NELP Co-Hosts Inaugural Small Business Legal Academy at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater

On October 29, 2013, the Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo), the Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project (NELP) of the City Bar Justice Center, and eight other NYC legal service providers hosted the inaugural Small Business Legal Academy at Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater.

Over 200 small business owners attended to receive free legal counsel from volunteer attorneys representing nearly 35 NYC law firms.  On Tuesday, attorneys from top corporate law firms took the main stage of the Apollo, where musical legends such as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin have performed in the past.  The presentations covered information on legal essentials for small businesses, intellectual property issues, and not-for-profit formation, among other topics.

Business owners were free to move between the presentations taking place on the main stage and the legal counseling tables in the back of the auditorium. Over 25 corporate attorneys lined the back wall to meet one-on-one with clients who had specific legal questions about their businesses. Among the many issues addressed, incorporation matters and intellectual property questions were the most common.

Business owners who required ongoing legal assistance were referred back to the nine legal service organizations that partnered together to organize the all-day conference: Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, City Bar Justice Center, Lawyers Alliance for New York, The Legal Aid Society, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Pro Bono Net, Start Small Think Big, Urban Justice Center, and Volunteers of Legal Service.

Photography by Joyce Mishaan.