Date: October 21, 2013
Name of Attorneys: Lisa A. Ferrari and Edward M. Weisz
Name of Firm: Cozen O’Connor
Client Served: Healing Arts Initiative (“HAI”)
 

Accomplishment: Provided trademark counseling for HAI’s name change from Hospital Audiences, Inc. to Healing Arts Initiative, which better aligns with the nonprofit organization’s current services, and provided consulting agreements protecting a website redesign.

Specific Case Highlights: Founded in 1969, Hospital Audiences, Inc. (“HAI”) grew out of founder Michael Jon Spencer’s piano recitals in New York State psychiatric centers. Mr. Spencer had a vision to bring the performing arts to those who had limited access because of medical issues. Over the years, HAI has expanded to provide music, dance, theater, and the visual arts to the frail elderly, mentally and physically disabled, seriously ill children at health and social service facilities, and students in grades K - 12. Since its founding, HAI has entertained an audience of more than 13 million people through more than 407,000 events.

In early 2013, HAI approached Lawyers Alliance for assistance in changing its name from Hospital Audiences, Inc. to Healing Arts Initiative. The name change would allow the organization to align its name with its current service mix, which aims to foster healing and growth by providing access to the arts to those whose access is limited by health, age, or income, while maintaining its current acronym, HAI.

Lisa A. Ferrari and Edward M. Weisz of Cozen O’Connor volunteered to assist HAI with its intellectual property needs. Ms. Ferrari and Mr. Weisz conducted a trademark search to determine the feasibility of the name change and provided HAI with practical advice in order to move forward with the registration process. On July 1, 2013 HAI became Healing Arts Initiative. HAI also undertook a redesign of its website as part of the launch of its new name and rebranding. Ms. Ferrari and Mr. Weisz drafted consulting agreements for the web redesign and development, ensuring that the site was a work made for hire and HAI maintains copyright control.

Josh Keller, Director of Marketing and Outreach at HAI, praised Ms. Ferrari and Mr. Weisz’s work, saying, “They were highly professional and knowledgeable and made time to speak with me, our Executive Director, and members of our Board to ensure that everyone understood the process and that we had a way forward that didn’t cost us anything and allowed us to employ the name we wanted to use. The name change is key to our rebranding efforts, as is the website redesign.

About Lawyers Alliance for New York: Lawyers Alliance for New York is the leading provider of business and transactional legal services for nonprofit organizations that are improving the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods. By connecting lawyers, nonprofits, and communities, we help nonprofits to develop affordable housing, stimulate economic development, promote community arts, strengthen urban health, and operate and advocate for vital programs for children and young people, the elderly, and other low-income New Yorkers. Each year, staff attorneys at Lawyers Alliance and more than 1,300 volunteers serve more than 625 clients.

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