The Recording Artists Project is a student practice organization at Harvard Law School providing pro bono legal assistance on music business matters. RAP specializes in contract review/negotiation, copyright matters and other transactional work.
In addition to serving Boston’s music community through client representation, RAP invites a select group of students from Berklee College of Music to offer their insights about the music business to our student practitioners and learn in turn about lawyering in the industry.
If you are a musician, music producer, record label, or other music business professional and you believe RAP could help you, please contact us.
Mission
The Recording Artists’ Project (RAP) at Harvard Law School was established in 1998 to provide under-served Boston-area musicians with empowering, value-added legal counsel while simultaneously offering an invaluable development opportunity for HLS students interested in the industry. To that end, RAP offers pro bono counsel in such matters as copyright and trademark registration, sample clearances, and the negotiation and drafting of contracts related to music production, management, performance, licensing and merchandising.
Since its inception, the organization has actively sought synergy with related organizations in the Greater Boston and Harvard communities. RAP’s collaborative relationship with the renowned Berklee College of Music has resulted in a signficant portion of Berklee students under representation at the clinic.
On campus, RAP works closely with the HLS Committee on Sports and Entertainment Law and other organizations to develop a compelling program of events relevant to students, academics and professionals. RAP’s primary event initiative is a biannual conference intended to stimulate an open exchange between professionals engaged in the industry and the law school community on emerging legal issues in the music business. Held during the fall and spring semesters, the conference invites speakers to the Harvard Law School campus to share their insight into important concerns facing the industry.
DISCLAIMER: Submission of requests for legal assistance from RAP does not constitute the creation of an attorney-client relationship. No attorney-client relationship is formed unless RAP enters a retainer agreement. Any legal work performed is done pursuant to the supervision of licensed attorneys. RAP does not practice in jurisdictions where it is unauthorized to do so, or where the laws of that state do not permit.