Let’s Have A Conversation
When I speak I like it to be positive, proactive and easy to understand. I speak at conferences, meetings and special events. Click here to browse some of the topics I like to discuss!
I also teach complete for-credit classes at colleges and universities. The focus: legal issues in the arts and creative enterprise. Ask me how to develop a course for your school, using my book to do it.
Participant Comments about Trademark School:
“Great overview of this topic, without being ‘too lawerly’ or given to jargon.” “Very informative and entertaining. Examples and case studies very helpful in understanding the nuances of these laws.” “I enjoyed the session — makes me realize how much I don’t know. Beth Russell is excellent.”
Speaking Topics
Do you need a speaker for your class or meeting? I can deliver anything from a 1 hour presentation to a semester-long course.
I have recently presented on these topics:
- Reading the Fine Print: Demystifying Contracts
- Contracts in the Performing Arts
- Legal Issues in Nonprofit Organizations
- Legal Issues for Artists
- Copyright Issues for Art Educators
- Arts Law Conversations
- Legal Issues for Presenting Organizations
- Copyright: Parody, Satire and Fair Use
- Music Licensing
- How Not to Get Sued for Playing Music in Public
- Legal Issues in Social Media
- Copyright and Photography
- Trademark School [training for corporate branding and design professionals]
- Trademark Matters (So Does Visual Art) [training for government agency counsel’s office]
- They Always Fire the Drummer (professional ethics in arts and entertainment law)
- Celebrity Rights of Privacy and Publicity
- Copyright, GIS and Open Records Law
- Contracts in the Creative Industries
- Intellectual Property Considerations for Estate Planning Professionals
- Copyright Basics for Visual Artists
- Understanding Contracts and Business Entity Basics
- Doing Business Online
- Understanding the DMCA
- Understanding the Visual Artists Rights Act
- Legal Issues in the Music Industry
- Copyright Law for Authors and Artists
Want something customized? Fill out the Speaker Request form BELOW, and let’s talk!
Trademark School
Companies routinely sink enormous amounts of time and money into would-be trademarks without considering the legal strength and viability of the marks. Too frequently, they also neglect critical steps for keeping their marks in force. Business is all about the bottom line. If a company wants to protect its brand and maximize its value, the company’s creative professionals have to understand trademark fundamentals.
Ruly Press (my publishing company) offers customizable, on-site training programs. Our popular “Trademark School” delivers a toolbox of trademark-related DOs and DON’Ts for creative specialists.
Speaker Request Form
Past engagements
2019-2024
University of Wisconsin Bolz Center for Arts Administration
Middleton Chamber of Commerce
Forward Fest
American Family Dream Bank
University of Wisconsin Small Business Development Center
Wisconsin Council of Estate Planning Attorneys
Madison SCORE
State Bar of Wisconsin
Self-Employment in the Arts Conference
The Business Savvy Singer Podcast
Estate Planning Council of Birmingham, Alabama
Association of Wisconsin Artists
LunART Festival
2018
- University of Wisconsin Law School (Entertainment Society), Madison, WI
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Photo MidWest, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Law School (IP Society), Madison, WI
- Between the Waves Festival, Madison, WI
- American Theater Critics National Conference, Spring Green, WI
- City of Middleton, Middleton, WI
- University of Wisconsin Law School (IP Society), Madison, WI
- Madison Area Paralegals Association, Madison, WI
2017
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Discussion and Book Signing, Key West, FL
- Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum, Milwaukee, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin Tax School, Milwaukee, WI
2016
- University of Wisconsin Bolz Center for Arts Administration, Madison, WI
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Racine Art Museum (Professional Development Series), Racine, WI
- 14 South Artists of South Central Wisconsin, Oregon, WI
- Arts, Ability, Access and Enterprise Summit, Madison, WI
- Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, WI
- Wisconsin DNR Bureau of Legal Services, Fitchburg, WI
- Middleton Chamber of Commerce, Middleton, WI
- Wisconsin School Music Association Conference, Madison, WI
- State University of New York, New Paltz, NY
- State University of New York, Purchase, NY
2015
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (3 credit class)
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- State University, Fredonia, NY (1 credit class)
- Wisconsin Visual Artists, South Central Chapter
- State University, Fredonia, NY (1 credit class) — again!
- Middleton Public Library
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Madison Public Library
- Wisconsin School Music Association
2014
- State University, Fredonia, NY (1 credit class)
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- 14 South Artists of South Central Wisconsin, Oregon, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (and webcast)
- Lee County Alliance for the Arts, Ft. Myers, FL
- State Bar of Wisconsin (again!), Madison, WI
2013
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Arts Enterprise, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- Wisconsin Association of Artists and Craftspeople, Madison, WI
- Arts Enterprise (again!), University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- Sauk County Art Association, Baraboo, WI
- College Entrepreneurs Organization, Chicago, IL
- Wisconsin School Music Association, Madison, WI
- University of Wisconsin Bolz Center for Arts Administration, Madison, WI
2012
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Arts Enterprise, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
- Women’s Network of Estate Planners, Madison, WI
- Collegiate Entreprenuers Organization, Chicago, IL
- American Academy of Estate Planners, San Diego, CA
2011
- Pecha Kucha High Tech Happy Hour, Madison, WI
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Dane County Bar Association, Madison, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- Women in Business Panel, University of Wisconsin School of Business, Madison, WI
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI
- University of Wisconsin-Madison Art Department, Madison, WI
2010
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Center for Photography at Madison, Madison, WI
- MCA-I Madison Spring Seminar, Madison, WI
- American Family Insurance, Madison, WI
- Wisconsin Regional Writers Association, Madison, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI
2009
- UW Madison Arts Enterprise Symposium, Madison, WI
- Art Business class, UW Madison, Madison, WI
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Visual and Performing Arts Departments, SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, NY
- Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, WI
- Bolz Center for Arts Administration, UW Madison, Madison, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Convention, Milwaukee, WI
- State Bar of Wisconsin Solo and Small Firm Conference, Wisconsin Dells, WI
- Art Licensing Teleseminar Series “Legal Ease” with J’Net Smith
2008
- National Council of Art Administrators Annual Conference, Sarasota, FL
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, Milwaukee, WI
- University of Wisconsin Law School, Madison, WI
- Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee, WI
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (via web conferencing)
- American Association of Museums, Denver, CO
- State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Convention, Madison, WI
- Media Communications Association-Madison, Monona Terrace, Madison, WI
- Madison Area Business Consultants, Madison, WI
- Minisink Valley High School, Slate Hill, NY
- Business and Professional Women, Madison, WI
2007
- Williamson Street Art Center, Madison, WI
- Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, Milwaukee, WI
- Spring Green Area Arts Coalition, Spring Green, WI
- Lemery House, Oregon, WI
- Charter Media, Wisconsin Dells, WI
- Oneida Nation Arts Program, Green Bay, WI
- San Jose State University School of Art & Design, San Jose, CA
- The Phipps Center for the Arts, Hudson, WI
- Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople, Middleton, WI
- Springs Window Fashions, Middleton, WI
- InVision Business Development (via web conferencing)
- Wisconsin Presenters Network Annual Conference, Sheboygan, WI
- Community Business Bank, Sauk City, WI
- Art Department, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
- Legal Association of Women, Madison, WI
- Music, Media and Technology Conference, Madison, WI
2006
- Milwaukee Artist Resource Network, Milwaukee, WI
- Self-Employment in the Arts Conference, Lisle, IL
- University of Wisconsin-Platteville ARTSBuild, Platteville, WI
- Wisconsin Designer Crafts Council, Milwaukee, WI
- League of Milwaukee Artists, Milwaukee, WI
- Middleton Chamber of Commerce, Middleton, WI
- Becket Arts Center, Becket, MA
- Upper Iowa University, Madison, WI
- Media Communications Association International, Madison, WI
- Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
- Ruly Press Trademark School, Middleton, WI
- VIVA Gallery, Viroqua, WI
2005 and Earlier
- Arts Midwest, St. Paul, MN
- Arts Midwest, Columbus, OH
- Arts Northwest, Boise, ID
- Delaware Division of the Arts, Dover, DE
- East High School, Madison, WI
- Katonah Museum of Art, Katonah, NY
- National Society of Grantwriting Professionals, Savannah, GA
- OPERA America, Cincinnati, OH
- OPERA America, Chicago, IL
- Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah, GA
- State Bar of Wisconsin 2005 Annual Convention, Milwaukee, WI
- Women’s Caucus for Art National Conference, New York, NY
