CalArts Welcomes Irene Scholl-Tatevosyan As General Counsel

She brings deep experience supporting labor and employment matters, along with intellectual property, copyright, and other key priorities. 

Irene Scholl-Tatevosyan joined CalArts on Nov. 7, 2022, as General Counsel after a national search. Previously, she spent nearly a decade with Nixon Peabody LLP, a top 100 law firm with offices across the country. 

“Joining a world-renowned institute for the arts in the role of General Counsel is an exceptional opportunity to apply my legal skills to an industry I have always been passionate about. To get to be a part of such transformative artistry and help propel it forward is incredible,” said Scholl-Tatevosyan.  

The General Counsel is the Institute officer charged with supporting legal matters that arise in the everyday operations of the Institute, from fair use and licensing of materials for instruction and contracts with vendors to ensuring that policies and procedures align with California and U.S. laws. 

“We are fortunate to have someone of Irene’s caliber join the CalArts community,” said President Ravi S. Rajan. “The wealth of knowledge she brings will allow us to continue to decrease the frequency that the Institute uses external counsel for representation on more ordinary, day-to-day issues.”

At Nixon Peabody, Scholl-Tatevosyan was part of the labor and employment and complex commercial litigation team, practicing before state and federal courts and agencies, the California Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Ninth Circuit. Her cases involved fine art, breach of contract, intellectual property, restrictive covenants and employment disputes, and she provided advice and counsel to companies on compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws. She served a wide array of clients including esports teams and companies, galleries, museums, celebrities, and major hospitals systems, among others.  

Scholl-Tatevosyan also started and led Nixon Peabody’s Esports and Gaming Group, and has served as Vice President of the Esports Bar Association since 2020. For her work, she has been recognized as a Rising Star by the Armenian Bar Association.

Scholl-Tatevosyan earned her J.D. from USC Gould School of Law and her B.A. from UCLA, graduating magna cum laude. Since moving from Armenia to the United States, she has lived and studied in Los Angeles. Scholl-Tatevosyan enjoys art, film/animation, gaming, and spending time with family and in the great outdoors.