Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts is both a generic term for legal service organizations located throughout the United States and the proper name of the organization in New York City. Founded in 1969, that organization is the oldest VLA in the country.
Organizations
The first VLA organization, named simply Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, was founded in 1969 and serves the New York area out of its Manhattan office. Chicago-based lawyers for the Creative Arts was founded in 1972. Bay Area Lawyers for the Arts was founded two years later. When BALA expanded to Southern California, joining with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts-Los Angeles, the organization was renamed California Lawyers for the Arts. Denver-based Colorado Lawyers for the Arts began operations in 1974, incorporated in 1979 and continues to serve that state's arts community. Among the newer Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts organizations are New Jersey Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Inc. and [|Kansas City Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts], both founded in 2004. More recent still, [|Tennessee Lawyers for the Arts], which opened in Nashville in 2005. There are more than 30 VLA programs throughout the United States. Not a single organization, but rather a network united by similar missions, the organizations provide a broad range of free and low-cost legal services and educational programs addressing the needs of artists and arts organizations of all artistic disciplines. Each VLA organization operates independently. Most are nonprofit organizations, while others are housed with arts councils, arts services organizations, bar associations or business for the arts programs.
Services
Some of the programs provided include: Legal services through referrals and, in some cases, on-site consultations; legal clinics; alternative dispute resolution services, including mediation and arbitration; accounting services; law student internships; advocacy; educational programs on such topics as contracts, copyright, estate planning, taxes and nonprofit incorporation; and publications on a broad range of topics. Without these services provided by these organizations, many arts-related legal problems would go unresolved and many artists would be denied an opportunity to develop their creative abilities fully.
Organizations
Arizona
Volunteer Legal Assistance for Artists, Arizona
California
Bar Association Barristers Committee for the Arts 300 S. Beverly Dr., Ste. 201 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 601-2422 California Lawyers for the Arts 1127 Eleventh St. #214 Sacramento, CA 95814 442-6210 California Lawyers for the Arts Fort Mason Center, Building C, Rm 255 San Francisco, CA 94123 775-7200 California Lawyers for the Arts 1641 18th St. Santa Monica, CA 90404 998-5590 San DiegoPerforming Arts League 110 West C St. #1414 San Diego, CA 92101 238-0700 x. 16
Colorado
Lawyers for the Arts 720-272-0961
District of Columbia
Lawyers for the Arts 1629 K Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006 289-4440
Creative Many Michigan 440 Burroughs Street, Suite 365 Detroit, Michigan 48202 483-5705
Minnesota
Springboard for the Arts 308 Prince St. St. Paul, MN 55101 292-4381
Missouri
KC Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts 115 W. 18th St. Kansas City, MO 64108 472-3535 St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts 6128 Delmar St. Louis, MO 63112 863-6930
New Hampshire
Business Committee for the Arts One Granite Pl. Concord, NH 03301 224-8300
New Jersey
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts P.O. Box 2265 Flemington, NJ 08822 963-6300 Phone info@njvla.org
