Class recorded April 30, 2024

As a business owner, artist, or creator, you try to do things that set you apart from the competition. Usually, you do not want the competition to know your important business information, and you don’t want them to profit from your creative expressions and original works. In this class, learn how to protect the information and work that gives your business an edge.

Class covers:

• Copyright: what is protected, and how to make sure no one profits from your original works and expressions
• Free for the taking: what you can take from others, what others can take from you
• Clearance required: what you do need permission to use
• Pitching, idea theft, and implied-in-fact-contracts  

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

Course Materials: If you would like to receive a copy of the course materials for any of the classes, including any PowerPoint used, please register at the Register Now! button for the class, provided below.

Video Recordings: We recognize that not everyone can attend in person classes, so even if you can't make it in, please watch any of these recordings and remember that we are still here to help! Call us at (213) 785-2513, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or chat with us online to get help finding information and resources on any legal (or not-quite-legal) question. Access to the video recordings is free.

Dated Material: Please note that the law changes. The original recording date for each class is provided on the display page. To be certain that you receive up-to-date information, please attend the in-person class, or contact us for help researching or updating your specific legal issue.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

No legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.

Class recorded April 23, 2024

New and growing businesses must enter into a variety of contracts, with landlords, suppliers, and clients, to name a few. Learn how to read common “boilerplate” contractual language and negotiate contractual terms to your advantage.

Class covers:

• Contract law basics 
• Essential terms of a commercial lease: what is negotiable and what is non-negotiable
• Essential terms of a contract for goods or services 
• “Typical” contracts negotiated by business people
• Caveat emptor: how to avoid problematic contracts

Course Materials: If you would like to receive a copy of the course materials for any of the classes, including any PowerPoint used, please register at the Register Now! button for the class, provided below.

Video Recordings: We recognize that not everyone can attend in person classes, so even if you can't make it in, please watch any of these recordings and remember that we are still here to help! Call us at (213) 785-2513, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or chat with us online to get help finding information and resources on any legal (or not-quite-legal) question. Access to the video recordings is free.

Dated Material: Please note that the law changes. The original recording date for each class is provided on the display page. To be certain that you receive up-to-date information, please attend the in-person class, or contact us for help researching or updating your specific legal issue.

Registration fees: FREE - sponsored by the Friends of the Los Angeles County Law Library through the generous support of Pacific Western Bank.

No legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020, 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. This class will be hosted on ZOOM.

Join Zoom Meeting via Computer or Smart Phone:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89782639701

Meeting ID: 897 8263 9701

Dial-In via Phone:
+1 669 900 6833

No Password Required

Pro bono attorneys, student loan borrowers, and consumer advocates will learn about student loan and higher education issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. The training will provide an update on the student debt relief provisions under the federal CARES Act and under California law. Students will also learn how they can protect themselves in the event of school closure, and about loan discharge rights.

Class covers:

• Student debt relief provisions under the CARES Act, passed in response to COVID-19
• Student debt relief under California law
• Student borrower rights in the event of school closure
• Student loan discharge rights in bankruptcy law

Earn 1.0 hour general participatory MCLE credit

Presented by: Robyn Smith and Josephine Lee, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles

Registration fee: FREE

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

LA Law Library, located in downtown Los Angeles, hosts Lawyers in the Library one Friday each month where volunteer attorneys are available for free consultations (up to 20 minutes) with people who have legal problems to discuss but do not have a lawyer representing them. This program is not a substitute for legal representation.

The volunteer lawyers are not for hire.

Lawyers may not have experience in all areas of law.

No advance phone reservation or appointment is necessary.

You must register for a consultation starting at 8:30 a.m. to be seen on a first-come, first-served basis, according to available topics. Participants register on the day of the program.

Consultations will take place from 1:00pm - 4:00pm.

**NOTICE - All patrons are limited to two consultations in a calendar year. A calendar year starts in January and ends in November. If you have already participated in two phone, two in-person or a singular phone/in-person consultation, you are eligible for a new consultation after January of the following year.**

Remember to bring all related documents and forms! Come prepared with all questions written down: time is limited.

Consultations take place at:

LA Law Library - Main Branch

301 W. First Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Registration fee: FREE                     

NOTE: Attorneys will provide advice about filling out forms but will not fill out your forms.

Event Timeline:

• 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Register for a Consultation
• 1:00 p.m. Consultations begin
• 4:00 p.m. Consultations end 

Notice: Registration does not guarantee a consultation. The number of people receiving consultations may be limited due to time constraints.

IN-PERSON:

Currently scheduled dates:

• Friday, January 23, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
• Friday, February 13, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
• Friday, March 20, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm 
• Friday, April 17, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
• Friday, May 15, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm
• Friday, June 12, 2026: 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Notice: Arrive early! Downtown parking and traffic can be challenging and our attorneys are generally fully scheduled for the duration of the program. If you are late, we may not be able to provide you a consultation. 

TOPICS:

Areas of law usually covered include:

• Challenging Government Agency Decisions (Writs)
• Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
• Contracts (formation and breach)
• Credit Card/Debt Collection
• Criminal Law
• Divorce and Child Custody/Support
• Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
• Elder Abuse Restraining Orders
• Employment Law
• Estate Planning
• Guardianship of Estate
• Guardianship of the Person
• Immigration
• Landlord/Tenant
• Personal Injury/Auto Accident
• Probate Litigation
• Real Estate
• Small Business
• Small Claims

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice: LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The Law Library is pleased to offer our patrons the opportunity to obtain assistance from third party legal service providers at this and other events within the Library. However, the Library does not control and is not responsible for the content or scope of any assistance given by those providers.