Cleary Gottlieb hosted its first monthly Microenterprise Office Hours session in partnership with Start Small Think Big (SSTB), a nonprofit that supports low-to-moderate-income entrepreneurs as they build their businesses in underserved areas of New York City.
Through these in-person consultations, Cleary attorneys provide limited-scope advice to clients referred by SSTB on a range of small business legal issues, including contract drafting and review, entity selection and formation questions and corporate governance issues, as well as commercial lease assistance, IP issues and employment issues. In some instances, the consultations develop into bigger projects, with Cleary attorneys providing longer-term counsel to their clients. In others, the consultation sessions are enough to help move the client to the next step in building a small business. The consultations take place on the second Tuesday of each month.
At the inaugural session in July, Cleary attorneys worked with clients seeking advice on entity selection and corporate governance. In one matter, an entrepreneur working to develop a high-end fashion consulting business sought assistance with selecting and forming the appropriate legal entity for his business, including advice on the tax implications of his options at formation and in the future.
Another client, who is operating a drag queen clothing design company, sought assistance with assessing “scam” solicitations for corporate compliance assistance and general corporate compliance advice.