What it is

The Community Development Law Clinic is one of the clinical programs at the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law, located at 4340 Connecticut Ave NW in Washington, DC. Law students in the clinic learn transactional and business lawyering skills by representing nonprofit organizations and small, urban entrepreneurs. The clinic is directed by Professor Jerome Hughes and often works alongside community-based business centers and other professionals to provide consulting services to clients.

What it offers founders

For an early-stage founder, the clinic covers many of the legal tasks that come up when starting and running a small business. According to the clinic page, student attorneys can:

  • Advise on choosing a business structure
  • Prepare articles of incorporation, bylaws, partnership agreements and business contracts
  • Advise on basic tax law, zoning, licensing and intellectual property
  • Research trademarks and prepare trademark applications
  • Prepare applications for tax-exempt status and represent clients before the IRS
  • Mediate business disputes
  • Prepare and run client workshops on legal issues

This is transactional work, not litigation. It is most useful when you need formation documents, contracts or compliance guidance rather than representation in a lawsuit.

Who it is for

The clinic serves nonprofits and small, urban entrepreneurs. UDC Law's clinical program as a whole serves people in the DC area with legal issues in the District, and its student attorneys work under faculty supervision with low-income and other underrepresented clients. The clinic overview cites incomes below about 200 percent of federal poverty guidelines as a reference point. Clinics take a limited number of matters, and many come through referrals from other legal service agencies, so availability is not guaranteed.

How to engage

To ask for help, call the UDC Law clinic line at (202) 274-5073 or email law_clinic@udc.edu and describe your issue so you can be routed to the right clinic. You can also reach the Community Development Law Clinic directly at 202.274.5122 or contact Professor Hughes at jerome.hughes@udc.edu. The clinics close during winter break, roughly December 23 to January 2. If a clinic cannot take your matter, the clinic overview page lists other resources such as LawHelp.org, Legal Aid DC and the DC Bar's referral options. Details on the clinic itself are on the Community Development Law Clinic page.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

Legal costs are a real barrier for first-time and lower-income founders in DC. The clinic gives qualifying entrepreneurs and nonprofits supervised help with formation, contracts, trademarks and tax-exempt status, while training future business lawyers. UDC Law's clinical program has served DC residents for over 50 years, and the clinic's links with community business centers make it a practical referral point for neighborhood businesses. More on the school's hands-on programs is on its experiential learning page.