Press release from Unblendable Media:
Today, the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center, in partnership with North Carolina law firms, and the Lawyers for Good Government Foundation, a non-profit network of more than 125,000 legal advocates with lawyers in all 50 states, announced the launch of a Small Business and Nonprofit Remote Legal Clinic, offering pro bono legal consultations for small business owners and nonprofits, helping them navigate the COVID-19 economic crisis and ensuing relief programs.
Qualifying small businesses or nonprofits of 25 or fewer employees will be matched with NC firms including Alston & Bird, Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft, Kilpatrick Townsend, Mayer Brown, McGuire Woods, Nelson Mullins and Winston & Strawn, for free 45-minute consultations with pro bono attorneys who can answer legal questions and help determine the best path forward for their businesses. Consultations will include helping North Carolina small business owners or nonprofits understand the legislative language in the CARES Act and Paycheck Protection Program, and answer any questions related to employment, contracts, commercial leases, insurance and insolvency issues.
LINK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS TO REGISTER: http://ncprobono.org/csbni/
Under phase three of stimulus relief legislation passed by Congress, an additional $320 billion has been provided to make new loans under the PPP, which provides forgivable loans to small business that keep employees on the payroll for eight weeks. The measure also includes $60 billion in loans and grants under a separate Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
“In the current climate, small businesses and nonprofit groups are in need of our support. We have come together as law firms to provide our expertise and guidance to these organizations, as well as to simply provide a sounding board for them,” said Taylor Daly, Pro Bono Partner, Nelson Mullins.
“We are excited to offer this much needed legal information and advice to NC small businesses and nonprofits. It is inspirational to see many of the NC’s largest law firms harness their attorneys’ expertise to help those who might not otherwise be able to get this information. In a time of genuine uncertainty and need, we are proud to offer this program,” said Sylvia Novinsky, director of the NC Pro Bono Resource Center.
“Our hope is that this coordinated effort to connect small businesses and nonprofits to pro bono legal resources serves as a model for how we can continue to work together as a legal and business community to help each other during difficult times,” said Tamara Caldas, Pro Bono Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend.
“Hundreds of thousands of small business owners, many of whom already operate on very narrow margins, are still struggling with questions about how their businesses will survive the COVID-19 pandemic. This small business legal clinic can help them navigate the economic crisis that was no fault of their own, and provide them with guidance they desperately need at this time,” said Lawyers for Good Government’s executive director Traci Feit Love.
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