Help Me Take the Bar and Launch My Legal Career in Entertainment — L.A.W. in Action
Hi Everyone! Your donations have quite literally sustained me as a new law school grad. THANK YOU. I know the world is in crisis right now, so your donations and generosity mean more to me than you know. I'm trying to finish what I've started and make a difference for our creative community. This is the final stretch, I'm taking the bar exam this year, and I need help paying the $1500 in fees & costs. Your gifts helped me afford living expenses while I found a job, I'm working now, but I still don't have the savings to pay for the bar. Please send to anyone who you think could help. I'll never forget what you've already done.
Why I’m Asking for Support
To make this vision a reality, I need help covering:
• California Bar Exam Retake fees + Prep Registration
• Rent & Utilities during until July 2026
• Food, Transportation
• Professional Clothing for meetings, client representation, investor pitches
• Startup Supplies to get Contract-i off the ground
Every dollar you contribute goes directly toward helping me pass the California bar, and launch a legal service that will serve the community I come from.
What your generosity did in 2025: You've helped me
- Pay for Food, Transportation, and Moving Costs to LA
- Helped me have housing!
- Tided me over while I was job hunting (I'm working now!)
- Professional Clothing for meetings, client representation, investor pitches
- Graduation essentials (ring, regalia, diploma frame)
- Get Contract-i off the ground and actually help actors, musicians, and models with understand and feel educated about their careers
More About L.A.W. >
Hi, I’m Lea Adair Washington, also known as L.A.W. I’m an artist, songwriter, performer, and recent Harvard Law School graduate. What makes my journey unique? I am the only Berklee College of Music undergrad in recent memory—maybe ever—to also graduate from Harvard Law.
This past summer, I moved to Los Angeles, California to take the bar exam and launch my legal startup, Contract-i—an innovative service that combines AI and real lawyer insight to offer affordable, fast, and creator-friendly contract review. I’m building this to support musicians and creators—especially those of color—who are often left behind by the legal system.
But I've been doing this entirely on my own. No corporate sponsorship. No safety net. Just faith, purpose, and an unshakable belief in justice through art. Except, I really haven't been alone because YOU helped me make it this far. Your selflessness and generosity has made this journey possible! This is the final stretch! Because the California Bar is the hardest in the country, the pass rate is 50/50, I was close the first time but will be retaking this year! This is my last step to becoming an attorney.
Why This Work Matters to Me
I’ve spent over 1,000 pro bono hours during law school advocating for the rights and well-being of individuals and families from immigrant and low-income communities in cases concerning family unity, fair wages, and employment at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. I’ve written and negotiated contracts for artists and nonprofits with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and led legal projects to protect the ownership of songwriters and artists at the Recording Artists Project.
I even founded The Music Stop, a global initiative that connected students from schools like Berklee and Leeds Conservatoire to free legal help during the pandemic. That experience lit a spark in me—and taught me that musicians and creatives face the same life challenges as everyone else: housing, employment, immigration, contracts, and more.
That’s why I created Contract-i, and why I’m committed to serving this community my way.
What I Believe
I’m stepping into the unknown to build a platform that empowers artists with legal knowledge, dignity, and access. I’m doing this independently paying my way through the bar, the move, and the launch of my firm, and continuation of my career as an artist. If you believe in a new generation of legal advocates for the arts, I’d be so grateful for your support.”
Let’s Build This Together
I’m not just asking you to fund my journey to becoming a lawyer—I’m inviting you to be part of a movement that reimagines who gets access to justice in the creative world. Whether you donate, share, or just send words of encouragement—it all matters.
Deadline: Bar Exam registration is in July 2026!
Thank you so much for reading, supporting, and believing in what’s possible.
With gratitude,
Lea Adair Washington (L.A.W.)
Harvard Law School '25
Berklee College of Music '20
Learn more about Contract - i here, and join the email list here !
Instagram & TikTok: @missmyoozikal
Organizer
