This month, Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights partnered with several member law firms to launch a virtual legal clinic now available for small businesses and nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
Any eligible small businesses or nonprofit can request an appointment to receive free legal advice during a 30-minute remote consultation with a volunteer attorney.
The clinic features:
-Information about how to access federal, state, Cook County, and City of Chicago loan funds
-Brief legal advice on issues including employment, leases, contracts, taxes, debt relief, real estate, dissolution or mergers
-Expanded eligibility for nonprofits and small businesses that need help
-Referrals to other organizations in Chicago that are providing more in-depth assistance to nonprofits and small businesses with actual loan applications
As we have done for over three decades, Chicago Lawyers' Committee will also continue to place small business and nonprofit clients with volunteer attorneys for extended pro bono legal representation.
"Everybody is impacted by this, but we know that communities of color are especially likely to suffer the worst health and economic consequences of COVID-19," says Senior Counsel Erica Spangler Raz who directs the Pro Bono Works program for Chicago Lawyers' Committee.
"Our attorney volunteers and expert legal staff are standing ready to provide emergency assistance to nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and small businesses in historically disinvested communities to help them stay afloat."
To apply for emergency COVID-19 legal advice or for our general legal assistance program for nonprofits and small businesses, please fill out our inquiry form: www.clccrul.org/get-help-from-pbw .
For legal, operational, and funding resources, check out our COVID-19 page: https://www.clccrul.org/covid19?utm_source=Media&utm_campaign=bffa84b74b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_22_04_07&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d7ba2ae6f6-bffa84b74b-139905721&mc_cid=bffa84b74b&mc_eid=01bdf1deb4.
About Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights
We are civil rights lawyers and advocates working to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all. Our attorneys have helped to build, strengthen and support nonprofit organizations and small businesses that contribute to economic development and deliver social services in low-income neighborhoods since 1985. Chicago Lawyers' Committee recognizes that structural racism is a major contributor toward economic injustice; we work to eradicate racism and end poverty in our city and coordinate our activities in close working relationship with our community partners.
—From a press release
