Law doesn’t have to be intimidating. Instead, it should be a powerful tool that you can harness to protect and grow your practice and business, and avoid misunderstandings and disputes with others. This session will cover a handful of hot topics for creatives, such as copyright do's and don'ts, how to properly integrate AI, and key terms in contracts and licenses that you should pay attention to (and what you can ignore).

For each topic, lawyers Cece and Max will draw from firsthand experiences representing their clients, which include artists, designers, content creators, and other small businesses. The session will be both instructional and interactive, leaving plenty of room at the end for questions and discussion.

Cece and Max will also host office hours at Index NYC in the future — stay tuned for more information.

Forming a Corporate Entity: why you may need one, LLC vs. corporation, and important steps.

Copyright Essentials: how copyright works, ownership of works (employee vs. freelancer), collaborations, and the importance of written contracts.

Copyright Dos and Don’ts: how much copying is too much copying, the fair use exception (narrower than you think), best practices, and tips for enforcing your own copyrights.

Anatomy of a Contract: key terms to pay attention to and simple changes you can ask for.

Hot Topics Lightning Round: parody trademarks, AI and copyright, and publicity rights (name, image and likeness).

Studio Legal is the boutique arts & entertainment law firm of Max Zidel and Cece Xie catering to creatives and creative businesses of all kinds.

Cece Xie

Cece launched Studio Legal to address the unique issues posed by a changing digital media landscape. She is passionate about helping creators and creatives navigate legalese and the business side of doing what they love (or have to do in order to do what they love). Her practice includes negotiating and drafting commercial contracts, advising on intellectual property issues such as copyright and trademark, and developing legal strategies to protect and assert her clients' rights.

As a lawyer, lecturer, and content creator, Cece possesses the rare capability to marry legal theory with firsthand industry experience. She is a Lecturer at Yale and teaches the course Intellectual Property in the Digital Age. While an associate at a top law firm in New York, she began creating content herself and has since amassed over 500,000 followers across social media platforms. As Cece interfaced with other players in the creator economy and negotiated her own deals, she saw a need for sophisticated yet practical legal advice in the space. She is proud to not only be a legal advisor to her clients but also a long-term strategic partner.

In her free time, Cece enjoys hot yoga, anime conventions, and dancing under flashing lights. She is also writing her debut book about the world of Big Law (Portfolio/Penguin Random House 2025).

Max Zidel

Max started Studio Legal because he loves working with artists and creatives to advocate for their interests and make their visions a reality.

Leveraging several years of experience practicing as a lawyer at a top New York law firm, he regularly advises on contract, general commercial and copyright issues across a variety of arts and entertainment industries. Whether as part of a new opportunity or minor dispute, Max is a skilled negotiator who prides himself on taking a highly practical and collaborative approach. Max is often called upon to help clients think through new projects, partnerships, and business models, particularly how best to structure these ventures and maximize copyright protections.

Max is also a creative himself with a background in creative writing and theatre (ask him about his time at clowning school in France). In the wild, you can often find him at an emerging art or furniture design show, or dancing to indie electronic or house music.

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More than 4 weeks before event → 100% refund
More than 2 weeks before event → 50% refund
Fewer than 2 weeks before event → No refund

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