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Clinic Program

Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic

"It gives students practical experience they can use and rely on when they start their careers as corporate attorneys or entrepreneurial attorneys.”

—Corey Zarse, JD’06

The Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic (EELC), jointly sponsored by the IU Kelley School of Business and Indiana Law, gives third-year law students and fourth-year joint degree students the opportunity to help new high-growth potential ventures become more operational and sustainable. The clinic provides students with more exposure to business clients and business issues while helping the community. Students advise entrepreneurs who otherwise might not be able to afford their expertise.

In many ways, the clinic operates as a small, business-focused law firm that provides business planning and legal services. In this setting, legal issues include:

  • Financial planning
  • Organization
  • Licenses
  • Agreements
  • Regulatory and zoning compliance
  • Intellectual property matters

Students involved in EELC will:

  • Obtain permits and licenses
  • Research and register intellectual property rights
  • Negotiate contracts and leases
  • Advise clients on appropriate business form
  • Draft necessary formation documents

With offices in both the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation in the Kelley School of Business and in the Law School’s Lewis Building, the clinic is tightly connected to both schools, both physically and in its curriculum.

Requirements

Students meet for class one hour each week, and with the director, Mark Need, for an additional hour each week to review experiences and client concerns. Students are also expected to spend one full day each week working on client matters. Occasional travel to Indianapolis may also be required.

Enrollment is limited to eight students. It is a year-long commitment, and participating students receive 3 credits each semester. Prerequisites for clinic participation include Corporations, Corporate Taxation, and Business Planning (or their equivalents), and the The Legal Profession. The clinic is designed primarily for JD/MBA students, but JD students who have completed the course prerequisites may also participate. Before you enroll in the Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, you must first obtain permission from Mark Need, clinic director.

Contact the Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic

Clinic Director: Mark Need
E-mail: needm [at] indiana [dot] edu Phone: (812) 856-2809
Fax: (812) 855-5128
Room: Lewis 302

B561: Elmore Entreprenuership course description