Application for Legal Assistance for Small Businesses, Social Enterprises, and Artists

Thank you for your interest in the legal services provided by the University of Texas School of Law Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. Please review our Information for Clinic Clients prior to filling out this application. If after reviewing our eligibility and service parameters you believe our Clinic would be a good fit, please provide the following information to help us decide whether we can offer you legal assistance.

We will send you a confirmation email after we receive your application. In some instances, you will receive a call from one of the attorneys or law students to find out more about your business.

After we make our client selection decisions for the law school semester, we will contact you informing you of the status of your application.

Because we open new cases only during the fall and spring semesters (September–December and January–May), the timing of your legal needs may impact whether we are able to accept you as a client. While we welcome applications for representation year-round, we generally accept most new clients in the weeks before the start of each law school semester. If our client roster is full but you are the type of business we can serve, you will have the option of remaining in our pool of potential clients should an opening arise in the current or next semester.

Submission of this application does not create an attorney-client relationship with the law clinic. You have the right to keep looking for a lawyer or decline any services that we may offer.

* denotes a required field.

"*" indicates required fields

Title*

Name*

First Last

Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Email*

Primary phone number*

Alternative phone number

How did you hear about us?*

Business name

Business address

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Business website

Is your business currently operating?*

Yes

How long has your business been operational?

Less than a year

1-4 years

5-10 years

10+ years

When do you anticipate being operational?

Please describe your business.*

While we accept applications from and represent a wide variety of clients, we seek to prioritize clients who are from or working for low-income communities. Please let us know if and how this describes you and your business.

Do you have a business plan?*

Please describe any steps you have taken in setting up a formal business entity (e.g., formed an entity, obtained an EIN, adopted bylaws or an operating agreement, formed a board of directors, etc.).*

How is your business being financed?*

Personal Savings

Credit Card Debt

Bank Loan

Loans from Family

Equity Investors

Other

If other, please specify:*

Have you received or do you expect to receive (in the next 6 months) any outside investment in your company?*

Yes

How much have you received and/or how much do you expect to receive in the next 6 months?*

What is your business' gross (before tax) income?*

What is your business' total net (after tax) income?*

Do you work at a job outside your business venture?*

Yes

List name of job and employer.*

Personal income: What is the total net (after tax) income for your household (include yourself and any family members living with you; include all sources of income)?*

Under $26,000

$26,000-52,000

$52,000-83,000

$83,000-130,000

Over $130,000

How many people are in your household?*

Do you have any business partners or investors?

Yes

If yes, list their names and roles in the business.*

Personal income: What is the total net (after tax) household income for each of your business partners/owners (include all sources of income)?*

Including yourself, how many employees or independent contractors do you have?*

Do you have an accountant?*

Yes

Please describe any prior experiences you or your business partners have in starting or operating a business.

Have you ever attended any classes on starting or operating a business?

Yes

When and where did you attend class?

Please check areas of legal need:

GENERAL

Legal consultation to determine needs

CHOICE OF ENTITY AND ENTITY FORMATION

Assistance determining appropriate entity type

Assistance with forming an S Corporation

Assistance with forming an LLC

Assistance with forming another type of entity

Which type of entity?*

CONTRACTS

Employment Contract

Service Contract

Other type of Contract (specify):

PERMITS

License (specify type if known):

Permit (specify type if known):

License (specify type if known):

Permit (specify type if known):

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Trademark

Trade Secrets

List other legal needs here:

Provide any additional information you would like to share regarding the above legal needs:

Have you ever used the services of a lawyer before?*

If you currently have a lawyer, please tell us the lawyer's name and scope of services.

If you have worked with a lawyer for the same issues for which you are seeking assistance, why are you not working with the lawyer anymore?

List any deadlines you have for legal assistance.*

In general, what times work for you to meet with the ECDC team.

Check all that apply.

Mornings

Afternoons

Evenings

Please email or mail the following documents and any other documents that may assist us in reviewing your application:

Copy of your business plan
Copy of your most recent profit-loss statement
Copy of your current budget
Copies of documents related to your organization's specific request for assistance

Email: ecdc@law.utexas.edu

Frances Leos Martinez, Co-Director
Heather K. Way, Co-Director
Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic
The University of Texas School of Law
727 East Dean Keeton Street
Austin, Texas 78705

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