Small Business and Transactional Clinic Interns
Taylor Hight, Katie Shetlar, Christopher McGown, Lane Palmateer, John Beverlin, and Alan Alsobrook
In the Small Business and Transactional Law Clinic (Transactional Clinic) upper-level law students provide business and legal assistance to small businesses and nonprofit organizations in Topeka and surrounding areas. The Transactional Clinic has two primary goals: to help students develop skills in business counseling and transactional law under the supervision of an experienced licensed attorney who is also a member of the law school faculty, and to serve the legal needs of businesses and nonprofit organizations who cannot afford to hire legal counsel.
The Transactional Clinic provides a wide variety of legal assistance, but does not assist businesses or organizations with litigation. Business counseling and legal services include:
- Drafting and reviewing business plans
- Counseling on choice of entity formation and start-up services to for-profit and nonprofit groups
- Drafting and filing charter documents
- Drafting governing documents, such as bylaws, operating agreements, and partnership/shareholder agreements
- Applying for tax-exempt status for nonprofit organizations
- Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts, leases, and licensing agreements
- Counseling on compliance with local, state, and federal laws
- Researching and counseling on select intellectual property issues
This semester, the interns enrolled in the Small Business and Transactional Law Clinic have set up LLC's, developed business plans, and helped create nonprofit organizations.
"Helping clients grow an idea into a viable business is very rewarding and every day is a new challenge. I am very glad I chose to work in the Clinic." — Chris McGown
