If you have a quick legal question, or are looking for legal information, you can sign up for a 15-min appointment to meet with the Entrepreneurship Clinic. DNEP offers more long-term legal support through the U-M Community Enterprise Clinic. Many small businesses qualify for pro-bono legal assistance through the Community Enterprise Clinic.
-
Overview: If you are a small business owner or entrepreneur, you can email Barb Vibbert at the Entrepreneurship Clinic at [email protected] to schedule a 15-minute appointment and get legal information. Note that the Entrepreneurship Clinic can only provide general legal information and not specific legal advice.
Services: The Entrepreneurship Clinic can help answer business questions like the following:
- What are the practical differences between LLCs and corporations?
- What is involved in the entity formation process?
- What makes a brand “trademarkable?”
- What are some of the common legal issues in founder relationships?
- What should I be considering when deciding between hiring an employee or independent contractor?
Cost: Free
Time commitment: 15 minutes
Eligibility: Any Detroit-based small business owner or entrepreneur.
Do I need to sign up, fill out an application, or write a proposal?
Sign up. To sign-up for a 15-minute appointment, email Barb Vibbert at the Entrepreneurship Clinic at [email protected].Deadline: No deadline. You can sign-up for appointment times year round.
Questions?
Contact Barb Vibbert at [email protected]. Learn more about the Entrepreneurship Clinic on their website.Overview: Detroit small business owners, entrepreneurs, and start-ups can receive legal assistance through U-M Community Enterprise Clinic (CEC).
Services: The CEC team will solve your most pressing legal needs. In the past, businesses have worked with the CEC team in the following legal areas:
- Contract negotiations
- Lease agreement review
- Drafting of ownership agreements
- Trademarking of names and logos
Cost: Free
Time commitment: As a CEC client, you are required to maintain regular communication with the CEC team. The length of the project is dependent on the scope of work and on how long the legal work takes to complete. You can remain a CEC client until your legal work is finished.
Eligibility: You must be a Detroit-based small business, entrepreneur, or start-up.
Do I need to sign up, fill out an application, or write a proposal?
Application. To apply, fill out the Client Prospect Form.Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Typically, new clients begin in September each year.
Questions?
Learn more about the Community Enterprise Clinic on their website. For more information, visit our course catalog. Contact [email protected] with any additional questions.