Maine VLA Blog

Our regular office hours are currently Tuesdays and Thursdays (beginning 3/31) from 9am till noon, give or take an hour on each end.  In addition,

We have open office hours during First Friday ArtWalks!

During the ArtWalk, orchestrated by Portand Arts and Cultural Alliance, which occurs in the evening of the first Friday of every month in Portland, Maine VLA will have office hours where anyone can come in to talk to a VLA volunteer about how the VLA intake process works to get artists the legal aid they need to continue to pursue their business.  Speaking with a VLA representative is a great way to help determine whether requesting a lawyer is the most appropriate next step for you or your businss or organization.  If it isn't, the Maine VLA volunteer may point the artist or arts organization in the right direction to find an answer on their own, or through another resource. If it is, we'll help you apply for legal services through our referral network.  No appointent needed.

Maine VLA does not provide legal advice and is not a law firm.  We help connect artists and arts organizations with information and resources, which in some cases includes assisting in arranging for the artists or arts organizations to obtain legal advice, at a later date, from a volunteer lawyer.  

When are FFAW office hours?  Every First Friday from 5:30 - 7pm

Where?  Constallation Gallery, 511 Congress St., Portland, ME

Who is the volunteer?  It changes each month, but they are all rockstars.

APRIL

Tyler Briggs- Tyler is the curator and co-owner of Corduroy Gallery. Tyler has done a little bit of everything- from non-profit work, brand management, sales and marketing, to curating. Whether it is raising money for local non-profits and rallying volunteers, helping small companies get the word out- to working directly with artists curating monthly art installations and exhibits for her gallery Corduroy- she passionate about good design, color, efficient work ethic, days by the sea and the finished product. Tyler joined the MeVLA board of directors in March of 2010.

MARCH
Brad Lawwill -  Brad Lawwill is Vice President and General Counsel of Pierce Promotions and Event Management LLC, a Portland-based experiential marketing agency in the Omnicom family of companies.  As Pierce’s General Counsel, Brad is responsible for managing the day-to-day legal affairs of the organization and his work includes advising on transactional, employment, intellectual property and litigation matters.  A graduate of the Michigan State University College of Law, Brad joined Pierce in 2007 after serving for seven years as Associate General Counsel for South Portland-based Wright Express Corporation.  He was a co-founder of the Baystock Music Festival, an annual charity concert that brought artists such as The Black Crowes, Blues Traveler and Grace Potter to the Portland waterfront, and is the author ofDaily Warm-Ups: Law, an introduction to the law for middle school students published by Walch Education.  Brad joined the MeVLA board of directors in October 2010 and currently serves on its interim executive committee.

FEBRUARY
Nicole Record -  Nicole earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maine School of Law and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Maine, Orono.  She is a member of the Maine Bar and the Bar of the United States Court of International Trade.  After graduating from law school, Nicole worked for Stephen Lanzalotta, a local author, baker and artist.  She was responsible for a variety of tasks, from the initial editing of Stephen's book, The Diet Code (published by TimeWarner in 2006), to marketing, sales and show organization for his abstract oil paintings.  Nicole has been involved with the VLA since 2008 and is pleased to offer her support for the VLA Law Clinic.

JANUARY
  Ezekiel Callanan - Zeke is the founder and current president of the board of Maine VLA.  He also sits on the board of PACA (Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance), the organization that makes First friday ArtWalk happen.  He earned his Bachelor of the Arts degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2003, and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 2008.  He has served as the executive director of Maine VLA, and of the Heart of Biddeford (a nonprofit helping to revitalize the downtown of Biddeford, Maine).  He helps creative businesses identify and narrow issues, and helps them develop strategies to streamline productivity. He has been with VLA since its inception in 2008 and is happy to help in any way he can.