Friends of the Arts

Lawyers lend a hand to the local arts community.

By. Susan K. Godfrey

Though the Northwest is internationally known as a breeding ground for artists, the business of art is often seen as a stepchild in the corporate world. Giving it a hand up is Washington Lawyers for the Arts (WLA), a nonprofit volunteer group celebrating its 30th year of providing low-cost legal services to artists, writers and arts groups.

WLA has spawned a camaraderie among lawyers with an interest in the arts, as well as a growing group of grateful clients. It now numbers about 30 dues-paying artist and attorney members and also gets help from nonmember attorneys who volunteer their time.

A taste of WLA can be found at monthly seminars on topics including copyright law, First Amendment issues, intellectual property basics, litigation and publication. Then there are panels, like a recent one on ethical issues. Legal presenters play to packed houses of 50 or more artists and attorneys.

The WLA's Arts Legal Clinics were created to meet artists' need for affordable legal help. The clinics are held twice monthly at Seattle University School of Law, where intellectual property attorneys-who practice at firms and also are adjunct professors at SU-offer half-hour pro bono consultations to artists for a minimal donation to WLA. Law students sometimes provide further research on an issue, if needed.

Many artists need only basics on setting up their business. "Most of the clients we see just need a little guidance, and the half-hour is very worthwhile to them," says Shannan Frisbie of Seattle's Preston Gates & Ellis. Other frequent requests include help with publishing contracts, releases, waivers, copyright issues and distribution. Mark Wittow of the same firm says he enjoys "the satisfaction of providing pro bono service to a worthwhile group of artists and supporters of the arts, helping solve a problem-sometimes-in a short session and hearing about interesting legal issues from interesting people."

The "interesting people" factor has drawn Lance Rosen, an entertainment-law attorney with Seattle's Rosen Lewis, to speak to WLA groups for 14 years. He says, "Artists are the heart of a community, and as a rule artists tend to be less wealthy, regardless of their talent. It's always been that way. Working with WLA is a chance for lawyers to serve the heart of Seattle. It's a privilege."

Seattle attorney Roger Atreya started volunteering with WLA three years ago and ended up as president of the board. It's time-consuming, but worth it to Atreya.

"I've been able to meet and spend time with people who feel the same way about the arts and intellectual property law as I do," notes Atreya.

When Seattle filmmaking team Francine Strickwerda and Laurel Spellman Smith came to the group two years ago, their main concern was clearing copyrights on hundreds of images to be used in their documentary Busting Out. Strickwerda said it was a relief to get all their questions answered in an affordable forum. "Overall, WLA was invaluable to the making of our film," says Strickwerda, who now volunteers on the WLA board.

Likewise, Jennifer Matte of Dream Large Productions turned to a WLA Arts Legal Clinic before launching a Website for the short film 8 Minutes to Love, featuring actress Sandra Oh. "At the time, I was raising money for production, and [Seattle intellectual property lawyer] Robert Cumbow reviewed the content of the site to ensure I would not run into any legal trouble when it went online," says Matte.

When WLA was founded three decades ago by former University of Puget Sound Law School professor Barbara Hoffman, Cumbow was sitting on the other side of the consultation table. Hoffman was delighted, on a recent trip from New York, to find the organization going strong.

"Even more rewarding," she says, "was to find that one of my early clients, Robert Cumbow, whom I had assisted on his first book contract while he was working at Elliott Bay Book Company, had not only gone on to successfully write two more books, but had become a lawyer, and was now actively involved as a WLA officer."

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