WHO CAN VOLUNTEER?
The Arts & Business Council has volunteer opportunities for lawyers of all practice areas, as well as business professionals from all fields, particularly marketing, public relations, HR, information technology, and management. Volunteer opportunities range from taking on pro bono issues through our VLPA program, teaching education seminars at one of our monthly workshops or Creative Exchange conference, or serving as a mentor for Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training.
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS
The legal arm of VLPA exists to provide pro-bono legal assistance to the sectors of the creative community that need it most. VLPA screens each client for residential and financial eligibility and ensures they have a specific, ripe legal issue before pairing them with a volunteer attorney — a.k.a. you. By becoming a volunteer lawyer, you’re agreeing to allow VLPA to contact you with potential projects.
Representative past cases include:
- Reviewing and negotiating a songwriter agreement
- Aiding a painter in recovering payment and artwork from a gallery
- Incorporating a new dance organization and helping it seek tax exempt status
- Pursuing a company which infringed a novelist’s copyright
- Drafting a performer agreement for a nonprofit theater company
Volunteers receive one credit hour for every five hours of pro bono service offered, capped at three hours every year. VLPA pro bono opportunities provide lawyers additional training and time to practice critical legal skills outside of regular client work.
VOLUNTEER PROFESSIONALS
In response to the needs expressed by our clients, VLPA has expanded to provide nonprofit arts organizations with pro bono assistance from business professionals, such as marketers, accountants, and management strategists. VLPA pairs volunteers like you with creative organizations that need clearly defined assistance on a specific project. By becoming a volunteer professional, you’re agreeing to allow VLPA to contact you with potential projects.
Examples of past cases include:
- Create a marketing plan for a nonprofit gallery consortium
- Help a small theater company set up a payroll for its first employees
- Network and set up new computers for an orchestra group
- Prepare a business plan for a new film organization
VOLUNTEER MEMBER BENEFITS
Volunteering has benefits beyond the reward of giving. Become a “Volunteer Member” of the Arts & Business Council for $50, and you will receive all of the standard membership benefits, including monthly email newsletters, discounts on seminars and CLEs, invitations to social events, and other networking and marketing opportunities. Plus, VLPA also makes paying referrals to interested “Volunteer Member” lawyers or professionals for clients that do not qualify for pro bono assistance.