Carmelita Tiu
VSA Partners Inc. Corporate Counsel
Carmelita Tiu (“Cat”) is Corporate Counsel for VSA Partners, Inc., an independent design, branding and advertising collective. In this role, she provides legal counsel regarding the various legal issues that confront creative organizations, including the creation, protection and licensing of intellectual property, employment issues, and business and corporate matters.
Prior to VSA, Ms. Tiu worked as an attorney for Harpo Productions, Inc., producer of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and various programs for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and Oprah.com. While her chief responsibility was to provide legal oversight and guidance during the production and post-production process, Ms. Tiu also handled general business matters for Harpo and worked closely with the marketing arm of Harpo Studios in their sponsorship endeavors.
Ms. Tiu currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Creative Arts Committee. She is also an adjunct professor in the Film & Video program at Columbia College Chicago, and a past professor at the DePaul University College of Law, where she co-taught the Law of Film & Television Production. She sits on the board of the Chicago Artists’ Coalition and the Development Council for Collaboraction Theater.
Ms. Tiu’s prior work experience includes positions at the Tribune Company, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, the Spertus Museum, and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. She received her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and holds a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.