Elizabeth Russell

Current

• Owner at Russell Law

Past

• Instructor at Madison Media Institute
• Partner at Hazelbaker & Russell
• Managing Director at Opera for the Young

• Director of Individual Giving at Madison Repertory Theatre
• Development Director at Albany Symphony Orchestra
• Senior Attorney at New York State Education Department
• Research Attorney at NY Supreme Court, App Div 3d Dept

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Education

• Pace University School of Law
• State University of New York College at Fredonia
• Cornwall Central High School

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Recommended

12 people have recommended Elizabeth

Connections

275 connections

Industry

Legal Services

Elizabeth Russell’s Summary

Elizabeth T Russell is not a music teacher. She came darn close, but ended up a lawyer instead. Suitably armed with an undergraduate degree in bassoon, she earned her law degree from New York’s Pace University School of Law, where she served as a member of the Pace Law Review. She is admitted to practice law in the states of New York, Connecticut and Wisconsin.

Elizabeth represented the New York State Museum in negotiations leading to the repatriation of twelve sacred wampum belts to the Onondaga Nation. She also represented the Commissioner of Education, successfully, in litigation before the United States Supreme Court.

Following public service, Elizabeth explored the field of arts administration. She held positions with the Albany Symphony Orchestra in Albany, NY; the Madison Repertory Theatre in Madison, WI; and Opera for the Young, a professional opera touring company. She returned to law in 2000 and opened Russell Law.

As a writer Ms. Russell enjoys taking complicated issues and explaining them in understandable terms for nonlawyers. She is the author of Art Law Conversations: A Surprisingly Readable Guide for Visual Artists (available from Ruly Press). Art Law Conversations achieved finalist status in ForeWord Magazine's 2005 Book of the Year awards, earned a rating of "Essential" from the American Library Association's CHOICE Magazine and was included on CHOICE's 2006 list of Outstanding Academic Titles. In 2008 the title was awarded a Writer's Digest First Place award in the reference category.

Ms. Russell is the Chair of the Sports and Entertainment Law section of the State Bar of Wisconsin and a member of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law section of the New York State Bar Association. She also serves on the executive committee of the board of directors of the Middleton (WI) Chamber of Commerce, and on the board of the Middleton Community Foundation.

She is remarkably fluent in plain English.

Elizabeth Russell’s Specialties:

corporate training, copyright, trademark, arts, entertainment, media, contracts, general business, start-ups, internet and computer law, nonprofit law, music law, art law, publishing law, privacy, consulting, writing, editing, workshops, seminars

Elizabeth Russell’s Experience

• Owner

  Russell Law

  (Law Practice industry)

  2000 — Present (9 years )

  Russell Law serves creative businesses and individuals with copyright and trademark consulting and representation. Other practice areas include arts and entertainment, internet, nonprofit and general business law.

• Instructor

  Madison Media Institute

  (Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Higher Education industry)

  August 2005 — August 2006 (1 year 1 month)

  Developed curriculum and taught Copyright Management

• Partner

  Hazelbaker & Russell

  (Partnership; 1-10 employees; Law Practice industry)

  2001 — 2003 (2 years )

• Managing Director

  Opera for the Young

  (Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Music industry)

  1997 — 2001 (4 years )

• Director of Individual Giving

  Madison Repertory Theatre

  (Entertainment industry)

  1996 — 1998 (2 years )

• Development Director

  Albany Symphony Orchestra

  (Music industry)

  1994 — 1996 (2 years )

• Senior Attorney

  New York State Education Department

  (Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Legal Services industry)

  1987 — 1994 (7 years )

• Research Attorney

  NY Supreme Court, App Div 3d Dept

  (Government Agency; 501-1000 employees; Judiciary industry)

  1986 — 1987 (1 year )

Elizabeth Russell’s Education

• Pace University School of Law

  JD , Law , 1983 — 1986

  Activities and Societies:

  Law Review, Commuting

• State University of New York College at Fredonia

  B.A. , Music, Spanish , 1979 — 1982

• Cornwall Central High School

Additional Information

Elizabeth Russell’s Groups:

Middleton Chamber of Commerce (board member), Madison Area Business Consultants, Sports and Entertainment Law Section State Bar of Wisconsin (board member), Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section, New York State Bar Association; Copyright Society of the U.S.A., L.A.W., BNI, Women In Business mentoring program

•    Legal Blogging
•    Media Professionals Worldwide
•    Music and Entertainment Professionals
•    The Copyright Society of the USA
•    Linked n Middleton, WI
•    Pace Law School
•    Wisconsin Lawyers
•    World Copyright Summit
•    Business Connections of Greater Madison
•    Alternative Fee Lawyers
•    Madison Area Business Consultants

Elizabeth Russell’s Honors:

As an author: First place, Reference Books category -- Writer's Digest 15th Annual International Self-Published Book Awards
As an author: CHOICE Outstanding Academic Titles, 2006

Elizabeth Russell’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• expertise requests
• business deals
• getting back in touch