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Grievance Committee A primary purpose of the Guild is to ensure the fair and ethical treatment of all Graphic artists. For the Guild’s members, the National Grievance Committee serves that end. The Grievance Committee (also referred to as the Professional Practices Committee) reviews a member’s grievance, suggests possible solutions, and, if appropriate, intervenes on the member’s behalf. Many members have made use of the committee’s services and secured favorable outcomes. When the Guild is unable to resolve the dispute, we refer the parties to various types of legal remedies, including mediation and arbitration. The Grievance Committee also enables the Guild to have an overview on trends of abuse. In turn, the Guild is able to address those trends by educating both artists and clients on appropriate professional behavior. How the National Grievance Committee Works: The first step is to contact the Guild’s National Office and request a Grievance Application, which includes forms that describe and document the dispute and state a desired remedy. It is extremely important that you organize all materials related to your case. Keep copies of all documents and correspondence to establish a paper trail that will act as evidence for your position. The Grievance Committee will review your case and, if it is found to have merit and sufficient documentation, pursue appropriate action. Legal Referral Network The Guild’s Legal Referral Network consists of attorneys from around the country with special expertise in the areas most valuable to our members: copyright and intellectual property, contract negotiations, Internet issues, licensing, royalties, and collections. As Associate Members of the Guild, they are informed of developments within the Guild and conversant with the issues concerning our members. An e-mailed file of the network is available as well a hard copy. Please forward your requests, either a hard copy or e-mail file to 212.791.3400. Note: We suggest that you discuss fees with the attorney before you accept advice or assistance. Only you can decide if the attorney is appropriate for your situation. The Guild will not interfere in the attorney/client relationship, and cannot be held responsible for the referral or for any fees incurred.] A Pre-Paid Legal Services® Membership Makes Sense What's worse than needing legal help? Not having access to it.Now you can have the legal help you need at a fraction of the usual cost. How? With a Pre-Paid Legal membership. Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc., has been helping North America's families protect their legal rights since 1972. We'll be there for you and your family. There's no substitute for quality legal counsel, especially today. Legal situations and questions develop in our lives without notice. With your Pre-Paid Legal membership, you have the legal support of a reputable, professional law firm behind you. Your Legal Plan benefits in brief… • Unlimited toll-free consultations with your Provider Law Firm • Letters/phone calls made on your behalf by your Provider Law Firm • Contract/document review • Will preparation with yearly reviews and updates • Moving traffic violation representation • Tragic accident representation • Suspended driver's license reinstatement assistance • Personal injury/property damage collection assistance • Defense of civil and job-related criminal charges • IRS audit legal services • 25% hourly discount on legal services not otherwise covered by the membership • One membership covers you, your spouse, and your dependent children • The Legal Shield rider provides 24/7 access to an attorney should you be detained by a law enforcement official • Service is available in English and Spanish * Consult our website or plan contracts for actual terms, coverage, amounts, conditions, and exclusions. The information contained in this article is for illustrative purposes only and is not a contract. It is intended to provide a general overview of plan coverage. For Additional Information and To Become a Member: Visit us online: WWW.PREPAIDLEGAL.COM/INFO/MICHAELBORNIA Contract Monitor Overwhelmed with unfair contracts? Unsure of all the legalese and abstract clauses embedded in contracts? The Graphic Artists Guild’s National Contract Committee is dedicated to helping members manage the difficult realm of contracts. Functioning on both the National and Chapter level, the committee provides assistance in understanding and negotiating contracts to the creative community. The committee publishes an e-mail newsletter, the Contract Monitor, which analyzes and demystifies confusing contract clauses. In each issue, the Monitor reviews member-submitted contracts, offers negotiation tips, interviews, quizzes, and commentary to keep its readers informed. The committee also maintains the Contract Monitor Web site that lists companies reviewed and provides a useful and clear glossary of legalese. The Contract Monitor Web site has recently been redesigned and updated; visit it for comprehensive help with contracts. For more information, including examples of fair contracts, Guild members may also refer to the 11th edition of the Guild’s Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. Soon you will be able to download copies of the standard contracts and business tools found in the Pricing & Ethical Guidelines from the website. Disclaimer: All items are subject to change without notice. The Guild and all parties mentioned here cannot be held responsible for any changes occurring after publication.
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