*attorney and teacher of the course on Fashion Ethics, Sustainability and Development 

The work of the Fashion Law Institute extends to all aspects of the fashion industry, from sourcing to sales and beyond. It offers training for law students, lawyers and members of the fashion community; provides legal services for design students and professionals; and makes available information and assistance on issues facing the fashion industry. Besides teaching a wide range of courses as part of the law school curriculum, the Institute presents many public programs, including panel discussions, an annual symposium, a pro bono clinic and Fashion Law Bootcamp, in which attorneys, law students, designers and models from all over the world come to New York for intensive instruction with Professor Scafidi.

Because clinic cases tend to involve confidential details, I’ll speak more generally about the sort of situations in which the Institute has been able to offer guidance. A number of designers come to the Institute with intellectual property issues, such as obtaining a trademark for a brand of clothing or jewelry.  Designers have also come to the clinic for help on such matters as incorporation, finance, contracts and the new U.S. guidelines pertaining to sustainable fashion. Two of the more well-known public examples of Institute activities include its show at New York Fashion Week, which features designers from the clinic, and its help in forming The Model Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the improvement of working conditions for fashion models.

Fashion is a global industry, and the Fashion Law Institute (based in NYC) works with attorneys, students and members of the fashion industry all over the world. For example, Professor Scafidi and I recently spent ten days in Milan meeting with educators and lawyers and speaking on issues pertaining to Italian fashion industry, including sustainability. Seminars, courses, research projects – our international work includes everything that we do in the U.S. – and we’ve also been privileged to have many people come to the Institute in New York from other countries.