Louisiana small businesses and nonprofit organizations are invited to apply to access free legal services as a client of the new Russell J. Stutes Small Business and Community Development Clinic at LSU Law. The clinic is seeking clients who cannot reasonably afford the legal assistance they need.

Under the supervision of licensed faculty, eight upper-level LSU Law students will begin working with about one dozen small businesses and nonprofit clients beginning early next year. While students will not assist clients with litigation or disputes, they will be able to help with a wide range of legal issues, including:

• Entity counseling and formation
• Bylaws, LLC operating agreements, and corporate governance
• Tax exempt applications (Form 1023) 
• State and federal filing and reporting responsibilities 
• Employment law 
• Contract drafting and review 
• Terms of service and privacy policies 
• Intellectual property (copyright and trademark) 
• Regulation compliance 
• Permitting and licensing

Those interested in becoming a client are encouraged to complete an application form online before Friday, Dec. 13. The application form can be found HERE...

“Many Louisiana small businesses and nonprofits are at a marked disadvantage because they don’t have the resources to access the type of helpful legal assistance that our students will provide in the Small Business and Community Development Clinic,” said Professor Jordan Engelhart, who joined the LSU Law faculty at the start of the 2024-25 academic year to teach and direct the clinic. “This is a great opportunity for small businesses and nonprofits to start out on the right foot and address potential issues before they become costly problems. Through our students’ work in the clinic, we are hoping to help level the playing field.”