CLÆ Carolina Lawyers for the Arts & Entertainment
(Soon) Serving North Carolina and South Carolina Regions

Carolina Lawyers for the Arts & Entertainment (CLÆ) provides access to pro bono low-cost or no-cost legal services or referrals for help with business issues, contracts, copyrights, trademarks, patents, arbitration, mediation, and other areas. The nonprofit corporation was formed on February 22, 2023 with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status as a charitable organization effective then. The organization is not yet accepting matters for representation, but gearing up for a public launch. 

CLÆ [klay] is Old English meaning "clay", which is derived from “claeg”. Clay is part of the foundation of the Carolinas, literally, including the history and heritage of the land. The atomic structure of loosely bound sheets with such small grain sizes makes clay particles stick together extremely well, giving it a cohesiveness and ability to form it pliably. As an organization, we endeavor to take the same approach – flexible and , yet cohesive and strong. Besides legal services, CLÆ will provide a network of other artists to help support the creative community by sharing resources, experiences, and gifts to lift each other up. 

 The Æ Ash digraph/ligature is a Latin or Greek symbol represents a diphthong, squishing sounds together within the same syllable. It's used stylistically here to offset letters for Carolina Lawyers from Arts & Entertainment. This section will probably be populated by more substantive information soon, but is used as an explanation for the name, acronym, symbol, and symbolism as a placeholder. There is a tradition of farmer-potters in the area, which is exactly the sort of combination of industry and art, creativity and commerce CLÆ endeavors to help people navigate whether it's with ceramics, music, film, television, video games, documentary, design, media, fashion, publishing, literature, typography, photography, choreography, fine art, sculpture, drawing, dance, theater, architecture, technology, or other art. 

Clay is malleable and the shape it takes depends on how you work it – if you need alternative dispute resolution like arbitration, mediation, conciliation, or evaluation, CLÆ could provide a neutral to help you make a decision or impose one. If you're looking for help with applications for copyright, trademark, or patent registrations, CLÆ could help you navigate the layered lay of the land to avoid infringing on the rights of others and protect your own. If you have questions, CLÆ can provide educational resources including blog articles, continuing legal education (CLE) courses, events and panels, consultations and clinics, and more. 

This organization is part of a network of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) operations spread throughout the country. There is no official national parent organization, but each has its own regions and is backed by any combination of funding from arts councils, area law schools, attorney members, and other sources of support. Each VLA organization operates independently. While most are nonprofit organizations, others are housed within arts councils, arts services organizations, bar associations, law schools, or business for the arts programs. We'd like to thank Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA NY), Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA) in St. Louis, Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA), California Lawyers for the Arts, and all of the other organizations for their continued guidance.

Facts about Clay

Facts about CLÆ

Facts about VLA