Volunteer or Pro Bono Lawyers
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLAs):
These organizations are invaluable at every stage of your career and offer everything from referrals to sliding scale based assistance, to workshops and seminars designed to keep you current on basic legal issues that affect your art practice.
One example of a site worth exploring is New York’s Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts:
VLANY also, very conveniently, offers a list and links to other VLA organizations throughout the United States:
//www.vlany.org/resources/vladirectory.php
Additional Resources
Twitter: Search for and follow the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, various copyright associations, and other art lawyers on Twitter. It’s a very good way to keep up with developments in the law, workshops and networking events.
Art Law Blogs: A little on the nerdy side, but for those whose interest is whetted here is a convenient list of some of my favorites: www.privateartinvestor.com/art-law-2/top-art-law-blogs/
State Bar Associations: A greatly underrated resource. Every state has them and they often offer really great programs for new business people trying to navigate dealing with the law and lawyers.
Further Reading
These are several basic books that are excellent place to start familiarizing yourself with the issues. (Caveat: these books are somewhat older and very basic so it is advisable to seek legal advice before adopting anything in them directly into your business.)
Business & Legal Forms for Fine Artists & Legal Guide for the Visual Artist, both by Tad Crawford Art Law in a Nutshell & The Law in Plain English for Galleries, by Leonard DuBoff
Disclaimer
The above is purely for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem.