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
Student Prerequisites and Tracks in the ELC
Each law student’s clinical practice will follow one of three tracks noted below
- only associated prerequisites for that track are required; enrollment
preference will be given for advanced courses:
- Business Law Track: Business Orgs (A515) OR Closely Held Business Org (A567) OR Nonprofit Corp (E514)
- IP Track: IP Core (P501) OR Survey of IP (E567)
- Tax Track: Advising Privately-Owned Businesses (T525) OR Exempt Organizations (T512) OR Taxation of C & S Corps (A537)
Students interested in participating in the ELC must submit an application. We
strongly advise students to turn in their applications by the deadline. Please
note that the ELC only accepts third year law school students and LL.M.
students; joint degree students are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Full-time, second year MBA students from the Foster School of Business are
welcome to apply for the ELC through the
UW Center for Innovation and
Entrepreneurship.
Student Requirements and Projects
Law students are asked to commit to three quarters of the ELC for three credits
per quarter. In their first quarter in the ELC, students will have an initial
meeting with their client and draft a section (corporate, intellectual property,
tax or business) of a comprehensive business and legal audit memo with their
client team under the supervision of attorneys and business mentors, as
applicable. Ideally, the team will present the memo to the client by the end of
the quarter in which it is assigned. In the winter and spring quarters, students
are assigned additional clients and community outreach projects. Client
assignments will include drafting various types of agreements. The ELC strives
to give students an opportunity to work with clients from each of the following
groups during their time in the clinic:
Community outreach projects vary. Students have presented to Native artists about
their intellectual property rights, microenterprises about the nuts and bolts of
corporate and tax law, among others."
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
- Limited License to practice in front of USPTO, gaining valuable experience
For more information, please contact the ELC at (206) 616-5854 or email .