Dear VLA Friends,
We hope that you concluded 2011 with a fun and regenerative holiday season. VLA closed out the year with a bang: our 2011 Winter Party was attended by over 300 guests who joyously considered the works featured in VLA's Art & Law Residency Exhibition-Notice of Public Hearing. VLA would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Stephen Harmon for contributing his photography to our successful holiday card program.
VLA kicks off 2012 with our MediateArt Training Program, which will be graciously hosted by Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP on January 9-10 from 10AM-6PM. This two-day intensive workshop is a required prerequisite for volunteer mediators in VLA's MediateArt program and provides participants with basic mediation, negotiation, and facilitative leadership skills as well as feedback from experienced mediators.
If your New Year's resolutions include incorporating a non-profit entity, you will find some useful assistance in our Nonprofit Incorporation and Tax Exemption Workshop (eligible for CLE credit) on January 11 from 2-5:30PM. (VLA's 2011 highlights include a comment from a participant in this course-"[VLA Associate Director Sergio Muņoz Sarmiento's] instruction calls to mind a line from The Hagakure: "A man who has mastered an art reveals it in his every action.")
VLA continues its January educational programming with its Counseling the Fashion & Film Client course (eligible for CLE credit), which will be taught by VLA Executive Director Elena M. Paul on January 17 from 4-6PM, and our workshop on Navigating the NY Small Claims Court System, which will be taught by Sergio Muņoz Sarmiento, Esq. and Katerina I. Duarte, Esq. (Lynch Rowin LLP) on January 25 from 6-8PM. If you can't make the Fashion & Film law course on January 17-or if you can, but crave even more fashion law education-please stay tuned for VLA's Fashion Law for Lawyers class to take place in the fall of 2012, as well as further fashion law programming at VLA in the summer and fall. Finally, registration for the next edition of the Law School for Visual Artists is now open-please see below for further information.
Please note that VLA's offices will be closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, January 16, 2012. We will re-open on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.
Best,
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Two great classes this month!
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Counseling the Fashion & Film Client
When: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 4 - 6pm*
Where: VLA Auditorium, 1 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022
The class will include a special tour of the new exhibition at the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, date and time TBA.
*2 CLE credit hours (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.
More info here or download registration form
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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.
More info here or download registration form
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Law School for Visual Artists
Read what past students say about the course.
Classes will take place the following Tuesdays:
March 20
March 27
April 3
April 10
April 17
All classes: 4 - 6:30 pm
VLA Auditorium (1 East 53rd Street, 6th floor, NY)
Please note we now have registration fees for this class.
Registration Guidelines
This class series is open to visual artists only, and includes class materials.
5-Class Registration Fees:
$125 Artists VLA-members
$175 Artists non-members
$100 Students/All You Can Learn Pass (VLA)
The 5-class registration fee includes the following:
* 5-classes (2hrs each; 30 min Q & A)
* One free Legal Clinic Meeting with an attorney
* Class materials
* 50% discount on a one-year VLA Artist Membership (see benefits)
You can also register for a single Tuesday session for $50 each.
To view the complete schedule and topics for each class click here.
Please note: Space is very limited; register now!
To register for this lecture series, please download this registration form and e-mail, fax or mail to:
Luis Nieto Dickens
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
One East 53rd Street, Sixth Floor
New York, NY 10022
lndickens@vlany.org
Fax: 212.752.6575
For any questions please contact Luis Nieto Dickens at lndickens@vlany.org.
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Upcoming Classes & Workshops
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For a list of classes, please view our complete calendar:
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JAN · FEB · MARCH · APRIL
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Donate to VLA
VLA has seen an increase in demand for pro bono legal services, in-house consultations, legal clinics, and educational programming, and we expect 2012 to be even more demanding. Would you like to support more VLA legal services and educational programming? In 2011, your support will make possible:
- More legal services to low-income artists
- More legal services to arts nonprofit organizations
- More educational programming
- More scholarship programs
- More outreach programming
- Maintaining lower fees for legal services and educational programming
- More discounts on legal books for artists
Donations of any size will have a positive impact on our ability to provide vital services for artists and the arts community. $5, $10, $25, or $75 will help. In fact, if you donate more than $100 we will send you a VLA Supporter Box. What's in a VLA Supporter Box? Click here
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Library and Bookstore VLA has a small but in-depth book library containing a wealth of materials and resources for artists, arts organizations, and legal professionals. Our books and materials cover diverse areas such as nonprofits, fiscal sponsorships, visual art, music, theater, dance, writing, film, internet, and digital media, all in relation to intellectual property, contracts, licensing, legal entities, free speech, employment law, and grant writing. Access to VLA's library is free and is open to the public Monday through Friday, 12 to 6pm.
Along with providing individuals and organizations with access to the VLA's Library, VLA makes available a wide variety of books for all arts disciplines and organizations. For a list of our publications and books available for sale, please visit our list. For book prices and shipping fees, please contact VLA at our Art Law Line at 212.319.2787, x1. |
About VLA Since 1969, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts has been the leading provider of pro bono legal services and mediation, as well as educational programs, publications, and advocacy to the arts community in the New York area and beyond. As the first arts-related legal aid organization, VLA is the model for similar organizations around the world.
VLA is supported in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and through generous gifts from law firms, corporations, foundations and individuals.
Our Supporters
VLA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal service organization supported in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and through generous gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals. View a full list of foundation and government supporters here; to view a full list of law firm and corporate supporters, click here.
  
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VLA & Artspace special offer! 
VLA is pleased to announce the partnership with Artspace to bring you limited edition artwork from leading contemporary artists. Sing-up to Artspace now and receive a special offer! ................................................ 
YAM's VLA's Young Associate Membership (YAM) is a membership category exclusively for young lawyers and arts professionals generally in their 1st - 4th years of practice and career. Learn more about YAM's here!
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