Emerging Lawyerpreneurs at University of Wisconsin Law School Clinic
No matter how you feel about the word “lawyerpreneur,”–we did hesitate to even type if out–the clinic at UW Law is operating in innovative ways. It’s bound to get your attention and approval.
Today, the State Bar of Wisconsin posted an article about US’s Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic, which operates like a law firm and provides free legal services to entrepreneurs in the start-up phase.
The new law clinic, developed by U.W. law school professors Eric Englund and Anne Smith (co-directors), serves the school’s “law-in-action” philosophy, helps students gain practical experience, and assists entrepreneurs in bringing their ideas to the marketplace.
“The clinic started in 2009 with eight students, no clients, and no space,” Englund said. “But we hit the deck running, and today we have 16 students, a backlog of clients, and extremely active participation from the private bar.”
Englund says partnership with private bar members is instrumental, and stresses that the clinic does not compete with law firms or private attorneys.
“It’s critical to our operation that we not compete with lawyers,” Englund said. “We tend to serve clients that do not otherwise have access to the private bar because of financial reasons but will have access once they can move into the mainstream of business.”
