Free Legal Clinics for Area Entrepreneurs

Mid-Michigan entrepreneurs and inventors will have an opportunity to obtain free legal advice to help them address important issues related to their intellectual property at an upcoming free clinic.
 
“Great ideas will drive economic and workforce development in the 21^st century for the state of Michigan”, asserts Steve Bennett, the Vice President and Chief Program Officer for the statewide nonprofit Primas Civitas.
 
Primas Civitas coordinated the collaboration between the MSU Bioeconomy Institute and the MSU College of Law to remedy a void in economic and workforce development. Created by Michigan State University in 2006, Primas Civitas prides itself in performing small, nontraditional work while utilizing the unique advantages of working with a large, research university like Michigan State University.
 
The free clinic will be held by appointment at the MSU College of Law. Interested parties can complete an online application to secure their spot.

Addressing intellectual property law is an expensive but necessary step for inventors and entrepreneurs intending to take their innovative ideas to market. This free legal clinic will assist in mitigating upfront costs while providing law students with practical experience in their field. A practice area of the MSU Law's Legal Clinic, the Intellectual Property Start-Up Project connects interested parties to veteran attorneys who will mentor MSU law students as they discuss options, conduct legal research and set appropriate goals for protection of  new technologies for real clients.
 
Directly following the clinic, participants will be given an advisory letter generated by law students that will outline recommended next steps. 
 
“MSU’s commitment to making this initiative a reality has made them equal champions in developing the region's next big ideas,” stated Bennett.

In addition to the free legal clinic offered in East Lansing, there are two other clinics scheduled: January 28, 2014 at the Flint and Genesee Chamber of Commerce and  January 30, 2014 at the MSU Bioeconomy Institute in Holland.
 
Source: Steve Bennett, Prima Civitas
Writer: Tashmica Torok, Innovation News Editor