California Lawyers for the Arts

Creative Lawyers for the Arts (CLA) was established in 1974 to serve artists and creative arts community members. CLA believes that arts organizations are agents of civic engagement, innovation, and social justice, and that responsive legal services strengthen the crucial impact of these organizations. CLA is part of an informal network of "Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts" programs in states across the United States. It offers a diverse array of advocacy, mediation, and legal assistance programs. Further, CLA sponsors Spotlight on the Arts, a multidisciplinary arts workforce development program for low-income students between the ages of 14 and 17. The organization also leads the Youth Mediators in Schools program, which has trained more than 1,900 youth mediators in peaceful and communicative conflict resolution. Through these informative and legal services, CLA is approaching fifty years of support and empowerment of California's artists and creative arts community members.