Camille Sakamoto served as a student intern this Fall 2023. Realizing that law school provided the perfect arena to merge personal and professional interests, Camille hit the ground running and has not looked back. 

Rapper, beatmaker, philanthropist... these are just a few titles that this multi-talented artist boasts. 

Folks, our amazing work is not directly funded by Lewis & Clark Law School. We need your support in order to continue our mission. Help us reach our $50,000 fundraising goal for this fiscal year!

Jacob McCormack has been an advanced intern at the Small Business Legal Clinic for the past 9 months. Jacob has many interests and talents; a pianist for over 18 years who also enjoys skiing, cycling, and traveling. But one of his favorite hobbies is playing video games, especially the ones created by Nintendo. He traveled widely for his studies including to New Zealand, Fiji, and Japan. Jacob graduated from Portland State University with a degree in Japanese. He almost applied to a Ph.D. program for Japanese pedagogy in Canada but decided to pursue law instead.

Sinister Coffee & Creamery, LLC is an online business with a spooky theme selling coffee beans and ice cream. Kelly and Michelle Kaliher began their business in 2018, making “paranormal-themed coffees [that] are small batch roasted to ensure your experience delivers spooky good flavors with every brew.” While Sinister Coffee & Creamery is mostly conducted online, you can find them at the PSU Saturday Farmers’ Market. They were able to secure a booth at the farmers’ market after only a year of operations, which is a remarkable feat since many businesses are only accepted at the market after 5 years of operation.

Now located along the MAX Corridor and directly across the Fifth Avenue Food Cart Pod, this move marks an exciting new chapter for our SBLC and LITC communities. The move was truly a team effort. From finding the place to designing its interior, each committee weighed in to create the space we have today. When you come visit, you may notice that our office now has a kitchen where everyone could gather and connect with one another. And for our law students, we now have an open-floor workspace, synergistic to our interactive environment. We look forward to sharing this space with everyone for many years to come.

Please stop by and visit. Our address is 333 SW 5th Ave., Suite 400, Portland OR 97204

Founded in 1997 by Hoa and Linda Lam, the family-owned Professional Auto Body & Paint Inc. has been in operation for over 20 years. When Hoa and Linda retired in 2018, they passed down their business to their son, Anthony Lam, and his partner, Nancy Le. Starting a new chapter for an inherited business is no small feat, especially when faced with the challenges and uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Business Oregon sponsors the SBLC through a grant with Centro Cultrual to support businesses throughout Oregon who were suffering as a result of the pandemic.

OnPoint Community Credit Union joined the SBLC sponsors in 2020 as the SBLC was facing increased demand as a result of the pandemic.

Rock Dojo LLC, Owner

The pandemic and its terrible impact on small businesses skyrocketed requests to the SBLC. In the spring, the SBLC was able to marshal existing resources, including the Ford Family Foundation and Prosper Portland, to support a unique track that served 25 COVID-19 affected businesses. We also presented numerous times on COVID-related legal issues. Once those funds were used, Washington County Business Recovery Center and Centro de Prosperidad, through a grant by Business Oregon, stepped up and provided additional support. This CARES Act funding will continue until the end of this year.

Small businesses across Oregon have struggled to adapt to the changes brought on by the pandemic. Business owners are looking for advice navigating new rules and regulations, along with a host of other legal questions arising out of now-unpayable leases, undeliverable contracts, and in some instances, business closures.

The demand for these services pre-existed funding, and the SBLC is thankful to be in a better position to help clients in Washington County and throughout Oregon. When the this COVID-specific funding runs out at the end of 2020, the SBLC will continue to look for new and creative ways to serve businesses suffering from COVID-related issues across Oregon.

Located in an unusual intersection of health care, technology, business and privacy issues, Christina Glabas’ journey led her to found Gazelle Consulting in 2015. As one of the early HIPAA compliance service providers in Oregon, Christina has seen significant growth in companies’ willingness to tackle privacy and security issues. Currently, Gazelle Consulting works with a diverse range of businesses including health care practitioners, educational institutions, technology companies, and nonprofits. Christina loves to talk about subjects that intimidate many business owners. She has noticed that while people frequently communicate their dislike of HIPAA and GDPR policies, there has been a shift of understanding and awareness of the importance to protect consumers and the riskiness of exposing health care information.

“We sell experiences”, says Robin Murphy, owner of Oregon Coast Glassworks. Robin, an accountant by trade, and her husband William, both Native American, started the business from scratch about 10 years ago in Newport. 

For the past nine years, the Small Business Legal Clinic (SBLC) has assisted over 18 manufactured dwelling co-operatives to help create more affordable housing communities in Oregon. Along with our mission to serve low-income businesses and nonprofits, the SBLC is committed to securing safe and affordable housing throughout Oregon. We spoke with SBLC Staff Attorney Brian Dasso to find out more about the process.

Q: Please tell us about the clients you currently represent.

About 50% of my work is devoted to representing manufactured dwelling co-operative (co-op) clients. While several of our co-op clients are based in the Portland metro area, most are scattered throughout rural Oregon. (Check out the SBLC client map for list and locations.) The co-ops are owned by residents, and the residents also form the co-op’s board of directors. We partner closely with Community and Shelter Assistance Corporation (CASA of Oregon), a nonprofit developer of affordable housing, in working with the co-ops. Generally, CASA of Oregon generally serves as the co-op’s technical advisor and the SBLC is their legal advisor. We also currently represent housing authorities that build traditional affordable housing such as single dwelling homes, townhomes, and apartments.

Q: What are some of the legal issues and challenges that manufactured dwelling co-operatives often face?

The SBLC helps draft governing documents, by-laws, and community rules, and recently, we helped four co-ops with closing the purchase of their manufactured dwelling parks. After closing, we continue counseling the co-ops with general business and real estate law, such as lease management, landlord-tenant communications, and compliance with Oregon rent control and fair housing laws. One challenge we face in representing co-ops is the high turnover rate of board members, and we continue to work with CASA of Oregon to create a smooth onboarding process for new board members.

Q: How has COVID-19 change things for you and your clients?

The biggest difference would be not being able to have the initial meetings in-person. Before the pandemic, I would usually meet with clients in-person for the first meeting and communicate via email or phone throughout our representation, but now, everything from intake to closing takes place online. I think it’s important to have the personal interaction with our clients, and I look forward to being back in our office once it is safe for everyone.

Meals 4 Heels, owned by Nikeisah Newton, originally started as a late night healthy eating option for exotic dancers and sex workers. As Portland is both known for its eclectic food and high number of strip clubs per capita, Nikeisah sought to combine these two themes into a niche industry that could supply healthy eating options for late night workers. Beginning in January of 2019, news of Meals for Heels traveled via word of mouth and she took orders directly from Instagram direct messages, texts, calls, etc. Additionally, by being able to directly message Meals for Heals, Nikeisah was able to remove the “creepy guy factor” that comes with ordering from a food delivery app and having a complete stranger deliver food to a club.

White Chameleon Entertainment LLC, Owner

Family Essentials LLC, Owner

Sarah Lora, a new clinical professor for the law school, will lead the Lewis & Clark Law School Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) starting in June 2019, replacing beloved faculty member Jan Pierce, who is retiring after 19 years of clinic leadership.

When Ruth Flores of RLF Ceramic Design Center LLC discusses her small business, she tells a compelling story full of grit, hard work, and surprises. Ruth’s business makes aquarium décor from ceramic materials. To grow her business over the past 28 years, Ruth underwent a remarkable journey. She built a national company from scratch, made an incredible discovery, was ousted from her own company after a legal dispute, and eventually was able to regain much of what she lost through federal trademark registration and hard work.

Columbia Bank has supported the SBLC for the last three years and extended support for our Opern House in 2020.

The Small Business Legal Clinic is a great program for local businesses and for Lewis & Clark Law School students. The SBLC has provided me with the tools that I need for everyday transactional legal work. As a student who plans to open his own practice after law school, I feel that the SBLC has prepared me with what to expect when performing business transactions. The SBLC is an excellent resource for students to try transactional legal work and see if it is an area they want to pursue. 

I am very happy I was able to be a part of the SBLC during law school. It is rewarding to see the satisfaction on client’s faces after helping them with their needs. The SBLC should be a requirement for any law student who wishes to practice business law.  

The SBLC provides real-life experience working with real clients on their actual issues. In the SBLC Patent Clinic, our supervising attorney spent about half of our clinic time teaching and coaching us every week, which is rare in most law firm settings. 

The SBLC Patent Clinic helped me understand what patent prosecution work is about, and what skill set is needed to work in this field. It provides a realistic view of the daily work of a patent prosecution attorney. It is also a great “try-it-out” opportunity to find out whether one would enjoy it or not. 

Overall, I believe the patent clinic is a unique experience. The clinic helps low-income people who need legal advice but cannot afford full-price legal services. This is a great experience to see how lawyers can help and connect with people. Working at the SBLC inspired me to think of how I can better help people in my future career.

We’re excited to highlight The Big Elephant Kitchen, a Fijian Indian restaurant that opened in May of 2017. Owned by Saleshni, Deon, and Deepak Sundar, the business is a family undertaking. The owners decided to go into business for themselves after gaining experience managing other food businesses. They wanted to bring their unique and delicious cuisine to Portland. During the process of opening the business, they convinced their mother and father to join them.  Rajni, their mother, is working magic in the kitchen while Shailendra, their father, can likely be found searching for breadfruit or some other unique ingredient.

Summit Wood Creations is a local small business specializing in hand-crafted custom wood furniture. The owner, Reyna Badillo, started building custom furniture largely because of her childhood experiences seated at a handmade dresser. Gifted to her by her grandmother, the dresser holds a lot of sentimental value and has been in her family for four generations. When Reyna realized that she can create the furniture through which clients’ own special memories might be made, she discovered her passion. She turned this passion into a business back in 2001. While the business previously focused on residential custom furniture, they have expanded into custom furniture in the commercial arena.

NW Ferments is a new up-and-coming Portland-area business. Sue and Wendy have fermented foods for many years as a hobby. When the fermenting company that they worked for decided to move to another state, they decided to open their own company that would bring fermenting to every type of person. They came to the Small Business Legal Clinic in early 2016 to start their own businesses and negotiate the end of their work with the previous business.

Lindsey Alonzo is the creative force behind Luna Sol, the home of beautiful, handcrafted jewelry. Luna Sol, her solo venture, began just over a year ago. Lindsey has been designing jewelry since 2002, however. She originally received a degree in textile design, but discovered her love for designing and crafting jewelry while working in a local boutique. After learning more about the ins and outs of business, she decided it was time to begin her own business.

Lindsey creates original designs, drawing inspiration from the ethnically diverse cultures she meets as she travels.  She especially enjoys the creative aspects of her business, such as crafting the first pieces of her collection. She has placed her collections in local stores such as Haunt, Altar and Flora. Her designs can also be seen online at http://lunasoldesigns.net/.

Lindsey first came to the Small Business Legal Clinic, Pro Bono Project in the summer of 2014 for advice on properly forming and registering her businesses. She returned this summer to learn about the process of copyrighting her designs. 

Head’s Up Hair is a salon in east Portland that has been in business since 1959. Many of the stylists have been there 15-20 years. Their mission is to help clients feel great about themselves.  The salon offers haircuts, color, perms, extensions, highlights, lowlights, nail services and waxing.  Maria Ramirez purchased Head’s Up Hair in March of 2013.  In the last year, she has transformed the basic hair cutting salon/barber-shop into a day spa atmosphere with positive results and feedback from customers.  She is currently working on replacing the furniture, adding more stations and hopes to add a private area for waxing in the fall of 2014.

Artico Lite Inc. is a family-owned, full service sign company owned by Peter Cao and Jennah Lee.  Since 2000, they have manufactured, installed, and maintained indoor and outdoor lighted and non-lighted signs in Portland.  Jennah handles the administrative, design and planning work and Peter builds and constructs the signs.  Peter began learning about the craft of glass work many years ago. In 1980, just months after moving to America, Peter took a temporary job in New York doing industrial glass work at $3.25 an hour.  His boss was so impressed with Peter’s work that he quickly gave him a 25¢ raise.  Over the course of many years he worked to improve both with speed and skill to become a master craftsman. Eventually he started his own business, bringing his skill in neon to the Portland area.  In June 2014, Artico Lite came through the SBLC’s Intern Program and worked with Intern Silvia Tanner and Professor Susan Felstiner.  Silvia researched the tax consequences of converting from a corporation to an LLC, and drafted the conversion documents and an operating agreement for the LLC.

Provides consultations, assistance and funding opportunities for, individuals and businesses located in rural communities.