NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 14, 2009

CONTACT: KATIE GALLAGHER
517/432-6848, galla145@law.msu.edu

New Grant Funds for MSU Law Clinic Will Help Develop Legal Services for Michigan Small Business Owners

Grant awarded by the Capital Region Community Foundation

East Lansing, MI — The Michigan State University College of Law Small Business & Nonprofit Law Clinic (SBNP) has been awarded a grant by the Capital Region Community Foundation's Two Men and a Truck MicroEnterprise Fund.

"This grant will facilitate the Clinics continued efforts to inspire entrepreneurship and spark innovation in the community," says Professor Michele Halloran, director of the Law College's Clinical Programs. "It will assist the SBNP in providing legal services to entrepreneurs within our community who are interested in creating their own businesses or in expanding them."

Specifically, the Clinic intends to use the money to develop the following programs and services:

  • Young Entrepreneur Legal Business Education and Services: Development of legal business education workshops and free business formation legal services packages for young entrepreneurs.
  • Entrepreneur Legal Business Education Seminars and Services: Provide education and advice to community entrepreneurs regarding their individual business planning goals and objectives.
  • Inventors and Innovators Partnerships: Offer inventors in Mid-Michigan and the tri-county area with a customized set of legal services, and educate them as it relates to commercializing their technology.
  • Going Green: Provide written tutorials designed to assist entrepreneurs in developing eco-friendly business solutions that recognize the importance of preserving the environment.

The SBNP trains confident and competent legal professionals to assist underserved Michigan small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Student clinicians facilitate entrepreneurial empowerment by engaging in community economic development and outreach initiatives that provide timely, quality, legally-relevant information. The Clinic also creates community and campus partnerships to expand resources available to Michigan small businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Michigan State University College of Law is a leading institution of legal education with a long history of creating practice-ready attorneys. As one of a few private law schools affiliated with a major research university, MSU Law offers comprehensive interdisciplinary opportunities combined with a personalized legal education. After a hundred years as a private and independent Law College, the affiliation with MSU has put the Law College on an upward trajectory of national and international reputation and reach. MSU Law professors are gifted teachers and distinguished scholars. Law College curriculum is rigorous and challenging and the facility is equipped with the latest resources-all affirming MSU Law's commitment to educating 21st century lawyers.

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