PROTECT WHAT YOU’VE BUILT
Legal clarity for creatives who mean business
Running a creative business shouldn’t feel like holding your breath every time you hit “send.”
You want to make art, take on work you love, and be paid fairly for it. You also want your contracts, boundaries, and income to actually protect you. But right now, legal tasks can feel confusing, overwhelming, or like one more thing on an already full plate.
Welcome to the artist’s Courtyard: the friendly, no-fluff place where creative business owners get the legal clarity they need to stop second-guessing and start working with quiet confidence.
The cost of doing nothing
When you run a creative business, you wear all the hats. You are in charge of sales, marketing, production, bookkeeping, and legal.
That last one often lives in the background, but when you push it aside, the worry doesn’t go away. It just keeps popping up at the least convenient moments.
You end up second-guessing decisions, delaying agreements, or feeling tension in client conversations. Over time, that uncertainty affects your creative flow and enjoyment of your business.
I understand because I’ve been there since 2011, managing my own creative business and practicing law.
What I learned from listening to my creative clients and friends is that you don’t need a pile of intimidating documents and another expensive, hourly attorney. You need clarity, a simple plan, and direct guidance you can trust.
That is what the artist’s Courtyard gives you: clarity and confidence, without adding more busy work. We skip the fluff, the fear, and the filler, and give you exactly what helps you act.
Contracts should work for you
the artist’s Courtyard is designed for illustrators, designers, photographers, and other creative business owners who have paying clients and want to protect their work, time, and income. You are past the hobby stage. You run your business full-time. You have real projects, real deadlines, real stress, and you do not have time to waste.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- You dread client emails and fear that one small misunderstanding will blow up your project.
- You avoid sending contracts because you’re never sure if they’re right, which means projects take longer to start and feel heavier than they need to.
- You are embarrassed that, after years in business, you still do not feel legally protected.
- You are exhausted from juggling deadlines, client admin, and life, and you want more time to create.
- You want to hold boundaries with clients, but you are worried about sounding harsh or losing work.
That quiet stress steals energy from your creative work and adds stress to your day-to-day, even when everything else is going well. And the longer it stays in the background, the harder it becomes to untangle.
A friend in your corner
the artist’s Courtyard gives you the clarity, tools, and support to manage the legal side of your business in a simple and practical way.
Here’s what makes it different:
- Legal Tools and Resources: Immediate access to documents, checklists, and videos designed for you, so you can act quickly and confidently instead of putting things off because you’re not sure where to start.
- Legal Clarity Sessions: Every few weeks, you’ll get support in a way that fits your real life. Get clarity on questions or tricky situations, without the pressure to show up live or rearrange your already busy calendar.
- Supportive Member Community: Connect with other creatives balancing client work, deadlines, and life. A private, judgment-free space outside of Facebook where you can ask questions without worrying they’re “obvious” or “too late.”
This isn’t a course promising overnight transformation. It’s a membership that helps you make small tweaks that create big results, so legal tasks stop lingering in the background of your day, freeing your time and energy for creating.
What makes the artist’s Courtyard unique?
Access to real expertise
You’ll tap into more than 15 years of experience helping creative business owners. I don’t dish out generic cookie-cutter advice, and I skip the academic legalese, allowing you to quickly take the smartest action to move your business forward.
In the trenches with you
I run a creative business myself, so I build resources that work for your schedule, your priorities, and your creative workflows, not for a lawyer’s brain.
No scare tactics
You won’t find hype, fear, or bro marketing here, just straightforward, honest guidance. I tell you what you need, when you need it, so you can get back to creating.
A long-term commitment to helping creatives
This is not a one-off course. The membership grows with your business. Get coaching when tricky situations arise. I’m not going to leave you to the wolves with pre-recorded videos.
Your Legal Roadmap
Here’s how the artist’s Courtyard helps you protect your work and your income, without confusion or overwhelm, regardless of where you are on your journey. This is not legal education for its own sake. It is a strategy for protection, clarity, and action.
Determine your true north
Create a simple one-page plan that clarifies priorities, helps you make confident decisions, and gives you permission let go of the endless “should-dos.”
Do enough legal stuff
Focus on the six essential tasks that give your business a solid foundation.
Achieve your goals
Take action only on the legal tasks that support your biggest business goals. No wasted time, no extra stress.
The Legal Roadmap keeps things simple and doable, so you can protect your art and your income without burning out.
Confidently sign every contract
The Contract Decoder is your tool that transforms contracts from a headache into clarity:
Inside it, you’ll find:
- A plain English breakdown of clauses, so you know exactly what they mean and why they exist.
- A list of red flags to spot before signing on the dotted line.
- Tips on how to negotiate things like unfair ownership, payment, or project termination.
- A sanity-check checklist of which questions you’ll want to answer yes to before ending negotiations.
It’s the resource you turn to whenever a contract makes you hesitate. You’ll have the confidence to make the best decision for your business, because you’re no longer guessing what the fine print actually means.
Real creatives, real results
Holly Shively
Artist
KC Lancaster
Artist
Elizabeth Hahn
Web DesignerChoose your plan
Monthly
Paid Monthly
$45/mo
Cancel anytime with two clicks
30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
Quarterly
Paid Every Three Months
$125/qtr
Cancel anytime with two clicks
30-day, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee.
Not sure if the artist’s Courtyard is right for you?
It may seem odd for me to suggest you might not need this, but I want you to make the right decision for where you are in your business. I don’t want to waste your time or money.
You’re probably a good fit if:
- You want real confidence in protecting your work.
- You’d rather handle legal clarity yourself with the right guidance than hire an attorney.
- You are willing to do the work and want straightforward tools that get results.
- You are balancing client work and life and want straightforward systems.
You’re probably not a good fit if:
- You want an attorney to solve your legal issues for you.
- You’re looking for shortcuts or instant results.
Have questions? I’ve got answers
How is the artist’s Courtyard different from hiring a lawyer?
You’ll learn what to do and how to protect your business without the expense of legal fees. It’s pointing you in the right direction, not telling you what to do or doing it for you. It’s guidance, not legal advice or representation.
How much time will this take?
You can make meaningful progress in just a few focused hours each month. The resources are organized for real people, with real lives.
What if I’m just starting out?
This membership is a great fit if you want to start on the right foot and avoid having to retrofit protection later. The Legal Roadmap shows the highest impact actions you can take as you start out.
How do I access the resources?
Membership materials are available online on our website’s membership section. Answers to your questions for the Legal Clarity Sessions are recorded, so you can watch them on your own schedule.
Is all content available immediately, or is it time-released?
The core resources are available immediately, so you can act right away. Occasionally, we will do group challenges or projects, and those may be delivered over time.
Can I get personal support?
Yes. Every member can submit questions for Legal Clarity Sessions or in the community. Kiffanie isn’t your lawyer, just your guide to point you in the right direction.
Can I upgrade or cancel anytime?
Yes. Upgrade, change your payment schedule, or cancel with just two clicks.
What’s your refund policy?
Try it risk-free for 30 days. If it’s not a fit, tell me. No hoops to jump through, no screenshots to prove you “did the work”.
Meet your friendly legal eagle
Hi, I’m Kiff, the friendly legal eagle behind the artist’s Courtyard.
I’ve been helping creatives protect their work since 2011.
I believe there can be ease in the legal side of running a creative business. Since launching the artist’s J.D. in 2014, I’ve helped thousands of creatives protect their ass(ets) without confusion through memberships, books, and resources.
When I’m not geeking out over the law, you’ll find me with my pup Ozzy exploring the western United States in our travel trailer, knitting socks, adding stitches to my National Park cross-stitch collection, or playing pickleball.
If you want someone who speaks your language, respects your time, and gives no-nonsense guidance, come join us.