Legal Issues for Artists, Creatives and Content Creators

media release: Join Create Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Entertainment Lawyers Association for a free, informative online session with licensed experts from WELA, who will guide you through the essentials of intellectual property, copyright, trademarks, and more. This clinic is tailored for artists, creatives, and content creators who want to protect their work and navigate the legal landscape effectively. Participants must register in advance to attend. Click here to register; Zoom info will be sent before the session.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights from experienced attorneys including Robert Arthur, Peter Strand, and Bryan Kroes.

Questions for event:

- What is intellectual property law and why should it matter for creatives/artists/content producers?

- How can copyright law help creatives/artists/content producers?

- How can trademark law help creatives/artists/content producers?

Presenting attorneys:

Robert Arthur leads Arthur Law Office LLC, based in Wauwatosa.  The practice helps musicians, gamers, influencers, and other creators of original content protect their rights to monetize their work and help small business owners establish or step up the lifecycle of their businesses.

Bryan T. Kroes is a shareholder with Hurtado Zimmerman SC in Wauwatosa. Bryan's law practice includes entertainment, including entertainment-adjacent business, construction, and real property.  As an entertainment attorney, Bryan represents musicians, artists, influencers, performers, record labels, film companies, publishers, venues, and other creative types, together with entertainment-adjacent businesses such as breweries, restaurants, and similar clients serving the hospitality industries. A lifelong musician with an extensive history of touring and production work, Bryan brings a seasoned, unique, and personal approach to the business side of entertainment. Bryan is a founding member, and currently serves as Treasurer, for the Wisconsin Entertainment Lawyers Association. Bryan also sits on the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association Forum on Entertainment and Sports Law.  Bryan's law practice also includes construction contract negotiation, including related intellectual property law issues, together with commercial and residential real property acquisition. Transactionally, they represent trade contractors, designers, and commercial owners in business operations and related intellectual property protection, property purchases, sales and leasing. They also represent trade contractors with regard to dispute resolution, including perfection of lien rights and defect claims. 

Attorney Peter Strand has extensive experience drafting, analyzing, revising, and negotiating complex entertainment industry agreements including record contracts, music publishing agreements, literary publishing agreements, film and television production agreements (producer, director, actor, composer, location, etc.), content and catalogue acquisition and distribution agreements, and agreements between creative collaborators (songwriters, co-authors, bands, production companies). These entertainment industry agreements typically address issues of ownership, compensation (royalties, advances, back end, upfront fees, and buy-out fees) control, credit, and content acquisition (options, licenses, works made for hire). He has represented authors, film/television production companies, recording artists, songwriters, on-screen and behind the camera talent, record producers, composers, and life story subjects.

About the host organizations:

Create Wisconsin is the state’s community cultural development organization, and the leading - the only - independent organization working to grow Wisconsin creatively through advocacy, service, and development. www.createwisconsin.org

WELA’s mission is to foster the growth and development of the arts and entertainment communities in Wisconsin through comprehensive legal services, advance the practice of entertainment law in the State of Wisconsin, and provide a platform for networking, education, and collaboration. www.entlaw.org

Made possible with support from the Wisconsin Arts Board, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, and the Kohler Foundation.