Apply to work one-on-one with an attorney. Attorneys will answer questions and provide legal advice on business law needs. Please contact us at contact@communities-rise.org if interested in learning more.
Types of Legal Issues We Assist Small Business Owners With:
- Business Entity Formation – LLC/PLLC, Sole Proprietor, Partnership, C-Corporation, Social Purpose Corporation
- Drafting Agreements: Shareholder Agreements, Operating Agreements.
- Advice on Corporate Governance
- Maintenance and Compliance with State and Federal Law
- Taxes – Advice regarding federal, state, and local taxes.
- Contracts – Drafting and advising on business contracts.
- Employment – Preparing, reviewing and revising personnel policies, independent contractor agreements, vendor agreements, employment contracts, and confidentiality agreements.
- Real Estate – drafting or reviewing property leases and purchase and sale agreements.
- Intellectual Property – Assistance with registering trademarks, and advising on copyright protection, license agreements, or website-related agreements. However, we do not provide assistance on patent matters.
- Risk and Liability Assessment – Assistance on risk and liability assessment including waiver and release forms, and advice on insurance coverage.
What We Do Not Do:
- Litigation Matters – Do not provide assistance on litigation matters or with hearings.
- Conflicts/Embezzlement – Do not assist with situations of conflict between board members/staff, or embezzlement.
- Individual Claims against Nonprofits – Do not provide assistance to individuals with their pursuit of claims against nonprofit and community organizations.
- Ongoing Legal Assistance – Unable to help find an attorney to serve on a nonprofit’s board, or have an attorney be on-call or serve as General Counsel.
- Legal Advice Over the Phone – Do not provide legal advice over the phone. We are not a “hotline” service. We only provide legal assistance upon receiving a written application. However, we are available to answer questions about the application process over the phone or by email.
To be eligible for free legal services, the business owner(s) must demonstrate that the small business:
- Is registered in Washington state;
- Is unable to pay for legal fees without significant impairment to operations;
- Owner(s) household income is below 80% of the King County HUD guidelines; (if more than one owner all must qualify)
- Seeks legal assistance on a business or organizational matter
If you are interested in applying for these services or have any questions, please reach out to contact@communities-rise.org.