Lawyered Up
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According to Hodes, LCA was created to address the specific needs of artists, which he says were not well served by the pro bono program of the Chicago Bar Association. Many of LCA’s early clients were small arts organizations that wanted to incorporate as nonprofits; over the years LCA has aided such local institutions as the New Art Examiner, Chicago Latino Cinema, the Organic Theater, the Chicago Artists’ Coalition, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Individuals usually came looking for help with taxes, insurance, record keeping, consignment agreements, and intellectual property issues. Back in the 1970s the organization referred all legal matters to outside attorneys who would volunteer their time, but after the volume and complexity of cases began to increase, LCA established its own staff. The organization publishes informational materials on such issues as finance, publishing, and copyright and trademark registration. Howard Arnette Jr., LCA’s director of legal services, says that almost half the artists who come in are confused about intellectual property law, especially as it pertains to the Internet.
A Stake in Steak
