Arts & Entertainment Pro Bono Cases
Last Updated: Monday, January 30, 2023
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with VLA by taking on a pro bono case! If you have not yet attended a New Attorney Orientation, please click here for more information about volunteering with VLA.
Some cases may be on review with another attorney. As one case can only be on review with one attorney at a time, cases marked as “On Review” are not currently available. However, these cases may return to the list if not accepted by the reviewing attorney, so please indicate your interest so that your name may be added to the queue in the event the case becomes available.
To request a case, please email Emma Frean at probono@vlany.org. Please indicate the case number in the email subject line.
Receive CLE credit for pro bono work
VLA is approved to provide CLE credit to attorneys who provide pro bono legal services through our organization. Eligible pro bono activity is limited to legal services performed within New York State to clients unable to afford counsel, and is not available to attorneys volunteering at a clinic.
Credit for pro bono legal services shall be awarded in the following ratio: one (1) CLE credit for every 120 minutes of eligible pro bono legal service. A maximum of ten (10) pro bono CLE credits may be earned during any biennial reporting cycle.
Newly admitted New York attorneys may earn pro bono CLE credit only for the purpose of carrying over those credits to the following biennial reporting cycle, in partial fulfillment of the pro bono requirement for experienced attorneys.
Music
17862 – NEW CASE – On Review
Client, a music artist, seeks assistance reviewing a recording and publishing agreement she entered into with an Israeli company.
Theater
17711 – On Review
Client, a playwright who wrote a musical revue that has been produced worldwide, seeks assistance evaluating his legal rights with respect to a new work that is based on his musical.
Dance
17756
Client, a dancer, educator, and advocate for equitable practices within the dance industry, seeks assistance with recovering compensation from a dance publication company for the unauthorized use of his teaching materials on a subscription-based service.
Fashion
17786 – On Review
Client, a fashion designer, seeks to recover money paid to a production company for the placement of his designer handbags in a film, and to dissolve a limited liability company set up in his name.
Film/TV
17875 – NEW CASE – On Review
Client, a videographer, seeks assistance with recovering payment from clients for work that has been completed.
17809 – On Review
Client, a filmmaker, seeks assistance with negotiating her separation from a film project.
17779
Client, a videographer, seeks a volunteer attorney to assist her recovering footage that was wrongfully sold to a production company for use in a documentary without payment to her.
17743
Client, a filmmaker, is seeking advice regarding her legal rights to stop another filmmaker from using footage of her in his film.
17729
Client, an actor who appeared in a 2019 commercial for a meal delivery service, seeks assistance in requesting additional compensation for the continued airing of the commercial.
17725
Client, a graffiti artist whose work was used without permission in a film released on a streaming service, seeks assistance evaluating his legal rights and potential remedies against the filmmakers.
Literary
17878 – NEW CASE – On Review
Client, the co-author of a cookbook, seeks representation in a breach of contract claim commenced in Civil Court (Kings County) by her former collaborator.
17795
Client, an author, seeks assistance with removing her books from several websites, and collecting payment for any past sales.
17662 – On Review
Client, an author who had ended her relationship with an online publisher in 2012, seeks assistance with preventing her former publisher from continuing to sell her book and receive outstanding royalty payments.
Music
17700 – On Review
Client, the heir of her father’s music, seeks help settling a copyright issue with one of her father’s old collaborators who has re-released some of his music.
Photography
17768
Client, a photographer, seeks assistance with recovering compensation from a national publication that used his photograph without consent.
Visual Arts
17870 – NEW CASE – On Review
Client, a visual artist who consigned works of art to a gallery for an exhibition, seeks assistance with recovering the works or obtaining damages, if the works are irretrievable.
17859 – On Review
Client, the owner of a valuable mahogany relief that has been on exhibit for several years, needs assistance with negotiating a settlement for damage caused by placement of the relief in direct sunlight.
17856
Client, a conceptual artist, seeks the assistance of a volunteer attorney to resolve a dispute with a public entity that is requesting the return of funds related to a public art commission.
17815 – On Review
Client, a visual artist and muralist, seeks the assistance of a volunteer attorney to pursue legal action against organizers of a joint project who are allegedly selling copies of the project without permission of the artists.
17810 – On Review
Client, a visual artist, seeks the assistance of a volunteer attorney to recover an overdue payment for works sold by a gallery.
17750
Client, a visual artist, seeks the assistance of a volunteer attorney to help him obtain a copy of video files featuring both him and his artwork.
17730 – On Review
Client, a sculptor, seeks assistance with pursuing claims against a performance company for their failure to attribute the creation of an artwork to Client, and with pursuing a world-renowned artist for wrongfully claiming copyright in the work.
Visual Arts
17747 – On Review
Client, a visual artist and curator, seeks assistance with filing an application for an EB-1 visa.
Visual Arts
17837 – NEW CASE – On Review
Client, an organization that aims to develop and expand networks of support between contemporary artists, artist estates and foundations, seeks assistance forming a not-for-profit entity, obtaining tax-exempt status, and drafting foundational documents.
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