Navigating Contracts in the Creative Industries

Date/Time: Thurs. Aug. 28 ,1-2:30 PM
Location: online via Microsoft Teams (a link will be sent closer to the event for those who RSVP)
RSVP here

Co-organized by Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS) and OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD), intellectual property lawyer Alyssa Gaffen leads a workshop designed to help demystify the complex but necessary world of contracts for creative professionals. This educational session will empower you to protect your work, secure fair compensation, and confidently navigate business agreements in the creative industries. Learn key contract terms, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical strategies for evaluating and negotiating deals that align with your creative and professional goals. Through expert insights, real-world examples and interactive discussion, you’ll gain the tools to understand, draft, and review contracts with clarity and confidence. Whether you’re freelancing, collaborating, or licensing your work, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge to safeguard your creative career. Intended for beginners and seasoned creatives alike! There will be time for questions at the end of the workshop.

About the Speaker:

Alyssa is an associate at Aitken Klee LLP in Ottawa. She practices in all areas of intellectual property law, supports artists with entertainment law questions and disputes, and advocates for clients in regulated industries with respect to the Access to Information Act.

Alyssa has experience with litigation before the Federal Court and Court of Appeal, the Ontario Superior Court and Small Claims Court, and the Supreme Court of Canada. Outside the courtroom, she has advised the Government of Canada on IP litigation and counseled businesses about IP, licensing, and regulatory issues. Prior to joining Aitken Klee, Alyssa worked as a Law Clerk for The Honourable Justice Richard Southcott of the Federal Court of Canada.

Alyssa also serves the artistic community as Duty Counsel with the Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS) clinic, helping creators with copyright, trademark, contracts, privacy, defamation, and other concerns.

Alyssa quickly develops expertise in new subject areas and translates complicated concepts into persuasive arguments. She brings her knowledge of pharmaceutical, mechanical, technological, and other patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, and associated regulatory regimes to all of her cases.