Susan Basko is a lawyer working with creative people to help them make their dreams come true. She helps those working in music, film, video, writing, art, design, clothing design, jewelry, stage plays, musical stage plays, festivals and events, drones, independent journalism, bakery, and those starting online and offline businesses, websites, apps, SaaS, PaaS, social media, and much more.
This work includes Trademark, Copyright, Contracts, and much more.
Susan is a licensed lawyer in California and Illinois and on the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. She has a Juris Doctorate magna cum laude from Simmons Law School at Southern Illinois University, a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video from Columbia College Chicago, and studied in the Mass Communication Media Arts Management graduate department at Southern Illinois University, including work in digital media production, investigative journalism, historic research, First Amendment and Media Law.
Susan has a special interest in Free Speech and the Right to Peacefully Assemble, which in the U.S. is encapsulated in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Susan was invited to participate in a gathering of over 70 nations in the OSCE-ODIHR, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights at the Hofburg in Vienna, Austria, which put forth legislative goals to the member nations to secure freedom of assembly rights under law.
Susan was sworn into the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court by Justice Roberts in front of the full Supreme Court. A reception afterwards was attended by the now late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who encouraged Susan and the other newly-admitted members to use their law licenses to do good. Susan takes this idea very seriously. In practicing law, she always works to help others to make the most of their gifts and talents to make the world a better place.
IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE:
COPYRIGHT: ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT Sue Basko 2026.
CONTACT ME EASILY: SusanBasko@gmail.com
Media: Susan Basko is available as a news source and also gives interviews. Susan Basko has been a media source for ABC Nightline, BBC, Chicago Tribune, Chicago SunTimes, LAist, Crain's Chicago Business, World Trademark Review, and many others.
Writing: Susan Basko has written for the publications Electronic Media, Screen Magazine, and interviewed famous people for Carbondale Nightlife. Susan answers questions from the public on Quora.
EDUCATION: Susan Basko has a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video from Columbia College Chicago. She used the knowledge gained there to produce and direct a few hundred low budget television shows and videos for many prestigious organizations, often with grants or funding from major foundations. She also did tech work and production on hundreds of small, medium, and large-scale events, such as a Chinese circus and a giant rave dance floor. Susan studied Film Criticism for several semesters with Roger Ebert, the famous late film critic. Roger Ebert praised Susan's writing. She later wrote film reviews for IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) and now writes Movie Reviews on her Facebook.
Susan Basko writes a popular blog about Music and Media law. That blog helps musicians, filmmakers, and other creative people understand basic law that applies in their fields. She also interviews people such as music producers, a music video producer, designers, and a skateboard artist.
FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY: Susan Basko writes her blog OccupyPeace, which assists people worldwide in planning peaceful protests. Sue has also assisted people worldwide with planning peaceful protests. In 2012, she assisted OSCE-ODIHR, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, which has over 70 member nations, with organizational help for a study of Human Rights in Public Assembly. The U.S. locations covered included the NATO protests in Chicago, the G8 protests in Maryland, and the Occupy protest movement in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California. The paper was presented to an international panel at the OSCE- ODIHR Summit in Vienna, Austria in November, 2012. The study was groundbreaking in having ample video evidence for its statements of police abuse and human rights abuses in protests. This video evidence was provided by indie media livestreamers across the U.S. and in other locations worldwide. Susan Basko was honored to be invited to participate in the 2012 OSCE - ODIHR summit on Freedom of Assembly and Freedom of Association in Vienna, Austria, sponsored by the Irish Consultancy. Sue put forth international legislative proposals for promotion and protection of the use of cell phones, live streaming and wifi at protests. The proposals were included in the final draft of the legislative recommendations to the approximately 60 participating nations. Susan's interest and commitment to freedoms of assembly and association infuse all of her work.
PERSONAL: Susan Basko has a life-long commitment to walking, bicycling, and using public transportation. She promotes a city infrastructure that welcomes bicycles and skateboards. She likes fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Music, nature, and good people are her favorite things. Her favorite foods are salad, spinach, mangos, and pizza.
Sue's blog about indie music/ media law: suebasko.blogspot.com