How To Volunteer With Us

Protect the heart of your art.

Apply To Be a Volunteer Lawyer

At MDVLA, we strive to connect Maryland’s most creative people with talented, dedicated, hardworking attorneys. We work with artists who do everything from writing fiction to styling hair and they need lawyers like you: lawyers who will fight to protect their rights. If you’re looking for a rewarding and exciting way to do pro bono work and gain new legal experiences, volunteer with MDVLA.

Apply Here

Protect the heart of your art.

Apply To Be a Volunteer Lawyer

Apply Here

Apply To Be A Pro Bono Patent Lawyer Volunteer

MDVLA has partnered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to help financially under-resourced artists/inventors apply for patents through referrals to pro bono patent attorneys and patent agents. If you’re ready to volunteer to do pro bono patent work with artists/inventors in the state of Maryland, fill out our application and let’s get started.

Apply Now

Apply As A Non-Attorney Volunteer

Non-attorney community members are welcome to volunteer with MDVLA. Opportunities to volunteer with our organization range from tabling at community events to supporting a creative project. For law students who are interested in volunteering, we are able to provide shadowing opportunities during our Art Law Clinic Program.

Apply Now

Volunteer Opportunities

Artists need assistance with a range of legal services, including:

Contract drafting, negotiation, review, and enforcement
Business entity formation, including LLCs and Non-Profits
Copyright and Trademark registration
Commercial Property issues related to studio or performance space
Employment issues
Privacy and Defamation

View All Volunteer Opportunities

See our active list of volunteer opportunities.

View Here

Copyright Registration Training

Take our Copyright Registration for Artists training online with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland. Through this training, you’ll learn how to register copyrights, address related business and legal issues, and counsel artists on how best to manage their intellectual property.

Copyright Registration Training

Regiser Here

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the process?

For interested attorney volunteers, once you have applied, a MDVLA staff member will contact you within 5 business days to schedule an introductory call to learn more about you and discuss next steps.

For interested non-attorney volunteers, MDVLA will keep your information on file for upcoming volunteer opportunities.

Are you an attorney barred outside of Maryland?

Attorneys who are barred in a state outside of Maryland can volunteer with MDVLA. Please submit a volunteer application, through the link above. An out-of-state attorney may represent clients in federal matters, including trademark, copyright and patent registrations. To engage in all other volunteer opportunities, including the Art Law Clinic, attorneys can apply to gain special authorization to represent Maryland artists through MDVLA. Learn more about the process here.

Do I need my own malpractice insurance?

For attorneys who are representing clients through MDVLA and do not have access to malpractice insurance, MDVLA provides access to malpractice insurance.

Interested in the Pro Bono Patent Program?

In order to volunteer, patent practitioners must be registered to practice before the USPTO and have successfully prosecuted at least three (3) patent applications.