How to get a pro bono lawyer for copyright infringement

Generally, copyright infringement wouldn't qualify for pro bone representation. If you are alleging copyright infringement, and can demonstrate that you have a viable case, you should be able to find an attorney that will handle it, on a contingent basis. If someone is alleging copyright infringement against you, you'll almost certainly have to pay an attorney up front.

I doubt you will find someone. If you have a case you will likely either have to pay an hourly fee or get a lawyer to work on contigency.

Copyright infringement cases are a LOT of work, and there are often a LOT of costs, so you're asking for a lot in asking for a pro bono lawyer, and no Legal Aid lawyer would be able to help you. Maybe you mean you're looking for a lawyer on a contingency basis? That eans they don't get paid until you do, and it might also mean they advance your costs. In order to get a lawyer on a basis like this, you need to have registered your copyrighted work, whatever that is, BEFORE the alleged infringement, so you'd be eligible for the discretionary award of fees, and you beed a very strong case. You've provided no facts here, so what you need to do is pitch your case to local copyright litigators with all the facts laid out in a 2 minutes "elevator speech." You need to outline the basis of the alleged infringer's LIABILITY, and what your DAMAGES are. If you did register the copyrighted work, and you're eligible for attorney's fees, you're also eligible for STATUTORY rather than ACTUAL damages, which means $750-$30,000 per work, and up to $150,000 if the infringement was willful, i.e., knowing it was infringing. It's a lot more complicated than that, but those are the basics. Don't wait, the statute of limitations is 3 years from your discovery of the infringement, so find a lawyer ASAP. Good luck.

It is not clear from your question whether you believe one of your copyrighted works was infringed upon or whether you have been accused of copyright infringement. Here is some information for Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts located in New York City: Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts 1 E. 53rd St., 6th Fl. New York, NY 10022 tel: (212)319·ARTS (2787) ext. 1 fax: (212) 752-6575 [email protected] www.vlany.org I recommend that you take a look at their website and perhaps speak to someone at that organization to see if they can help you. Best of luck!

Do you realize that even if you get a pro bono attorney, and if you lose the case, you could be presented with a bill for the other sides's attorney fees at the conclusion of the case? Yet ANOTHER reason why copyright is no fun.

When you wish upon a star, makes no difference where you are. In your case, however, the dream is not likely to come true. There is no legal aid pro bono for copyright infringement. There might be contingency fee representation in the right case. These are difficult expensive cases so the damages would need to be enormous, the defendant rich enough to pay, the case would need to be a slam-dunk and probably the infringement deliberate and willful. If you are looking for copyright infringement defense, say for a response to a charge that you illegally downloaded a movie or the like, refer again to the first two lines above.