Joan Bellefield Davis

Joan’s practice concentrates on intellectual property transactions in the areas of entertainment, arts, publishing, music, internet, fashion and luxury goods law. Legal and business matters such as trademarks, domain name issues, business entity formation, standard releases, book publishing agreements, agency agreements, band collaboration agreements, and licensing are her specialties. Involved in the fashion and modeling industries for over twenty years, Joan knows the industry from the inside. She holds a certificate in Fashion Law from the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law. She developed the first Fashion Law CLE approved by the Virginia State Bar and has delivered presentations on the topic internationally. Joan’s experience as a licensed private investigator has proven valuable in assisting authorities in the removal of her client’s counterfeit goods from sites such as EBay. Her practice in this area complements the firm’s entertainment clients looking to launch and maintain their own fashion labels. 

Joan regularly holds seminars with emerging designers, fashion models, and parents of burgeoning talent. She is an active member and supporter of the Model Alliance in New York City. Having a daughter who has been a model since she was two, Joan understand the concerns and frequently advises models and their parents of the issues involved in the industry. Joan was featured with her daughter as a guest on The Katie Couric show in 2014. The episode high-lighted the difficulties child fashion models encounter in the industry and the necessity of New York’s Child Model law and parental involvement in their children’s careers.

As a published writer herself, Joan has a unique perspective of the literary landscape. Her book, Feng Shui Love (Palari Publishing 2009, co-authored by Lisa Hyatt) hit the “chick-lit” world with complementary merchandise and design lines. Reviewers of the book include Cindy Williams of Laverne and Shirley, who noted “Feng Shui Love is a Fun Shui Read!” and Emyl Jenkins, author of The Big Steal, who added, “Stop rearranging your furniture and spend your time reading Feng Shui Love. Along the way you might learn a little about life its own self.” Additionally Joan was a columnist for Urge Magazine and a founding member of James River Writers, a central Virginia non-profit that builds community by inspiring and educating readers and writers.

Pro-bono service with the Virginia Bar Association’s Lawyers for the Arts Committee inspired Joan to develop a “Coffee with an Art Lawyer” program, which allows visual artists, musicians, authors, fashion designers and other artsy individuals a consultation at specified times in area coffee shops twice per month.

Prior to private practice, Joan served as law clerk to Senior Justice Harry L. Carrico of the Supreme Court of Virginia. She is an experienced mediator and has mediated numerous cases involving business and family matters. Joan’s diverse clients include fashion designers, authors, musicians, models, actors, actresses, inventors, photographers, event coordinators, tattoo artists, visual artists, jewelry designers, and specialty boutiques.