Georgia Lawyers for the Arts (GLA) has an Arts extern program and a PATENTS extern program. Students must specify in their statement of interest which externship they are applying for.
GLA is a nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance and educational programming to artists and art organizations in Georgia. It provides pro bono legal services to limited-income musicians, songwriters, photographers, filmmakers, painters, poets, graphic designers, actors, theatre companies, dance troupes, museums and artists from many other disciplines. In addition to direct legal services, GLA conducts educational seminars on numerous legal and business-related topics, hosts monthly free legal clinics where artists meet with volunteer attorneys, and provides free or low-cost mediation and arbitration services as an alternate means of resolving legal disputes.
Arts externs communicate with volunteer and member attorneys, conduct client intake interviews, assist attorneys at legal clinics, strengthen GLA's reach (through the website, social media, and special events), volunteer at special events, assist in scheduling artists and attorneys for seminars, and conduct research on art, IP, and entertainment law-related issues. Preference is given to those students who have a strong demonstrated interest in intellectual property and entertainment law.
Georgia PATENTS is the Georgia implementation of the America Invents Act Pro Bono initiative. The program is a partnership between Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and the USPTO in furtherance of the AIA's call for the establishment of pro bono programming to support solo inventors and small businesses in obtaining patent protection. PATENTS externs will assist the Patent Administrator with pro bono inventor intakes, reviewing inventor applications, and managing/creating educational programming for inventors, attorneys, and the general public. Extern(s) will interact with inventors and patent attorneys/agents in the placement of cases and will be involved in following up with previously placed matters.
PREREQUISITES: Arts externs must have a survey course in IP or one or more specific intellectual property courses such as copyright, trademark licensing, or art and entertainment law (may be taken concurrently with the externship). PATENTS externs must have taken patent law. Copyright, trademark, First Amendment, and/or Business Associations classes are a plus. Patent agents and/or Patent Bar eligible students are encouraged to apply.