Protect Your Body of Work

Join the George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School Arts & Entertainment Advocacy Clinic and Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA) to learn how proper licensing can protect the rights of visual artists including tattoo artists, photographers, illustrators, and more.

A student advocate from the Mason Law Arts and Entertainment Advocacy Clinic will work with tattoo artist Ross Berg a.k.a. “Hot Scratcher” and photographer Jeff Sedlik to explain how to best protect their intellectual property.

The panel will discuss Jeff Sedlik’s lawsuit against celebrity tattooer Kat Von D for unlicensed use of his iconic image of Miles Davis as a tattoo, and her related postings on social media. Then attorney Matt Hersh of Mestaz Law will join us to talk about how artists can be heard in cases they care about by filing amicus briefs. Finally, the panel will field questions pre-submitted by participants.

Please submit questions in advance to Maggie Gladson at legalservices@waladc.org to allow for a more robust conversation. A Zoom link will be provided several days before the event, as well as immediately before start time.