Connecting Law and Creativity: The Role of Lawyers in Supporting Creative and Innovative Economic Development
Open AccessConnecting Law and Creativity:The Role of Lawyers in Supporting Creative and Innovative Economic DevelopmentBy Amanda Marie SpratleyAbstractLawyers in the current economic climate of recession and financial uncertainty may question their position as lawyers within the larger economic picture and wonder how they can best position themselves for a rewarding legal career, both monetarily and in terms of personal satisfaction. The economic climate is shifting across all professions. The most recent Information Age of the economy focused on professions capitalizing on abilities emphasizing analysis and critical thinking. This was an economic climate in which the legal profession prospered and law jobs were generally plentiful for qualified lawyers. Multiple economic scholars have identified a shift in the focus of the economy from the Information Age to a new age in which the most valued quality for stimulating the economy is creativity. Lawyers are poised to play an important role in supporting the creative economy by virtue of their legal expertise. This paper discusses multiple issue areas where lawyers can provide direct representation and advocacy assistance to artists and arts organizations, in areas including: funding, operational and regulatory assistance, international considerations, and intellectual property rights. Additionally, this paper discusses multiple community economic development, microenterprise development, and community arts development tools lawyers can use in providing this assistance. Most notably, law school legal clinics are identified as an important resource for supporting creative economic growth in communities, highlighted by an example of the Small Business & Community Economic Development Clinic at The George Washington University Law School.This paper's discussion is directed to lawyers who wish to know more about the creative economy and their position within it, but may also be informative to artists and professionals in creative enterprises in highlighting some of the legal considerations that may affect them and show ways in which seeking legal assistance with their businesses can be helpful. The aim of this paper is not to provide legal solutions or policy directives, but rather to illuminate some of the many legal considerations and opportunities for advocacy that intersect with the creative community.
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Spratley_gwu_0075M_10759.pdf | 2018-01-16 | Open Access |
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