By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. After being unable to issue visas since June 9 due to a major computer system crash, the U.S. Department of State is now reporting that, as of June 25, 2015, 85% of the U.S. Consulates (approximately 165) are now operational and able to issue visas again. Here is a […]
Read the rest of this article »Hi everyone I realize that this is outside of our normal blog posting schedule. However, understandably, there is a growing concern over the recent…and ongoing…computer crash that has resulted in U.S. Consulates around the world being unable to issue visas. This means that even artists who have been issued I-797 approval notices from USCIS are currently […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: You frequently mention that the artists are our clients, but aren’t the presenters our clients, too? If an artist is acting unreasonably or is going to do something which we know will negatively impact the presenter, we can’t afford to alienate or lose a relationship with […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Every time someone sends us a contract, its always a lengthy document with lots of legalese that no one understands. Is there anything wrong with having a simple, one page agreement that everyone can easily understand and will sign? A lot of people mistake “legalese” […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Someone recently told me that there was a new form for U.S. visa petitions for artists. Is this true? If so, when do I have to start using it? Late last year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised version of Form I-129—the form […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: Our organization has engaged a foreign musician whose European agent is balking at the artist having to obtain an O-1 visa that we know he needs. We want to do this right, so I’m getting my ducks in line to tell him no and part […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: A presenter wants to breach our engagement contract by cancelling. Our cancellation clause says that, in the event of cancellation, we get 50% of the engagement fee or actual damages. They are offering 50%, but at this stage want the full fee. If you have […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. Dear Law and Disorder: We are a dance company who is going to perform in March in the United States. We gave the list of names for Visa purposes last September to the venue. Now we have some changes, we have to replace two technicians who are essential for the […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. We were in the process of booking one of our singers with an orchestra, when we encountered the following Force Majeure clause in the orchestra’s contract: “If, as a result of any event beyond the control of the Orchestra, including, but not limited to, war, national calamity, strike, labor […]
Read the rest of this article »By Brian Taylor Goldstein, Esq. We recently had an incident where the Executive Director of an organization that presented one of our artists gave him a cookie with a controlled substance in it at a reception after the performance. Admittedly, the substance was legal in the presenter’s state, but it made the artist (who […]
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