Pacific Street Law, a commercial law firm, is partnering with Civic Hall and the NY Tech Alliance to provide free legal consultations to their member startups. Consultations will be held on-site at Civic Hall and online, and schedules will be sent individually to eligible founders. The source article did not specify eligibility requirements or how to apply.
Pacific Street Law, a New York City commercial law firm, is working with Civic Hall, a tech and business hub in Manhattan's Union Square, and the NY Tech Alliance to provide free legal consultations to their member startups. Reporting on the news, amNewYork said the program is aimed at more than 14,000 startups and founders affiliated with the two organizations. Attorneys from the firm will hold office hours to discuss legal priorities, anticipated obstacles and next steps with new business owners.
According to amNewYork, the consultations will cover company formation, co-founder agreements, fundraising, equity structure, hiring and employee compensation, customer and vendor contracts, and intellectual property. They will also include legal and regulatory considerations involved in developing and launching products. The source article said other areas will be covered as well.
Consultations will be offered both in person at Civic Hall and remotely. Civic Hall said it will separately notify eligible founders of the schedule. The source article does not give specific consultation dates, how to apply, contact information, deadlines or detailed eligibility criteria. Because the article refers to founders affiliated with the two organizations, it is not clear whether general small business owners who are not members can use the service.
Gareth Rhodes, founder and managing attorney of Pacific Street Law, said that in the early stages of a business, founders must make important decisions quickly with limited resources, and that affordable, high-quality legal advice can make a big difference. Jim Malatras, Managing Director of Civic Hall, said this kind of support is why Civic Hall and the NY Tech Alliance exist. amNewYork added that similar programs already exist in New York City, such as New York Law School's free advice for new business owners.