News

SBLC’s patent clinic continues to provide vital legal services to Oregon’s small businesses and trains the next generation of lawyers.

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

It is our pleasure to invite you to our new space, 333 SW 5th Ave., Suite 400, on Wednesday, May 4th from 3 pm-6 pm. After 15 years, we have moved to a new location and are excited to welcome you! In light of the pandemic, we will be holding tours throughout the 3 hours rather than a large gathering. Please RSVP to sblc@lclark.edu by May 2, 2022. We will have light refreshments.

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.