Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance
About Our Programs
Since 1999, the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center’s Nonprofit & Small Business Legal Assistance Programs have provided legal information, representation, and training to community-based nonprofit organizations that serve D.C. residents living on low incomes and small businesses that contribute to the economic health and wellbeing of D.C. neighborhoods.
The Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program
The Pro Bono Center's Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program assists D.C. area community-based nonprofits. Many of these nonprofits provide vital services and would be unable to afford an attorney without significantly diminishing their ability to serve client populations. The Nonprofit Legal Assistance Program provides pro bono legal assistance and training for these nonprofits while offering opportunities for transactional attorneys to bolster the important work of these local organizations.
The Small Business Legal Assistance Program
The Pro Bono Center's Small Business Legal Assistance Program supports entrepreneurs serving low-income neighborhoods. Establishing small businesses in low-income communities creates employment opportunities for residents. For low-income entrepreneurs, a small business also provides a way for its owners to create and build wealth that can be passed on to their families. The Small Business Legal Assistance Program presents a great way for the transactional legal community to assist in D.C. economic development through pro bono service.
How to Get Involved
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.
Staff Contacts
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.
