The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Washington Lawyers for the Arts (WLA) announces Legal Advice Week (LAW) for September. This week-long, pro bono telephone clinic offers artists and art organizations throughout Washington state a chance to connect with lawyers and get 30 minutes of free advice related to their legal issues.

WLA’s LAW in September starts on the 21st and goes through the week. The telephone legal clinic is replacing WLA’s monthly in-person clinics for the foreseeable future.

Legal issues must relate to an artistic discipline. Still, they can cover a wide range of areas such as copyright, trademark, publicity rights, licensing, fair use, business formation, and contract review.

Legal issues involving employment, patents, criminal, tax, and family law are not appropriate for WLA LAW.

Washington Lawyers for the Arts, founded in 1976 as a nonprofit service organization, is dedicated to supporting the arts in Washington state by creating alliances and making legal resources accessible to artists and arts organizations of all disciplines.

WLA will continue to offer attorney referrals for artists and arts organizations seeking legal advice beyond a 30-minute appointment. Fee arrangements are left to each client and attorney.

To sign up for a free consultation or to volunteer, interested parties can fill out an application available on their site, http://www.thewla.org, and provide preferable days and time blocks during the week of Sept 21-25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.