Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA)

Since 1969, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) has been the leading provider of legal services, educational programming, advocacy, and mediation services to the arts and entertainment communities across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. VLA assists artists of all disciplines, including visual art, film, music, dance, theater, as well as arts and cultural non-profit organizations.

VLA’s legal services address a broad range of legal needs that low-income artists cannot otherwise afford, including contract drafting and negotiation, dispute resolution, intellectual property transactions, and corporate formation and governance. With the assistance and dedication of volunteer attorneys, VLA works to ensure that artistic voices can be heard, and continue to enrich and enliven our community. After internally screening legal matters, VLA lists pro bono opportunities on its “Caselist” webpage at www.vlany.org/caselist, which is updated every two weeks. Attorneys communicate with VLA’s Legal Services Coordinator to take on pro bono matters. Attorneys who agree to accept a VLA matter must be able to handle the matter through their own office, and have substantive knowledge of the legal issues and arts industries.