A small-claims alternative to court where independent artists can defend their intellectual property rights is in danger of stalling months before it’s set to launch, as law professors balk at a plan for their students to participate.
Pro bono legal representation from budding lawyers was a key presumption in the Copyright Claims Board—which Congress envisioned as a voluntary, affordable alternative to expensive courtroom battles.
But 13 leading law professors from clinics that serve clients in need told the U.S. Copyright Office they won’t have their students argue cases before the three-person tribunal, which is scheduled to begin hearing cases in ...