Cleary Gottlieb Partners with Start Small Think Big to Provide Financial Relief Legal Counseling to Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19

Cleary Gottlieb has developed a suite of financial relief resources and a training module for attorneys advising small business clients on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic through Start Small Think Big’s Financial Relief for Small Businesses pro bono initiative.

Cleary partner Richard Lincer and associates Charlie Allen, Stephanie Charles, Jina Davidovich, Yoni Hassin, and Hilary Ruffer developed the training module and resources which summarize information on loans, grants, and other forms of relief at all levels, including with respect to programs under the CARES Act, for which small businesses may be eligible to apply. Through these efforts, attorneys across the country will be able to assist clients by providing helpful information to the devastated small business community on their financial relief options and answers to their questions under the various programs.

The resources include:

• An on-demand webinar attorney training on financial relief for small businesses
• Helpful summaries on the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans and Paycheck Protection Program
• A flowchart simplifying eligibility criteria of the various financial relief programs available to small business owners
• A curated and up-to-date set of FAQs across the programs
• Guidance specific to sole proprietors and single member LLCs
• A guide for financial relief consultations for attorneys

These resources are available on SSTB’s COVID-19 Resource page and serve as a follow-up to Cleary and SSTB’s seminar on Financial Relief for Small Businesses held on March 30, 2020. Additional Cleary-generated training materials are available on Start Small’s training hub for lawyers and financial professionals.