Legal Services FAQs

The Clinic

Legal Resource Library

Lawyer Referrals

1. The Clinic

Who can book an appointment at the Clinic?

The Clinic is open to artists and arts organizations in all disciplines with legal questions related to art, entertainment, business, and intellectual property law issues. Questions about the following matters are common:

  • Contracts
  • Incorporation
  • Copyright
  • Defamation
  • Society Act and Society Act Regulations

All issues discussed must be related to your artistic discipline.

Some matters are too complex to be addressed in a 30-minute, summary advice session. A referral will be provided to those who have questions in areas of law not handled at the Clinic.

What legal questions are not appropriate for the ALO?

The ALO cannot provide advice to the following:

  • artists with their own legal representation;
  • artists with legal issues that are too complex for summary advice; and
  • artists with legal issues that are not related to art, entertainment, business, or intellectual property law.

If you are unsure about whether you qualify for advice, simply fill in an intake form (link to Forms page) and a volunteer will review your legal matter and determine whether it can be addressed at a Clinic or not.

A referral will be provided to those who have questions that cannot be handled by the ALO.

How do I book an appointment?

Fill out an intake form with as many details about your legal issue as possible. Submit it to the ALO via email, fax, mail or in-person at the Alliance for Arts and Culture. You will be contacted when a volunteer has reviewed your intake form and scheduled a lawyer for the next Clinic. Since the ALO is run solely by volunteers, it may take several days before you hear from us.

When is the Clinic held?

The Clinic is held on Wednesday nights, between 5:00 PM and 7:30 PM, by appointment only.

Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Best efforts are made to match artists in particular disciplines with lawyers who have expertise in that area of law.

How long is my appointment?

Each appointment is 30 minutes long.

Where is the appointment held?

Each appointment is held at the meeting room at the Alliance for Arts and Culture, 100-938 Howe Street, on Howe Street between Smith Street and Nelson Street. (map?)

Who will be at the appointment?

Each appointment is private and confidential between you and a lawyer. One of the ALO volunteer law student coordinators may sit in and observe, and is also bound by the same duties of privacy and confidentiality.

How much does an appointment cost?

The ALO is funded by donations only, which are encouraged and greatly appreciated. The ALO is not included in or funded by the Alliance for Arts and Culture membership fee.

How is my donation used?

Donations are used to offset administrative costs and to develop workshops to address legal issues in the arts.

What is summary advice?

The lawyer will answer your questions based on the facts you describe, and his or her knowledge in that particular area of law. The advice given will usually be general in nature and qualified, since the lawyer will not have done any lengthy research on your particular situation.

I attended an ALO appointment, and now I have more questions. What do I do?

You can attend the Clinic as long as your legal issue can appropriately be answered by summary advice.

To book a follow-up session on the same or a new legal issue, fill out an intake form, and submit it to the ALO.

If you would like to follow-up with the same lawyer, please indicate this on your intake form. Best efforts will be made to accommodate your request. Please be aware that it may take more time to schedule the same lawyer for you and we may be unable to do so.

You will be contacted when a volunteer has reviewed your intake form and scheduled a lawyer for the next Clinic.

2. Legal Resource Library

What legal resources do you have?

The Resource Library contains information sheets, articles, sample legal documents, and sample contracts for the following artistic disciplines: dance, theatre, music, film, television and visual arts.

The Library also contains resources on specific legal topics, including copyright, how to incorporate and maintain a society, employment, immigration, and wills and estate planning.

Can I borrow material from the Resource Library?

Materials cannot be removed from the Resource Library. However, the Alliance staff is available to photocopy documents for a small fee.

3. Lawyer Referrals

I have a legal question that is not appropriate or too complicated for your clinic. What do I do?

If you are advised that your legal problem is too complicated for a summary advice clinic, or that you need to retain a lawyer, the ALO can refer you to a listing of lawyers who have expertise in working with artists and your legal issue. This referral list is distributed at the discretion of the ALO and Alliance staff.