Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance

Volunteer to Serve as Legal Counsel for a Nonprofit

The Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program matches nonprofits with D.C. law firms and government attorneys to provide on-going pro bono legal assistance on issues such as obtaining tax-exempt status, corporate governance, employment law, intellectual property, real estate, contract review and risk management. The Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program screens all nonprofits seeking legal help and works with the pro bono coordinators at law firms and government agencies to place them with attorneys of the appropriate expertise.

Volunteer at Brief Advice Clinics

Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic

The Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic is a free legal clinic where entrepreneurs meet one-on-one with an attorney for brief legal information, including how to start a small business, employment law, intellectual property, real estate, taxation, and government contracts. Attorneys meet with specific small business owners at the Clinic based on the entrepreneur’s legal question and the attorney’s expertise. Volunteers are not expected to offer on-going advice beyond the brief legal information given during the clinic.

The Small Business Legal Assistance Program holds a free training twice a year for attorneys interested in volunteering at the Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic. Since attorneys at the Clinic typically offer pro bono help in the area of law they already practice, this training is not required to volunteer. However, new attorneys may find it useful, and it is a great way for experienced attorneys to learn a new practice area that can assist the small businesses we serve.

Nonprofit Legal Clinics

Throughout the year, the Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program runs brief advice legal clinics for nonprofits to meet one-on-one with an attorney for a general assessment of compliance in a specific legal area. Past clinics have covered such topics as nonprofit governance, intellectual property, insurance, and on-boarding employees. Attorneys participate in a short training before the legal clinic and then meet with their assigned nonprofit following the training. These clinics, with the training, usually take about half a workday.

Volunteer to Offer a Training Session

Attorneys can volunteer to teach a training for small business owners or nonprofit executives. Trainings range from basics on corporate legal topics to recent changes in the law. The Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs also occasionally seek attorneys to create legal alerts, guides, and other written educational materials.

If your law firm, government agency, or in-house legal department has a pro bono coordinator, please ask them how you can get involved with the Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs.

For more information, contact us.