MEOW Lawyers,

which stands for "Musicians' Evening or Weekend Lawyers", is Mass Island's pro bono legal service project addressing the legal needs of musicians, those working closely with musicians, music educators, as well as small and startup music groups, companies, and organizations.

We currently offer the following legal services for free:

Quick legal information & advice on contracts, business formation, corporate governance, copyright and trademark management and licensing, compliance, and other common legal issues in the music industry.
USPTO trademark registrations and prosecutions.
U.S. Copyright Office copyright registrations.
Consulting on copyright and trademark management, protection, and licensing.
Consulting on and drafting internal rules and policies for small businesses.
Massachusetts business entity formations, for-profit or nonprofit.
Consulting on federal and Massachusetts compliance matters for small businesses.
Negotiating, reviewing, and drafting contracts and agreements.
Music- or arts-related dispute mediations, given that all parties agree to use it.

*This project does not cover criminal matters, immigration matters, litigations and appearances of any kind before a court or administrative agency, appeals, and other complex legal matters.

Get Involved:

Operating Hours

Monday - Friday 7PM - 9PM

Saturday - Sunday 11AM - 4PM

We close on the 11 federal holidays.

Contact Information

Email: meow@massisland.org

Mail: Mass Island Corp, P.O. Box 550031, Waltham, MA 02455 (USPS Only)

Call/Text: (971) 221-4819

Get Some Help Now

To Begin: please schedule a one-hour virtual meeting using the link below. We will then determine your eligibility for our services. If you are eligible, a Pro Bono Attorney will meet with you. More meetings may be scheduled thereafter. If we cannot help you, we will cancel your meeting and explain to you why in an email.

Costs: You do not pay attorney's fees. However, you still have to pay out-of-pocket costs, if any, such as filing fees, printing costs, and mailing costs.

Non-Discrimination: we do not discriminate based on race, sex, national origin, citizenship, disability, age, and socioeconomic status. Nonetheless, conflict of interests, jurisdictions, or the subject matter and complexity of your legal matters might lead to your ineligibility for this project. If you are already represented by an attorney, we will not be able to assist you.

Languages: we currently assist speakers of English, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean.

Disclaimers & Guarantees: (1) conflict of interest must be checked for all services we provide, but a merely commercially competitive relationship is not deemed a conflict of interest; (2) no attorney-client relationship is automatically established under this project; (3) we keep all communications confidential and do not use any information obtained through legal services absent your informed consent in writing; (4) we could not guarantee timely assistance with urgent legal matters; (5) we do not provide a list of our attorneys or permit you to pick your attorney; (6) we are not a law firm or a public counsel service, and in no ways and by no means we could substitute a law firm or a public counsel service.

Join as a Legal Professional

This project is managed by a Managing Attorney and assisted by a Legal Secretary who performs supportive duties, such as scheduling, accounting, advertising, and recordkeeping.
To join us, please email your resume and one-page cover letter to meow@massisland.org. We will be in touch with you shortly.

Pro Bono Membership

By becoming a member of this project, you agree to ethically, competently, diligently, and zealously provide pro bono legal services as stated above under the administration of our corporate staffs in charge of this project. The membership is free. A digital membership certificate will be emailed to you.

Your membership duration is one year, unless you give us written notice that you are terminating your membership early. The membership is NOT automatically renewed absent your proposal and our consent. This membership does not create an employer-employee relationship.

To Become a Pro Bono Attorney: You must be licensed to practice law in good standing in at least one jurisdiction in the US. You must also guarantee a minimum two-hour weekly commitment. Proof of bar admission(s) must be provided. We strongly recommend all Pro Bono Attorneys to be insured for malpractice.

To Become a Pro Bono Law Clerk: You must be a law student or a recent graduate from an ABA-accredited law school in the US. You must also guarantee a minimum two-hour weekly commitment. Proof of law school enrollment or law degree must be provided. Each qualified candidate will be assigned to a Pro Bono Attorney who shall supervise all works performed by his or her Pro Bono Law Clerks.

To Become a Legal Practice Advisor

If you are an experienced attorney who (1) is licensed to practice law in good standing in at least one jurisdiction in the US, (2) does not wish to or cannot provide pro bono legal services pursuant to our terms and conditions, (3) but still wish to provide guidance and instructions to our Pro Bono Attorneys and Pro Bono Law Clerks, you may register as our Legal Practice Advisor. A digital certificate will be emailed to you.

A Legal Practice Advisor is not a member of this project and do not take cases. A Legal Practice Advisor may be terminated at will.

To Become a Volunteer Law Fellow

You must be a legal professional in the US and be willing to (1) research, write, and publish free legal information and advice, law reviews, commentaries, and columns, and (2) plan and organize legal webinars and community events. A digital certificate will be emailed to you.

A Volunteer Law Fellow, unless concurrently held by a Pro Bono Attorney or Pro Bono Law Clerk, is not a member of this project and do not take cases. A Volunteer Law Fellow may be terminated at will.

MEOW Lawyers,

Get Involved:

Get Some Help Now

Join as a Legal Professional

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