Small Business Legal Clinic
Intern Program
Overview
Working under the guidance of an experienced Clinical Law Professor, upper division law students (“interns”) represent small and emerging businesses in business transactional matters. The interns handle the majority of the client’s work, learning how to interview and counsel clients, draft and negotiate contracts, and how to manage a law practice. Interns also have the opportunity to give presentations at community events held by local small business development centers. The Intern Program operates in accordance with the academic calendar.
The application for the 2012-2013 Academic Year is now available. Please contact Professor Scott Stevenson at sstevenson@lclark.edu with any questions.
Testimonials
I spent two semesters at the SBLC, as a Student Intern in Spring 2011 and as Student Director in Fall 2011. I would recommend the SBLC for any student interested in business law. There is no classroom substitute for actually meeting with clients, identifying their legal needs, and working together with them to accomplish their goals. Whereas the academic aspect of law school teaches you the “why” of business law, the SBLC teaches you the “how,” as in how to actually form a business entity or draft an operating agreement. Additionally, the SBLC is unique in that students receive constant support and feedback about the quality of their work and their skills in client interaction. During my two semesters at the SBLC, I worked on meaningful and interesting projects, such as drafting a complex operating agreement for a manager-managed LLC, helping clients understand the legal effects of an offer letter and an employment handbook, and preparing presentations for CLEs and local business owners. These projects, as well as the support from the SBLC’s clinical professors, gave me a greater understanding about what the practice of business law actually entails. For anyone interested in business law, the SBLC is an excellent way to enhance your practical skills.
Dan Simon, Expected JD May 2012More >
My semester at the SBLC was a chance to employ my academic experience, but also, it was as close to a “career crystal ball” as any law student can hope for. I started to work at the SBLC armed with research skills and prior clinic experience, and I left with a firm grasp on the role new associates can play in a law office. I had the opportunity to foster a productive and rewarding attorney-client relationship because I worked with the same client for three months. The work I did ranged from an entity review to an in-depth employment law project to contract drafting. Reviewing and re-drafting a standard form contract is something I probably could have done in a course on contract drafting, but at the SBLC I learned first-hand how to ask the client the right questions to achieve a final
product that is legally sound and tailored to the client’s needs. The clinical law professors at the SBLC facilitated my experience with just enough support and resources so that I felt independent and accountable for a high-quality work product. As an added bonus, the clinical law professors are well connected with the rest of Portland’s legal community. The connections provided a diverse group of speakers for class meetings, sources to consult with on SBLC projects, and the networking opportunities that are an omnipresent concern for any second or third year student looking to practice in the Northwest. Under the SBLC’s guidance, I’ve glimpsed the future of my legal career, and the prospects are exciting.
Allee Forester, JD May 2012More >
The SBLC is an experience that is unparalleled by any other law school course. I first came to the SBLC in the Spring of 2010 as a Legal Intern. During that semester I worked with a client who wanted to create a legal entity for his modeling agency business and a client who wanted to create an environmental non-profit attempting to organize a nationwide march to highlight sustainable living practices. The challenges and successes I had with those clients inspired me to return to the SBLC as the Student Director in Spring 2011.
As Student Director I continued to work one-on-one with clients, but on more complex matters. One client was seeking a federal trademark for its business, a web-based provider of information on recycling and sustainable practices. It was my pleasure to obtain the trademark for the business—a first for the SBLC’s Intern Program. As Student DirectorI also assisted the Legal Interns with their client matters. I met with each student to discuss their clients’ needs and plan a good course of action. We would also role play client meetings and counseling sessions, the interns would be prepared for their client meetings. The SBLC operates like a small law firm which gives the Legal Interns a glimpse into the “real” legal world. I really enjoyed working at the SBLC and I hope to stay connected with them when I am a practicing attorney.
Shawn Overstreet, Attorney, Multnomah County DA’s OfficeMore >
Like most students, I came to the SBLC for the allure of meeting with clients. After three terms of sitting in a classroom, I felt ready to be a “real” lawyer, and real lawyers meet with clients and solve their problems. I sat through two weeks of training, anxious for our first week of office hours and what I knew would be my first client meeting. The first meeting was a dream; the client was patient, articulate, and best of all, knew exactly what legal services she wanted. Working with her (and my other client) over the next ten weeks, I was being a real lawyer, but not for the reasons I first thought. Being a lawyer is not just about meeting with clients, mining them for information, and then disappearing into Lexis or Westlaw to discover the answer to their issue. At the SBLC I learned that it’s also about learning to manage a file, to track time in six-minute intervals, to manage limited office time effectively, and to work with and learn from your peers. This fall I am returning to the SBLC as the Student Director and I want to help students recognize that, while meeting with clients is exciting and rewarding, there are many other valuable learning experiences at the SBLC.
Etta Lockey, Associate, McDowell Rackner & Gibson PCMore >
The SBLC epitomizes a classic win-win relationship; clients receive vital
legal representation, while interns gain valuable experience. For me,
working at the SBLC meant the opportunity to meet with clients for the first
time and hone the practical skills that are not generally included in the
traditional law school curriculum. At the same time, I felt gratified
knowing that I was contributing something important to those who needed it
most. I can comfortably say that without that experience, I would not have
had the confidence or ability to start a firm right out of school. It was
by far the most practical and rewarding time of my law school career.
Levi Johnston
Partner
Intelekia Law Group
www.intelekia-law.comMore >
I participated in the SBLC as a student intern during my last semester in law school. The clinic provided a great opportunity to apply the law in a practical firm-like environment. The direct client contact, case management skills, and both collaborative and independent thinking opportunities that you get in the clinic are unmatched in the general law school curriculum, providing for a smooth transition to practice. Plus, you get to help small business get on their feet and do some good for the local economy. I would highly recommend both the clinic (to students) and the pro bono section (to practicing attorneys).
Tyler J. Volm
Associate
Elliott, Ostrander & Preston, P.C.
www.eoplaw.comMore >
Contact Us
The Small Business Legal Clinic is located in The Board of Trade Building in Downtown Portland.
Emailsblc@lclark.edu
Voice503-768-6940
Fax503-546-8863
Executive DirectorSteve Goebel
Small Business Legal Clinic, MSC 51
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