Information for Students
The ELC provides me with deep experience in both handling client relationships and
providing real-world legal advice. With thoughtful supervision from experienced
attorneys, I have been encouraged to problem solve on my own and work with a team
of lawyers and business experts towards my clients' unique goals. That experience,
paired with the outstanding panels of startup business and legal experts that visit
class each week, has made the ELC an ideal capstone to my legal training.
- Jason DeRosa, Class of 2011
The ELC provided exactly what's been lacking in law school: opportunities to get
involved with and learn about transactional work and business counseling. I learned
more working directly with small business clients on formation, early-stage financing,
general IP strategy, and business compliance issues than I have in any traditional
lecture setting. On top of that, the weekly topical discussions with business leaders
and practicing attorneys offered a great preview into the nuances of business counseling
from both sides of the table -- finally an experience that is actually preparing
us for practice.
- Thomas Kang, Class of 2011
Participating in the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic has been an invaluable experience.
It is extremely gratifying to put to use what I’ve learned in classes such as Business
Organizations, Taxation of Corporations, Partnerships, and LLCs, and Securities
Regulation. And helping individuals in our community start and build their businesses
is a reward in and of itself.
- Eleanor Miller, Class of 2011
What’s Unique about the Entrepreurial Law Clinic (ELC)?
The ELC is a transactional and counseling clinic. We use a pioneering model developed by Professor Sean O’Connor that combines aspects of a traditional law school clinic with a supervised externship. We do not represent clients in any kind of active disputes.
Students work in teams supervised by attorneys from major local Seattle firms and businesses. In most cases, teams will include students and supervisors in each of three areas relevant to entrepreneurial ventures: intellectual property (IP); corporate/securities/commercial law; and tax. Most teams will also include an MBA or joint JD-MBA student who provides business planning and management advice. The multi-disciplinary teams model the environment in which professional service providers operate when serving business clients. Students accepted into the
ELC should think of themselves as specialist lawyers working together in a single general practice firm to seamlessly meet the needs of the firm’s clients. Each student works with at least four different businesses throughout the year and may participate in presentations to the community regarding various business law topics.
Because the clinic model relies on local outside practitioners to supervise students instead of relying solely on a clinic director,
the ELC is able to provide access to legal and business services to a greater number of entrepreneurs while exposing students to a wider array of skills, perspectives, and experiences. Students appreciate the value of working with a variety of clients and issues as well as building relationships with attorneys at firms where they may wish to work one day.
Substantive Practice Area
The ELC approaches each entrepreneur holistically by practicing within three main
substantive areas: IP; corporate/securities/commercial law; and tax.
Typical cases
The ELC provides advice to small businesses, high-tech businesses, nonprofits, and/or UW or ITHS faculty researchers regarding:
- Entity selection
- Licensing
- Securities regulations
- Federal, state and local tax issues
- Intellectual property protection
- Commercial contracts
- Employees and independent contractors
- Business dissolution
Skills Focus
- Client interviewing and counseling
- Application of substantive law to actual client representation
- Drafting client memos, contracts, business formation, and regulatory compliance
documents
- Effective and appropriate methods of communication
- Legal research
- Managing ethical issues, particularly conflict of interest
- Cross-cultural competency
- Professionalism
- Project and time management
Benefits of the Entrepreneurial Law Clinic
- See the big picture by performing a comprehensive legal analysis and strategy within the team that is often reserved for senior associates and partners at law firms
- Experience the beginning of a new venture and aid in its development
- Apply knowledge of IP, business transaction and tax strategies to the real world
under the direction of the Managing Director and supervising
attorneys
For more information, please contact the ELC at (206) 616-5854 or email .