Educational Workshops

LegalCORPS supports entrepreneurs, small business owners, inventors, and small nonprofit organizations by offering free educational legal workshops. Our no-cost workshops serve as an impactful resource for individuals who may not have the financial means to access legal education. The workshops cover a wide range of topics, including business formation, contracts, intellectual property law basics, and nonprofit governance.

With these offerings, LegalCORPS helps level the playing field for low-income entrepreneurs and inventors by giving them the tools they need to anticipate and successfully navigate the legal aspects of their ventures. LegalCORPS offers both standard workshops, such as the ones listed below, but can also create customized workshops at the request of a partner organization in response to a unique business legal topic.

attorneys for entrepreneurs and small businesses in MN

Educational Workshop Series

Employment Law & HR Basics
Is it time for you to grow your business? LegalCORPS volunteer employment law attorneys present vital information for you to know as you scale and consider hiring employees or contractors.

Building a Social Enterprise
The “Social Enterprise” (SocEnt) concept can apply to both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. This workshop, offered by staff and pro bono attorneys from LegalCORPS, will focus on the main legal issues that arise in both organization types.

Patent Basics
A LegalCORPS volunteer patent attorney will address what a patent is and how it protects your innovation, the process for obtaining a patent, and the importance of protecting your intellectual property.

Contracts, Agreements, & Commercial Leases
LegalCORPS volunteer business law attorneys will present information on the fundamentals of contracts, including commercial leases, operating agreements, and vendor agreements, including definitions of key terms and considerations to keep top of mind.

Intellectual Property Overview
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. A LegalCORPS volunteer IP attorney will discuss types of IP protection and what to consider when deciding on appropriate protection.

Risk Management & Liability
Small businesses and startups could be exposed to various kinds of risks that could threaten viability. In this workshop, LegalCORPS volunteer business law attorneys will help identify these risks and advise on which to assume and how to reduce risk impact and maintain business continuity.

Business Formation & Choice of Entity
LegalCORPS volunteer transactional business law attorneys will discuss business formation in Minnesota and how to choose the best corporate structure for your venture.

Pro Se Provisional Patent Workshop
Patent attorneys provide guidance and direction on the language and process for filing your provisional patent application. These are in-person events, and all questions are welcome.