Attorneys
NC LEAP's services to low-wealth entrepreneurs are only possible due to the commitment of North Carolina's business and transactional attorneys. According to the North Carolina Small Business Center Network, over 100,000 new small businesses open every year in North Carolina. Many of these businesses are owned by low-wealth entrepreneurs in need of legal services.
Our volunteer recruitment efforts have met with great success thus far. However, as you can imagine, the need outweighs the supply and new volunteers are always wanted. Members of the NCBA Business Law Section provided the initial corps of NC LEAP volunteers. Business Law Section members committed more than 2500 hours of legal services in an initial survey conducted in 2006. Since then, Corporate Counsel Section has become a sponsor of the program. In addition to the program sponsors, Bankruptcy Section and Intellectual Property Section have announced their support of the program as well.
Attorneys who have volunteered for the program are like you; busy with clients, family and other community obligations. Their volunteering is a testament to their belief and commitment to alleviating poverty and building economic success. North Carolina's low-wealth entrepreneurs are, indeed, fortunate to have such committed attorneys on their side. NC LEAP would like to count you among those attorneys. Consider volunteering today.
NC LEAP offers opportunities for both corporate counsel and attorneys in private practice. Corporate counsel routinely assist NC LEAP clients by:
- Speaking to groups of entrepreneurs on relevant legal topics;
- Writing Ounce of Prevention Fact Sheets and other educational materials;
- If licensed in NC, counseling clients at Ask-a-Lawyer clinics;
- If licensed in NC, providing individual client case assistance.
Attorneys in private practice assist NC LEAP clients by doing the same things as corporate counsel, but with an increased emphasis on counseling clients. NC LEAP is happy to pair corporate counsel and attorneys in private practice for dual representation--if you would like to participate in this way, just let us know! We hope that you will volunteer in the capacity that best fits your interests.