Microenterprise Project
The Microenterprise Project helps small business owners and microentrepreneurs access high-quality, free legal services from our dedicated staff and our network of pro bono lawyers. For many New Yorkers, owning a small business is an effective path to financial stability and independence. The high cost of hiring a lawyer shouldn’t be an obstacle to starting a business. By giving our clients free access to high caliber attorneys from our partner law firms, we hope to level the playing field for small business owners who are otherwise unable to pay the cost of legal services.
"[Having] attorneys who were eager to help along the way made it easier for me to focus on setting up my business for success ... the project helps impact other people who are in need of legal advisement in a timely fashion but may not have the financial means."
- Kalema Boateng, Boateng Creatives Consulting
The Microenterprise Project Provides Assistance With:
- Forming a legal entity for your business
- Drafting and reviewing governance documents
- Drafting contracts
- Protecting your intellectual property, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights
- Advising on commercial leases (for more information on our commercial lease services, please visit our Advocacy for Commercial Tenants webpage)
How it Works
The Microenterprise Project works with partner community and economic development organizations to identify clients who would benefit from free, high-quality legal assistance. If you are interested in receiving legal assistance through the Microenterprise Project, please contact one of our partner organizations.
Once a matter is referred to the Microenterprise Project, we will meet with the entrepreneur or business owner to help them identity their legal needs and create an action plan for addressing those needs.
Interested in volunteering? Speak with your firm’s pro bono coordinator or visit Pro Bono Opportunities.