By John-Charles Ward Washington University Law School Juris Doctor Candidate 2023 On December 21, 2020, Congress passed the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act, or the CASE Act, as part of the Omnibus COVID-19 Relief bill. This was an event 10 years in the making. The CASE Act was a legislative priority for many small creators such as Instagram influencers,…
By Benjamin Ogara Texas Tech University School of Law Juris Doctor Candidate 2022 The name of a business, product, or service is one of the most important aspects of a company. This naming process can bring up legal concerns with respect to trademark law, as well as business concerns when it comes to marketing. This is in part because there…
Our volunteer accountants aren’t available to prepare tax returns for our pro bono clients between January and April. To accommodate our region’s artists, we’ve hosted free tax preparation clinics in partnership with Gateway EITC and the Davis Tax Foundation since 2013. With safety in mind, we won’t be sponsoring these clinics this year. Here are some options to consider if you…
By Sue Greenberg, executive director As we look ahead with both hope and uncertainty to 2021, here’s a suggestion that may help you overcome that nagging feeling of being held hostage by the pandemic: Take deliberate control of your creative business. That involves making a commitment to recordkeeping. You can simplify the process by using a separate credit card and…
By Sabrina Siddiqui Rutgers Law School Juris Doctor Candidate 2021 Social media and other online content-sharing platforms have undisputedly broadened access to all kinds of content and bolstered both fan-based and independent discussion and creation. From original works such as stories on websites like FanFiction or Archive of Our Own to digital fan art of Marvel characters on Instagram or…
By Sabrina Siddiqui Rutgers Law School Juris Doctor Candidate 2021 Laws on copyrights and trademarks are meant to protect the interests of those who have ownership of the rights to them. For example, someone who, without a license (read: permission), disseminates part of a film on an online forum could face legal consequences such as being liable for copyright infringement…
Unless Congress acts during its lame duck session, millions of Americans will see their Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits expire on December 31, and many mixed income artists will begin 2020 without enough money to pay their rent or buy groceries. A relief bill could fix the problem that left many creatives unable to access full unemployment benefits under the…
Tuesday, September 29 at 4:00 PM 1.0 Hour of Missouri CLE or CPE Ethics Credit While handling a case pro bono means a lawyer is volunteering their time, it does not mean that the representation is free from following all the ethical rules that apply to any case. Using arts-related examples, this program will address the basic ethics that any…
By Jonnae Miller Juris Doctor Candidate 2021, Southern University Law Center From beautifully composing musical pieces, endlessly traveling the world for performances, and earning extensive studio fees, to making intimidating courtroom visits, life as a musician can be extremely rewarding, yet tough. Unfortunately, quarrels in the courtroom may be inevitable for those who experience copyright infringement of their works, but…
By Jonnae Miller Juris Doctor Candidate 2021, Southern University Law Center Would you steal a car? Handbag? Television? Or a DVD? These are questions posed in a 47-second anti-piracy ad that was created to discourage illegal downloading and purchasing of illegally downloaded movies. Piracy is a form of copyright infringement. Copyright infringement occurs when an individual substantially copies someone else’s…