University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law
The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office has given a $1 million grant to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law to create a Business Innovation Clinic, UALR announced Friday.
The clinic, which is the school’s sixth legal clinic, will be the first in the state to focus on providing business law advice and services to small businesses, innovators and nonprofits.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this clinic will allow students at Bowen the opportunity to directly help businesses grow and create more, better-paying jobs for Arkansans while protecting consumers,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, a UALR law school graduate.
Students will work with entrepreneurs in launching and building their businesses, negotiating their contracts with business partners, and protecting their ideas and innovations.
“This is an excellent opportunity for Bowen students who are pursuing business law careers,” said Bowen Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz. “They will have the chance to counsel real clients and will have the satisfaction of seeing those clients thrive.”
The clinic will offer educational programs for small-business owners and potential entrepreneurs with programming focused on navigating issues that challenge new enterprises.
“This innovative clinic is a great demonstration of how a university can serve the needs of the private sector and support economic development,” said UALR Chancellor Andrew Rogerson. “By working directly with new entrepreneurs when they need expert help the most, this clinic will help strengthen Arkansas’ small business sector, which in turn will create Arkansas jobs and expand the state’s economic base.”
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