BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PANEL: Provides pro bono legal advice to small business owners in Seattle’s economically distressed communities in cooperation with the University of Washington’s Business and Economic Development Center (BEDC).

Since 1997, members of the King County Bar Association have been providing timely and insightful legal advice to small businesses in conjunction with the Business and Economic Development Center (BEDC) at the UW’s Foster School of Business. Together this effort has helped companies generate more than $50 million in new revenue and added more than 900 jobs to this region.

Through the first decade the partnership between the KCBA and the BEDC has grown from focusing on very small businesses in central and southeast Seattle to focusing on minority- and women-owned companies and others in economically distressed communities. Additionally the emphasis has shifted from working with early stage firms to companies that have potential for substantial growth. Thus the legal advising provided by KCBA attorneys has evolved to the point where attorneys not only review business formation documents and contracts but also provide strategic advice on issues ranging from personnel policies to joint ventures and strategic partnerships.

We are actively seeking attorneys who would like to volunteer their time advising small businesses.  In particular, we are seeking attorneys who have a general knowledge of business law for smaller businesses.  Expertise in the areas of labor/employment, real estate, land use, taxation and structure of business organizations, franchising, and commercial contracts is often needed for one or more of the small businesses.

Activities: Attorneys are introduced to program at a Brown Bag lunch orientation at KCBA in October. On the designated Business Advising Day, attorneys spend 1-1/2 hours with an assigned business owner to confidentially review business legal issues. The volunteer attorney then provides the business with a short written report outlining the issues and suggested steps for addressing them. Should additional consultation be needed, the attorney will provide up to an additional four (4) hours of pro bono advice. Following this, the attorney can either refer the advisee to KCBA's Lawyer Referral Service or continue advising the business on a pro bono or fee-for-service basis, depending on the desires of the volunteer attorney.

Committee Chairperson: Chair, works with Michael Verchot, Director, UW-Business and Economic Development Center.

Stuart Heller, Chair 2007-2009

Meetings:

Meeting Times:Brown Bag Orientation: October 30 at noon at KCBA Large Conference Room, 1200 5th Ave. Suite 600, Seattle, WA
Advising Day: November 14, 2008 at Walker Ames Room in Kane Hall at the UW campus
Meeting Location:KCBA Large Conference Room, 1200 5th Ave. Suite 600, Seattle, WA