Harvard Law School Campus Filming, Photography, and Recording Policies (Non-Academic)

Faculty (and faculty assistants, on behalf of faculty members) wishing to host a third party on campus to record should consult, and direct non-affiliates to, the “Third party recording at HLS” section below. The most common areas on campus for faculty to be recorded include faculty members’ offices, classrooms booked exclusively for that purpose, outdoors on Holmes Field or another unobtrusive outdoor location, and the HLS Multimedia Studio.

Students acting on behalf of official student groups (student organizations, journals, or student practice organizations) should consult the “Official student group recording at HLS” section below. Individual students wishing to host a third party on campus for video recordings, audio recordings, or still photography not involving an official student group should consult, and direct non-affiliates to the “Third party recording at HLS” section below.

Academic and administrative units (including research programs, clinics, and administrative offices) may request that an event for which they are the primary sponsor and host be recorded by HLS Information Technology Services (ITS). Units wishing to host a third party on campus to record in-person events should consult, and direct non-affiliates to, the “Third party recording at HLS” section below.

• Requests for recordings must be made via the Events Management System (EMS) to ITS, no less than four (4) business days before the event.
• The official student group must obtain a signed copy of the HLS Recording License Agreement  from the speaker or speakers before recording and posting the event online. A copy of the signed form must be provided to the HLS Communications Office and DOS-CEEB or OCP.
• The official student group must provide clear notice that an event is being recorded before the start of the event. The group may obtain appropriate signage from DOS-CEEB or OCP for recorded events. Such signage must be conspicuous and placed outside of the event entry. The group should note in advertisements and in the event description in EMS the intention to record the event.
• Official student groups may post the recording of their event on their group’s HLS webpage only. All publicly posted recordings must include captions and meet Harvard’s digital accessibility requirements.
• Official student groups may not post HLS event recordings on any other website or online platform or other hosting / social media sites.
• Official student groups may not livestream or podcast events that take place on the HLS campus.
• Recordings for internal training purposes are permissible, provided that they are shared exclusively with members of the official student group via official ITS-hosted SharePoint / Office365 platforms and that they comply with other applicable HLS policies.
• Violation of this policy may result in suspension of recording privileges, other sanctions for the official student group, and / or referral of individual student violators to the Administrative Board.

Notwithstanding the instructions above, from time to time, the HLS Communications Office may request in advance to send a writer and / or photographer to an official student group event and / or that such an event be recorded to facilitate official HLS news coverage.

Third parties not affiliated with HLS — including external media, photographers, and film crews — may not engage in any filming, photography, or other recording activity on the HLS campus without advance, written authorization from the HLS Communications Office. Third parties seeking to record on the HLS campus should request authorization via the HLS Campus Recording Permission online form at least four (4) business days in advance. Third parties whose requests are approved will be notified via email by the HLS Communications Office. The absence of a notification does not constitute authorization to record.

HLS campus recording guidelines for third parties:

Requests to record on the HLS campus by third parties invited or hosted by a current HLS faculty member, staff member, or individual student must meet the following criteria to be considered for authorization:

• All on-campus recording by third parties — including filming, photography, or other recording — requires the express permission of all recorded individuals who are identifiable, including students, faculty members, staff members, or bystanders. Recording of identifiable individuals – including passersby – without their express permission is strictly prohibited.
• All on-campus recording requests by a third party must be sponsored by a current HLS faculty member, staff member, or individual student not working with an official student group. (Students acting on behalf of official student groups — student organizations, journals, or student practice organizations — are subject to the guidelines in the “Student group recording at HLS” section above.)
• All on-campus recording must be completed promptly and unobtrusively, without disruption to the academic environment or interference with building access, pedestrian flow, or scheduled events.
• All requests to record in-person events (including lectures and panels) occurring on the HLS campus will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the HLS Communications Office. For such requests to be considered, third parties must first obtain in advance written approval from the event organizers, who must also meet the following conditions:
  • All event participants (including faculty, staff, students, and audience members) must be given advance notice of any recording taking place.
  • Notice that the event is being filmed, photographed, or otherwise recorded must be included in any listing on the HLS Events Calendar.
  • Recording License Agreements must be obtained from each planned speaker or panelist.
• Recording of, or inside, shared indoor community spaces by third parties — including lobbies, hallways, dining areas, housing facilities, and inside the Harvard Law Library — is strictly prohibited, unless temporarily authorized by the HLS Communications Office for a specific institutional purpose (such as Class Day and Commencement).
• Recording of, or inside, HLS class or course meetings is strictly prohibited.
• Requests to record B-roll of the campus or photograph outdoors, and which meet all other relevant recording guidelines and restrictions, will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• On-campus recording for entertainment, commercial purposes, advertising, or promotion of products or services is strictly prohibited.
• Use of a previously approved recording for entertainment, commercial purposes, advertising, or promotion of products or services is strictly prohibited.

HLS reserves the right to decline authorization for any reason. HLS also reserves the right to revoke authorization for failure to abide by any of the policies listed above.

Additional considerations for third parties:

• While on the HLS campus, third parties authorized to record should be prepared, upon request, to present the email notification received from the HLS Communications Office.
• HLS does not sign third-party location release forms.
• Third parties may not represent that Harvard or HLS endorses their project.
• For information about nearby parking, visit the Harvard University Transportation and Parking website. Metered street parking is also available near campus.
• Requests involving locations beyond HLS (such as Harvard Yard) should be submitted through the Harvard Public Affairs and Communications (HPAC) website or directly to the communications office of the relevant Harvard school or unit.