RESOURCES LIST

Intellectual Property
Copyright
Trademark
Contracts
Entity Formation
For Profit
Nonprofit
By State

Intellectual Property

"Intellectual property is the oil of the 21st century. Look at the richest men a hundred years ago; they all made their money extracting natural resources or moving them around. All today's richest men have made their money out of intellectual property."—Mark Getty

“It is estimated that by 2007, as much as 90% of the value of the world's top 2000 enterprises will consist of intellectual property"—PriceWaterhouse Coopers, 2003

back to top

Copyrights

Online Sources:

• Cornell University: Legal Information Institute:
  http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/copyright
  
• Creative Commons:
  http://creativecommons.org/
  
• Harvard Law School: Recording Artists Project:
  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rap/copyright
  
• Indiana and Purdue Universities: Copyright Management Center:
  http://www.iupui.edu/~webtrain/web_samples/cmc.html
  
• Stanford University Libraries: Copyright and Fair Use:
  http://fairuse.stanford.edu/
• The Copyright Crash Course:
  http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/cprtindx.htm
  
• U.S. Copyright Office (The Library of Congress):
  http://www.copyright.gov/
  
• World Intellectual Property Organization:
  http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.en
  

Books:

• The Copyright Handbook, by Stephen Fishman (Nolo Press)
• The Copyright Guide, by Lee Wilson (Allworth Press)
• Electronic Highway Robbery, Mary E. Carter (Peachpit Press)
• Licensing Art & Design, by Caryn R. Leland (Allworth Press): includes information on patents and trademarks.
• The Writers Legal Guide, by Tad Crawford and Tony Lyons (Allworth Press)

back to top

Trademarks

Online Sources:

• Bitlaw
  http://www.bitlaw.com/trademark/
  
• Cornell University: Legal Information Institute
  http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/Trademark
  
• Harvard University: Trademark Law Overview
  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/metaschool/fisher/domain/tm.htm
  
• International Trademark Association
  http://www.inta.org/
  
• U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  http://www.uspto.gov/
  
• WHOIS Search Databases
  Can be accessed through various web sites, including those for Network Solutions and Tucows. They allow users to search to see if certain domain names are available or already registered, and, if the latter, to whom they are registered.
  
• World Intellectual Property Organization: Domain Name Dispute Resolution
  http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/index.html
  

Books:

• The Trademark guide, by Lee Wilson
• Trademark: Legal Care for Your Business & Product Name, by Stephen Elias (NOLO)

back to top

Contracts

Online Sources:

• Allbusiness.com:
  http://www.allbusiness.com/
  
• Authors Guild:
  http://www.authorsguild.org/?p=100
  
• California Contract Law:
  http://www.west.net/~smith/contracts.htm
• Cornell University Law School: Legal Information Institute:
  http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/contract
  
• Dance NYC (Contracts for dancers and managers):
  http://www.dancenyc.org/dancers.asp?file=contract
  
• FreeAdvice.com:
  http://law.freeadvice.com/general_practice/contract_law/
  
• Graphic Artists Guild: Contract Monitor:
  http://www.graphicartistsguild.org/resources/contract-monitor/
  
• Harvard Law: Recording Artists Project:
  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rap/contract
  
• New York Foundation for the Arts Interactive, Spring 2000 Quarterly:
  http://www.nyfa.org/archive_detail_q.asp?type=6&qid=68&fid=6&year=2000&s=Spring
  

Books:

• Business and Legal Forms for Authors & Self-Publishers, by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press): Contains 17 read-to-use-and-adapt forms.
• Business and Legal Forms for Fine Artists, by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press): Contains 17 ready-to-use-and-adapt forms (also available for photography, crafts, illustrators, and graphic designers)
• Contracts for the Film and Television Industry, by Mark Litwak (Silman-James Press)
• Legal Guide for the Visual Artist, by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press)

back to top

Entity Formation

back to top

For Profit

Online Sources:

• BizFilings
  BizFilings is the Internet leader in providing incorporation and related services to business owners, having helped over 100,000 small business owners and entrepreneurs with their formation needs. VLA clients receive discounts ranging from $25-$75 off when they form a corporation, LLC or nonprofit in any state using BizFilings.
  
  www.bizfilings.com/vla
• Business.gov
  http://www.business.gov/
  
• CA: Central California Small Business Development Center
  http://www.ccsbdc.org/
  
• DE: Delaware Small Business Development Center Network
  http://www.delawaresbdc.org/
  
• DE: Delaware Small Business Resource Partnership Directory
  http://www.delawaresbdc.org/
  
• Free Management Library
  http://www.managementhelp.org/
  
• National Women’s Business Council
  http://www.nwbc.gov/
  
• NY City Department of Small Business Services
  http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/html/home/home.shtml
  
• NY: I Love NY Online
  http://www.nylovessmallbiz.com/
  
• NY: Incorporation Information
  New York Department of State
  Division of State, Division of Corporations
  41 State Street
  Albany, NY 12231
  (518) 473-2492
  Website: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/
  E-mail address: corporations@dos.state.ny.us
  http://www.dos.state.ny.us/cnsl/busents.html
  http://www.dos.state.ny.us/corp/faq.html#llc
  
• NY: Liability Insurance
  
  New York State Insurance Department Hotline
  800 – 342-3736
  160 Broadway
  New York, NY 10013
  
  DeWitt Stern, Group, Inc.
  212 – 867-3550
  420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2720
  New York, NY 10170
  
  Rollins Hudig Hall of NY
  212 – 441-1000
  2 World Trade Center, Floors 101-106
  New York, NY 10048
  
  Willis Corrron of New York
  (212) 344-888
  7 Hanover Square, 11th Floor
  New York, NY 10004
  
  Walterry Insurance Brokers
  800-638-8791
  7411 Old Branch Avenue
  P.O. Box 128
  Clinton, MD 20735
  
• NY: New York Business Development Center
  http://www.nyssbdc.org/
  
• NY: NYS Small Business Development Center (State University of New York)
  http://www.nyssbdc.org/
  
• NYC Small Business Resource Center
  http://legacy.www.nypl.org/research/sibl/smallbiz/sbrc/Pages/index.cfm
  
• SC: Small Business Development Center
  http://scsbdc.moore.sc.edu/
  
• SC: South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce
  http://www.scsbc.org/
  
• SC: Winthrop University, Small Business Development Center
  http://www.winthropregionalsbdc.org/
  
• Small, Minority & Women-Owned Business:
  http://www.proposalwriter.com/small.html
• U.S. Internal Revenue Service
  http://www.irs.gov/
  
• U.S. Small Business Administration
  http://www.sba.gov/
  
• Washington, D.C: DC Business Online.com
  http://www.dcpages.com/DC_Business_Online/
  
• Washington, D.C.: Small Business Development Center
  http://www.dcsbdc.com/
  
• Washington, DC: Business Resource Center
  http://brc.dc.gov/index.asp
  

Books:

• Legal Guide for Starting & Running a Small Business, by Fred Steingold (NOLO)
• Whoops! I’m in Business: A Crash Course in Business Basics, by Richard Stim and Lisa Guerin (NOLO Press)
• How to Form Your Own NY Corporation (NOLO Press)

back to top

Nonprofit

Online Sources:

• CA: California Association of Nonprofits
  http://www.canonprofits.org/
  
• CA: California Management Assistance Program
  http://www.compasspoint.org/askgenie/index.php
  
• DE: Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies
  http://www.delawarenonprofit.org/
  
• FirstGov.Gov
  http://www.usa.gov/Business/Business_Gateway.shtml
  
• Free Management Library
  http://www.managementhelp.org/
  
• Government Resources for Nonprofit Organizations
  http://nonprofit.about.com/od/?once=true&
  
• Idealist.Org
  http://www.idealist.org/if/idealist/en/Home/default
  
• NY: Incorporation Information
  New York Department of State
  Division of State, Division of Corporations
  41 State Street
  Albany, NY 12231
  (518) 473-2492
  www.dos.state.ny.us – website
  corporations@dos.state.ny.us – e-mail address
  Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  http://www.dos.state.ny.us/cnsl/busents.html
  http://www.dos.state.ny.us/corp/faq.html#llc
  
• NY: Liability Insurance
  New York State Insurance Department Hotline
  800 – 342-3736
  160 Broadway
  New York, NY 10013
  
  DeWitt Stern, Group, Inc.
  212 – 867-3550
  420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2720
  New York, NY 10170
  
  Rollins Hudig Hall of NY
  212 – 441-1000
  2 World Trade Center, Floors 101-106
  New York, NY 10048
  
  Willis Corrron of New York
  (212) 344-888
  7 Hanover Square, 11th Floor
  New York, NY 10004
  
  Walterry Insurance Brokers
  800-638-8791
  7411 Old Branch Avenue
  P.O. Box 128
  Clinton, MD 20735
  
• NY: Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York
  http://www.npccny.org/
  
• SC: South Carolina Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  http://www.scanpo.org/
  
• The Nonprofit Times
  http://www.nptimes.com/
  
• TONIC: The Online Nonprofit Information Center
  http://www.socialworker.com/nonprofit/nphome.htm
  
• U.S. Department of Labor: Nonprofit Information Gateway
  http://www.dol.gov/dol/audience/aud-nonprofit.htm
  
• U.S. Internal Revenue Service: Tax Information for Charities & Other Non-Profits
  http://www.irs.gov/charities/
  
• U.S. Small Business Administration (Nonprofit Organizations)
  http://app1.sba.gov/hotlist/BrowseCategories.cfm?category_id=24
  
• Washington, D.C.: Center for Nonprofit Advancement
  http://www.nonprofitadvancement.org/
  

Books:

• The Art of Creating Nonprofit Organizations, by Peter Wolk.
• Arts Boards: Creating a New Community Equation (Published by ARTS Action Issues).
• The Buck Starts Here: Enterprises and the Arts (Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts)
• Getting Organized (A comprehensive handbook including a detailed discussion of New York State not-for-profit law). Published by Lawyers Alliance of New York.
• How to Form a Non-Profit Corporation (NOLO Press).
• This Way Up: Legal & Business Essentials for Nonprofits (Published by VLA).

back to top

Other Resources by State

California

California Department of Corporations
http://www.corp.ca.gov/

California Arts Council
1300 I Street, Suite 930
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 322-6555 / (800) 201-6201
http://www.cac.ca.gov/?id=1

Delaware

Delaware Department of State
http://sos.delaware.gov/

Delaware Division of the Arts
Mezzanine Gallery
Carvel State Office Bldg
820 N. French Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 577-8278
http://www.artsdel.org/default.shtml

Washington, DC

Americans for the Arts
1000 Vermont Ave, NW
6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
202·371·2830
http://ww3.artsusa.org/

New York

Americans for the Arts
One East 53rd Street
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 223-2787
http://www.artsusa.org/

Freelance Taxation
http://www.freelancetaxation.com/

New York Department of State Corporate and Business Filings
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/corp/corpwww.html

New York State Council on the Arts
175 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 627-4455
http://www.nysca.org/

South Carolina

South Carolina Secretary of State
http://www.scsos.com/Business_Filings

South Carolina Arts Commission
1800 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: (803) 734-8696
http://www.southcarolinaarts.com/

back to top

contact us  copyright  privacy policy & terms of use  jobs/internships  feedback  vla home