What is a VLA?
“VLA” is short for “Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.” VLAs are non-profit organizations that provide pro bono legal services and education programs to income-eligible artists and arts organizations. The first VLA in the United States was founded in New York City in 1969. Now, there are at least 27 independent VLAs across the United States. There are also VLAs in Japan, Australia and Europe.

How does a VLA work?
The primary role of a VLA is to refer artists to the VLA’s volunteer attorneys, who provide arts-related pro bono services to the artists. VLAs also provide educational workshops and seminars regarding legal issues in the arts to artists, schools, conservatories and the public.

What kind of legal issues would a VLA help an artist with?
A VLA can help an artist, musician, performer or writer with issues such as securing a federal copyright registration, choosing a legal entity type and forming that entity, and negotiating a contract.

Why can’t any attorney handle arts cases?
Competently representing individuals and non-profit organizations in the arts and entertainment fields requires more than a love of music, film or visual arts, and more than a general knowledge of contract and copyright law. Properly negotiating a recording contract, film distribution agreement or gallery consignment contract (and providing the arts client with a realistic appraisal of their position in the negotiating process) requires an understanding of the business environment and customary practices within each of these specific industries. A VLA, through its volunteer attorneys, can provide this understanding.

Does Maryland have a VLA?
It does. Maryland Lawyers for the Arts (MLA) was founded in 1985. MLA attorneys have provided legal services such as contract negotiation, copyright advice, formation of not-for-profit entities, and resolution of small claims, landlord-tenant and even artist immigration issues. MLA has provided programs and workshops for musicians, visual artists, actors, photographers, filmmakers, and writers. For several years MLA presented annual workshops at the University of Baltimore titled “Legal & Business Issues in the Music Industry”. These workshops attracted speakers from all over the country, such as Bill Krasilovsky (author of “This Business of Music”), and representatives from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the US Copyright Office, and major talent management companies. These workshops were well attended by musicians, managers, agents, small record companies and attorneys, and people still ask about them.

Why haven’t I heard about the MLA?
The MLA was an all-volunteer organization run by attorneys and law students. When they lost their office space a few years ago, MLA went into a period of dormancy.

How did the re-launch come about?
Through a resurgent interest specifically in the MLA and generally in the Baltimore arts community, enough support has built up to re-launch the MLA.