Apply For A Lawyer

Generally, MDVLA supports with legal issues surrounding intellectual property, contracts, and for-profit and nonprofit business entity formation. 

We can provide support related to copyright, trademark and patent registration and infringement disputes. We can provide support for the drafting, negotiation and enforcement of contracts. We can provide support for the registration, dissolution and maintenance of various business entities.

Sometimes, MDVLA can support with legal issues surrounding privacy and publicity, commercial property, trust and estates, first amendment violations and employment. Depending on various factors and the specific details of your legal issue, we may be able to support with concerns around defamation, likeness, commercial leases, and the creation and administration of various legacy vehicles.

MDVLA does not handle matters concerning family law, criminal proceedings, immigration, residential property, and accounting.

If you’re not sure if we can support with your legal issue, please reach out! All legal issues are assessed and assigned on a case-by-case basis. We do not operate as general counsel.

Income Qualification: While our workshops and Art Law Clinics are open to all artists and creatives in Maryland, MDVLA’s Pro Bono Referral Program requires clients to be income eligible. Our income eligibility process is based on the adjusted gross household income, dependents, student debt, medical debt, housing debt, assets and artist expenses. For an in-depth look at the process and to assess your own eligibility, use our guide here.

Affidavit Requirements: We require all who receive a consultation to complete an affidavit. MDVLA’s income guidelines are only used as eligibility criteria for pro bono referrals. The required affidavit is used to report data to Maryland Legal Services Corporation which funds the programs that MDVLA provides.

MDVLA collects an administrative fee from both individual artists as well as arts organizations to help keep our Pro Bono Referral Program running.

For individual artists qualified for referral, the fee is $35.

For an informally organized group looking to form a legally registered for profit entity, the fee is $35 per each individual of the group.

For a registered for-profit entity with multiple members, like a multi-member LLC or C-Corp, the fee is $35 per owner.

For a group that is looking for help establishing a nonprofit, the fee is $300.

For an already established nonprofit organization, the referral fee is $100.

In certain cases, artists who qualify for services and can claim extreme hardship may be able to have their administrative fee waived. 

MDVLA serves any self-described creative in Maryland, from DJs to community centers, teaching artists to filmmakers. Anyone can attend an educational workshop and sign up for an Art Law Clinic appointment. Financially-eligible individuals and organizations can receive free (pro bono) legal representation to resolve their arts-related legal issues. To receive pro bono services, our clients must meet our income qualification guidelines.

MDVLA screens all applications and an MDVLA representative will respond within ten (10) business days.

Allow yourself enough lead time for receiving assistance and plan ahead for your project deadlines. 

If you believe your request is urgent, please provide details in your application. If we determine that your situation is urgent, we will work to get in touch with you as soon as we can. We thank you for your patience and accommodation.

A member of our staff will schedule and conduct an initial intake to better understand your legal issue. Once an intake is conducted and we determine we can help with your legal issue, you will be taken through our income qualification process. We determine whether you qualify financially for pro bono services through our affidavit form.

False or misleading information given in an application may result in delays in, or denial/termination of, referral assistance.

Notification is required if the information on your application materially changes. For example, if contact information changes or annual household income materially increases.

MDVLA may deny anyone’s application, for any reason, in its sole discretion.

If your application is accepted and you are referred to a pro bono attorney, the representation will be limited to a specific issue.

Once qualified, you are invited to pay our administrative fee. From there, artists and/or arts organizations are placed on our referral list. Though the timing can fluctuate, typically the wait time for artists to be paired with a volunteer attorney is on average four (4) weeks.

Allow yourself enough lead time for receiving assistance and plan ahead for your project deadlines. 

You can explore additional resources for issues outside of MDVLA’s purview through this document: Resource Share for Artists and Creatives.

MDVLA does not offer low bono or paid attorney services.