq.
Assistant Director of Legal Services
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Panelists:
Elena M. Paul, Esq.
Executive Director, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Jeffrey M. Dine, Esq.
Litigation Attorney, Seward & Kissel LLP
Laurie R. Kuslansky, Ph.D.
Senior Jury Consultant, TrialGraphix
Peter H. Woodin, Esq.
Mediator and Arbitrator, JAMS
Fees (there is an additional late fee of $10 if you register the day of the class):
$100 for VLA Members
$150 for non-members
$20 for Artists & Full-Time Students (with valid student ID)
$50 VLA YAM’s Young Associate Members and All You Can Learn Pass Holders
To register, please complete and fax this registration form. All registration fees are non-refundable. Please note you are not registered until full payment is received. For more information, please call Joni Todd at 212.319.2787 x10, or e-mail her at jtodd@vlany.org
To apply for a full or partial CLE scholarship, please view our Financial Aid Policy Guidelines here
List of Courses Taught (note: not all courses are taught on a frequent basis)
- Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax-exempt Status
- Contract Basics for Arts and Entertainment Professionals
- LLC, “C” Corp, or “S” Corp: Choosing the Right Corporate Structure For Your Arts Business
- Managers in the Arts & Entertainment Industry
- Film School for Attorneys: Produce, Write & Direct Independent Feature Films
- Legal Issues in the Music Industry
- Intellectual Property (copyright, trademark, patents)
- Contracts (music, performance, literary, visual art)
- Legal Issues in Dance (including ownership of choreography)
- Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA)
- Digital Media and Intellectual Property
- Landlord Tenant Issues Affecting Visual Artists
- Differentiating Employee and Independent Contractor Status
- Taxes and Financial Planning for Artists
- Legal Issues in Filmmaking
- First Amendment: Free Speech, Defamation, Privacy, Right of Publicity
- Institutional Advancement and Grant-Writing for Nonprofit Arts Organizations
- Visual Culture and Law
- Law and Film