The Community Economic Development Law Project (CEDLP) provides a range of transactional representation and strategic legal advice to community organizations and micro-enterprises. CEDLP is an ideal volunteer organization for attorneys seeking to strengthen communities through non-litigation pro bono projects effectively utilizing their business law skills. MPP attorneys volunteering for the “Investing in Communities” project will have several attractive options available, as described below.
INCREASING ACCESS TO CHILDCARE
CEDLP will involve Chicago MPP volunteer attorneys in a childcare team offering legal help to nonprofit child care agencies, representing women starting home-based childcare micro-enterprises, and lecturing in business training programs. The work with nonprofits will be primarily in conjunction with the Center for Early Education Management and Finance, a program sponsored by the Illinois Facility Fund. Through this program, a group of technical assistance agencies have been brought together to enhance the capacity of six nonprofit childcare agencies. This assistance ranges from conducting workshops on topics such as personnel matters and bylaws, to lease review, and eventually to providing representation on issues related to facility expansion.
CEDLP’s work with nonprofit agencies compliments its work on behalf of people starting their own home-based childcare businesses. Though educational start-up business programs and direct representation, CEDLP will organize MPP volunteers to help women starting home-based childcare microenterprises as a strategy to escape poverty. Through the work of MPP volunteers, these micro-entrepreneurs will enjoy access to the same types of professional and technical assistance that other business people enjoy, including legal advice related to corporate structure, insurance, lease provisions, regulatory compliance, hiring and managing employees, and contracting options. CEDLP has an outline and a manual covering these issues. The manual is on-line at the Chicago Lawyers' Committee's website at www.clccrul.org.
ASSISTING SMALL LOAN FUNDS
Small loan funds, such as the Chicago Community Loan Fund, loan money to nonprofit organizations for community development activities. CEDLP will link MPP volunteer attorneys with these loan funds to represent them at closings.
EDUCATING NONPROFITS
Finally, MPP volunteer attorneys will have opportunities to educate the leaders of other nonprofit organizations, such as clients of the Community Renewal Society, regarding key business law issues. Presentations will cover a range of topics, such as how to review a lease, how to hire and fire employees, and how to maintain tax-exempt status.
