Summary: UCLA’s School of Law is getting a lesson on music by opening up a free legal clinic to the little guys of the music industry.
The music industry is filled with legal actions between parties over things like bad contracts. Entire careers can be ended and millions of dollars lost because of bad legal advice or a badly worded contract. Those that usually benefit from the contracts are the big media companies because they are able to afford competent lawyers and quality legal services. The University of California – Los Angeles School of Law is going to tackle this unfairness in the music industry by offering a Music Industry Clinic.
The Music Industry Clinic will provide free legal advice to those in the music industry in need of help. As Digital Music News reports, the clinic will help clients “draft contracts, negotiate agreements, and figure out [a] legal defense strategy (or attack).”
The law students at the school will help entrepreneurs, artists, and independent label owners navigate any legal obligations while gaining experience in the music industry. The students will do most of the work under the supervision of three leaders– Jeffrey Light, Susan Hilderley, and Susan Genco. They will oversee the legal advice given by the students as well as the interactions with clients and the contracts provided by the clients.
Digital Music News states that one law school student, Paige Kaplan, said the program will aid in the “production, distribution and publishing of music for individuals based in LA; including agreements among band members, management and agency agreements, co-writer agreements, producer and mixer agreements, sample licenses, indie recording and production agreements, merchandising agreements and work for hire agreements.”
Those that can obtain legal advice will be limited as there is a capacity and they can only give advice on certain things. UCLA indicated that the purpose of the clinic is for LA-based artists and companies, although the application does not state if that means applicants must have an LA address or must be physically in LA to get legal advice. The program’s website stated, “The Music Industry Clinic provides free legal services for qualifying musicians and other members of the music industry in the Los Angeles area.”
Those interested in applying for the clinic during the Spring 2018 semester can apply now.
Do you think there is a need for more entertainment lawyers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
To learn more about other free legal clinics, read these articles:
- University of Minnesota Law School Creates Legal Clinic for Immigrants
- John Marshall Law School Opens More Spacious Legal Clinic for Veterans
- Attorneys Offer Free Legal Services on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
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