University of Utah : S.J. Quinney College of Law

2^nd and 3^rd year students

The Small Business / Non-Profit Clinic introduces students to the range of skills and legal expertise required to represent small business or non-profit organizations. Students will consult with their client organizations to define the clients’ concerns and goals, formulate plans to address them, and provide legal advice and related services under the supervision of a pro bono consulting lawyer.

Placements: (2 or 3 cr. P/F, Fall). Student teams will be partnered with pro bono lawyer-supervisors who have expertise in business consulting and who will review their legal analysis and work product. Clients will apply for legal consultation through the Utah Non-Profits Association or through an economic development or loan program that serves low-income, minority-owned or women-owned small businesses. Students will interview and advise the client organizations. Students’ work may involve a wide variety of legal issues (e.g. tax, employment law, governmental regulations, corporate governance) and may require documents to be drafted to meet the client’s goals. 

Faculty: Professors Kristin Erickson & Elizabeth Whitsett 

Download Proposal Form

Each student team will be introduced to a non-profit organization for which the student will conduct a legal audit, prepare and present oral and written reports of their findings, and, in some cases, prepare documents or instruments in connection with those findings.  All work will be conducted under the general supervision of instructors and a pro bono consulting lawyer. The legal audits will generally focus on form of organization, compliance with formal legal requirements, including issues relating to capacity and authority, regulatory compliance, employment law issues and special matters arising out of the specific industry or area of activity of the client. 

Small Business and Non-profit corporations participating in this opportunity will receive legal consulting services without financial cost.  During this semester-long service learning partnership, students will meet frequently with their client organization.  Clients may be given the opportunity to participate in a classroom session in December that reflects on the experience.  If your organization is interested in working with a team of students from the University of Utah College of Law for the purpose of a legal audit, please submit the attached RFP including answers to the Request for Proposal Questionnaire shown on the next page. Please limit the proposal to two pages.  Proposals will be evaluated objectively to ensure that services are provided to non-profits that do not have legal counsel and could not reasonably afford legal counsel at this point. 

The number of projects that can be accepted is limited, so please be as concise, specific and compelling about your organization and the benefits you see from participating in this process.  The evaluation process will match the skills and experiences of the students in the course with the economic and legal needs of the organization.  Proposals may be sent in MSWord as an email attachment to ericksonk@law.utah.edu, or faxed to Kristin Erickson at 801-581-6897