Varnum partner Matt Bower has been named co-director and adjunct professor of the newly-launched Arts and Entertainment Law Clinic at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.
The clinic will provide students with access to a comprehensive intellectual property law practice experience. Specific client projects may include filing copyright registrations, preparing clearance reports and fair use analyses, drafting and commenting on music agreements, personal services agreements, location agreements and image releases, and advising on defamation and publicity matters.
Bower is a business law attorney with a strong focus on startups and emerging companies. He has extensive experience in a broad range of intellectual property matters including copyright protection and licensing, publicity rights, publishing, public art and fair use. He serves as lead attorney for Varnum’s Ann Arbor office and leads the firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Companies practice.
“I look forward to being part of this historic and important clinic,” Bower said. “The arts and entertainment professions are important to me on both a professional and personal basis, and I am excited about helping young attorneys understand the unique needs of clients in the creative economy.”
Bower has strong ties to the creative community. He is a member of the board of the Ann Arbor Art Center, serving on the Executive Committee and Art in Public Committee. He was active for many years with Creative Many Michigan and its predecessor, ArtServe Michigan. He served on the board and as a volunteer in the Lawyers for the Creative Economy program and on the board for Michigan Youth Arts. In 2020, the Arts, Communication, Entertainment and Sports (ACES) Section of the State Bar of Michigan presented Bower with the Hensel Award in recognition of his significant contributions to the arts community in Michigan. Bower holds an MFA in Theatre from the University of Michigan in addition to his law degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
The Detroit Mercy Law Arts and Entertainment Law Clinic is the only one of its kind in the state of Michigan. The clinic enhances the law school’s commitment to educating the complete lawyer by providing students with access to a comprehensive intellectual property law clinical offering. In addition to the copyright work through the new clinic, Detroit Mercy Law offers a transnational patent clinic and trademark clinic, both of which are certified by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).