Free legal clinic connects Cincinnati businesses with attorneys for practical legal guidance

For entrepreneurs and small-business owners, a legal question can quickly become a business challenge. How should a business be structured? How can a company protect its intellectual property? What steps are needed to safeguard customer data and limit legal liability?

On Oct. 29, local business owners can bring those questions directly to attorneys through Free Legal Advice for Your Business, presented by the University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law’s Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic (ECDC) and the Duke Energy Law Department.

The event will take place from 3–7 p.m. in Room 170 at UC Klekamp Law (2925 Campus Green Drive, Cincinnati, OH  45221). Participants can receive up to a 30-minute consultation with an attorney at no cost. Get more information and sign up by Oct. 27 by clicking the registration button below.

“Early access to legal guidance is critical to entrepreneurs,” said Sean Mangan, Professor of Practice and Director, Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. “Perhaps the most important reasons are limitation of liability and intellectual property.”

Mangan explained that choosing the appropriate business entity can help separate an entrepreneur’s personal assets from business liabilities. Early trademark and business-name searches can also help entrepreneurs avoid infringing on existing intellectual property rights while establishing ownership of their own business identity.

“Our hope in the Duke Energy event is that participants gain valuable insight into these early formation legal issues to ensure their business is established on a solid legal foundation,” Mangan said.

The ECDC’s work extends beyond the initial stages of business formation. This summer, the clinic fellows Matthew Forsthoefel, Liam Jefferson and Anna Williams assisted a startup developing an artificial intelligence platform designed to help businesses manage, visualize and customize product development workflows.

The company sought guidance on data privacy, information security and intellectual property ownership as it prepared to grow its business and potentially hire its first employees.

Working with the startup, ECDC students researched applicable data privacy laws and compliance requirements, recommended necessary legal documents and drafted agreements addressing customer data and business operations. These included subscription and master services agreements, terms and conditions, a privacy policy and a data processing addendum.

The clinic also developed an employee offer-letter template and an intellectual property assignment agreement to help the startup protect ownership of inventions and other intellectual property created by employees.

The experience illustrates how legal guidance can help emerging businesses address complex issues before they become obstacles to growth.

The work reflects the value of partnerships between the legal community and organizations committed to supporting local businesses.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our communities, and access to quality legal guidance can be critical to their success. Duke Energy’s legal team is proud to support and volunteer at this event because it connects entrepreneurs with experienced legal professionals who can help them address challenges, seize opportunities and grow their businesses,” said Alex Glenn, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer at Duke Energy.  

“Our partnership with the University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Cincinnati’s business community. Together, we’re helping expand access to valuable resources that support entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth across the region.”

Established in 2011, the ECDC connects entrepreneurs and small businesses with legal resources while giving Cincinnati Law students opportunities to develop practical lawyering skills. The clinic has provided more than $1 million in legal advice to for-profit and nonprofit clients throughout the Greater Cincinnati region.

Through its work, the clinic helps business owners navigate legal questions that arise at different stages of a venture, from initial formation to contracts, regulatory compliance and intellectual property protection.

The Duke Energy partnership extends that mission by connecting local business owners with attorneys who can help them better understand the legal considerations involved in starting and operating a business.

Learn more about the event and register: https://www.law.uc.edu/legaladvice

Questions about the event may be directed to Tonya Young at wardlot@ucmail.uc.edu.

Lead photo: istockphoto.com