LegalCORPS volunteer attorneys provide representation in transactional matters in several different areas of nonprofit and small business law. These issues are common for both nonprofits and small businesses: entity formation, employment advice, contract draft/review, lease review, general business advice, and intellectual property (trademark, copyright, patent).

LegalCORPS provides periodic, no-cost training on nonprofit and small business law and prefers that all volunteers attend these sessions.  Most get approval for CLE credit.  Some past trainings are available on DVD.

LegalCORPS will place cases with attorneys who have significant experience in the pertinent areas of law for the particular cases, even if they have not attended LegalCORPS' training sessions.  LegalCORPS will place volunteers who do not have significant experience in the pertinent areas of law for particular cases if they have attended LegalCORPS training sessions, or if it can pair those volunteers with more experienced mentors.  

LegalCORPS makes a strong effort to provide mentors to attorneys who are new or wanting to gain more experience with a subject area. The mentor and mentored attorney can decide how best to structure their work during the course of the representation.  

While providing pro bono legal assistance to clients through LegalCORPS, registered attorneys are covered by malpractice insurance through a LegalCORPS' policy through the National Legal Aid & Defender Association. 

LAW STUDENT VOLUNTEERS:  LegalCORPS works with the Minnesota Justice Foundation to place law students to assist volunteer lawyers at drop-in clinics, to work with volunteer attorneys on full representation cases, and to work on other LegalCORPS projects. 

PROSPECTIVE VOLUNTEERS: Thank you for your interest in LegalCORPS! If you would like to volunteer please complete the volunteer application. In addition to updates about trainings and events, registered LegalCORPS volunteers receive an e-mail update on LegalCORPS matters of interest at least monthly.

CURRENT VOLUNTEER LAWYERS:  If you have completed a case for LegalCORPS, please fill out the case closing form and return it as soon as possible.

Volunteer Attorney Training CLEs: 

Upcoming courses:

Please return here later for more information as it becomes available.

CLE course approvals in 2009-2010:

The Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education approved 3.0 hours of standard CLE credit for "Advising Distressed Small Businesses" [#149644] held on November 11, 2010.

The Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education approved 6.0 hours of standard CLE credit for each of the Nonprofit Legal Needs Assessment Training sessions in St. Paul, held June 7, 2010; June 17, 2010; and July 22, 2010.

The Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education approved 2.0 hours of standard CLE credit for "Legal Issues for Small Business Owners," held Feb. 16, 2010, in St. Cloud.

The Minnesota Board of Continuing Legal Education approved 3.0 hours of standard CLE credit for lawyers who attended Roger Belfay's presentation on "Traps and Pitfalls in Intellectual Property" in July 2009.

Attorney F.A.Q.

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions by attorney volunteers.