Maryland Lawyers for the Arts Rises Again "Left-Brain Help for Right-Brain People"

Marcia Semmes, the recently appointed Executive
Director of Maryland Lawyers for the Arts is on a
mission to "let people know we exist." Since 1985,
the nonprofit organization has undergone many changes, but it's sole mission remains the same:
to provide pro bono legal assistance to
income-eligible applicants in all creative
disciplines. In addition to providing pro bono
attorneys to clients who earn less than $30,000 per
year ($150,000 for organizations), MLA holds regular
walk-in free clinics for artists with legal issues.

The MLA's success is primarily dependent on its
volunteer attorneys. MLA's attorneys come mostly from
the Baltimore area, including nine of the top 10
largest firms in the area, and donate their time to
assist artists and arts organizations in legal matters
ranging from forming 501(c)(3) non-profits to complex
copyright infringement cases, to landlord tenant
disputes. Clients are served both on an individual
basis, through referrals handled at MLA's main office,
and at walk-in clinics conducted at the University of
Baltimore Law School, where two of MLA's board members are professors.

Educational programs including panel discussions,
arts-based business seminars, and workshops on legal
and business issues are an important aspect of the the
MLA's offerings.

As a member of the Maryland business community, the
citybizlist reader can use his/her entrepreneurial,
legal, and or managerial experience to guide artists
of all disciplines living in and around Baltimore
City. Professional legal and business advice can make
a crucial difference in the life of a working artist.
By removing the financial barrier that usually
prevents artists from seeking this advice, the MLA is
tilting the odds of success in the Baltimore artists'
favor.

www.mdartslaw.org

Labels: Arts, lawyers, Maryland

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