Conducted jointly by Columbia Law School and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA), the Clinical Seminar in Law and the Arts offers students a unique opportunity to gain practical arts-, entertainment-, and corporate-law experience in a public-interest setting and, in the process, observe the law's impact on artists and the arts community.
In this clinic, students work at least one day a week in VLA's offices, assisting VLA attorneys in advising and counseling artists and arts organizations, primarily in the areas of copyright, entertainment-related contracts, and not-for-profit incorporation and tax exemption. Weekly seminars, often enlivened by guest lectures from experienced attorneys, address the substantive law subjects that VLA handles, such as copyright and music rights, and impart the skills necessary to counsel clients. Simulated exercises in client interviewing and counseling, as well as contract negotiation and drafting, provide students with valuable practice in client representation.
In past semesters, students have assisted in drafting the certificate of incorporation and application for tax exemption for a new theater company; researched and prepared a memorandum on New York City's loft laws for clients with questions regarding protected work space; assisted in the successful resolution of a sculptor's dispute with his gallery; assisted in reviewing and proposing changes to numerous entertainment-related contracts, including a singer's contract with her manager; and helped to answer many basic questions on copyrights, trademarks, and related issues.
"Like so many law students at Columbia, I had always been interested in the field of entertainment law, and I had even hoped to pursue a career in the industry. But coursework and interviews do not give students a clear picture of what it is to actually practice entertainment law. The Clinical Seminar in Law and Arts does just that. Working with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, I gained hands-on experience in so many aspects of entertainment practice, from answering authors' questions about copyright to helping dancers incorporate their own dance company. Armed with this experience, I was able to make an informed decision and went to work as an entertainment lawyer upon leaving law school."
George E. (Trae) Williamson '00
