Event Summary

WALA Creative Entrepreneurs Series (CES)  (Legal Issues for Creative Entrepreneurs)

WALA’s Creative Entrepreneurs Series is a series for creatives of all kinds who want to take the next step in their professional career by creating their own business. Explore the basics of forming a business for your creative endeavors, from deciding whether to incorporate as a non-profit or for-profit entity, to understanding copyrights and trademarks, contracts and licensing, the grants process, and finally estate planning for artists and creatives.

The series comprises six ONLINE sessions to be held on *consecutive Tuesdays, starting Tuesday, September 22, 2026 and continuing through Tuesday, October 27, 2026 from 11am – 1p.

Session #1: Copyright & Trademark Basics 

Presentation and Q & A with:
Anna Chauvet, Esq, Partner, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP
Juris Klavins, Esq, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP

This session covers:

• Copyright Registration
• Fair Use
• Works Made For Hire
• Trademark
• Rights Management
• Creative Commons
• Licensing
• Protecting your creations

Anna Chauvet leads Finnegan’s copyright practice and brings significant experience in tackling cutting-edge issues pertaining to copyright. Anna has testified before the U.S. Copyright Office concerning artificial intelligence and copyright, as well as spoken in other government, academic, and industry forums regarding developments in copyright law and legislative efforts.

Prior to rejoining Finnegan as a partner, Anna served as associate general counsel at the U.S. Copyright Office, where she advised on litigation strategy to inform the U.S. government’s views regarding novel questions of copyright law pending before the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, she helped implement the Music Modernization Act (MMA), the most sweeping reform to copyright law in decades, by issuing regulations regarding the newly-formed mechanical licensing collective charged with administering the blanket license for musical works.

Anna also served as vice president of public policy at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), where she was integral to policy development and advocacy strategies in the areas of artificial intelligence, music licensing, privacy, and antitrust.

Anna holds an undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law.

Juris Klavins is an intellectual property attorney at Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP. He counsels clients on the enforcement and monetization of their intellectual property assets. Clients across industries rely on his experience in trademark, design, and copyright laws to help achieve their goals and strengthen their market presence.

Juris’ practice covers a wide range of IP matters, including opposition and cancellation proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO); settlement, licensing, and assignment agreements; cease & desist letters; Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) proceedings; handling complicated USPTO office actions; and expungement proceedings.

The former head of the trademark department at a boutique IP firm, Juris has advised multi-billion-dollar companies in strategically selecting new marks and enforcing them across the globe. He has also guided clients in navigating the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) advertising rules as part of the process of developing sound marketing strategies.

Prior to embarking on a career in law, Juris was an acclaimed professional cellist, performing at numerous international festivals and prestigious venues, including The Royal Albert Hall, Egmont Palace, and the Grand Hall of the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

Visit Finnegan online: Finnegan | Leading Intellectual Property Law Firm

#waladc

WALA programs and activities are funded in part by

************************************************************************

The 2026 Fall WALA Creative Entrepreneurs Series is FREE for WALA members. 

$20 per workshop for non-members/General Public. 

#WALAFALL2026
 

Event Details

• Date

  September 22, 2026

  ---

• Time

  11:00am - 1:00pm

  ---

• Partner

  DC Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment

  ---

• Venue

  Online