COVID-19 Legal Assistance for Nonprofits and Small Businesses

The Public Law Center is pleased to be partnering with Start Small Think Big to launch a Pro Bono Remote Legal Assistance Clinic for Nonprofits and Small Businesses. By connecting Orange County community organizations and small business owners with volunteer attorneys through video or phone consultations, our goal is to assist you in navigating legal issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to help ensure you are on the best legal path to continue providing valuable resources and services for the Orange County community. Through PLC’s remote clinic, nonprofit organizations and small business owners can get free brief legal advice on COVID-19 related legal issues, including CARES Act and other government economic relief programs, employment and staffing issues, meeting contractual obligations, insurance coverage and commercial lease matters.

To request assistance, please complete and submit a COVID-19 Assistance Request Form.

PLC’s Community Organizations Legal Assistance Project (COLAP) makes free legal services available to community-based nonprofit organizations, childcare centers and providers. PLC will also help micro-business owners who meet certain eligibility criteria.

Through our network of volunteer attorneys, COLAP provides free legal services to existing nonprofit organizations serving Orange County’s low-income population as well as to groups that want to form such organizations. In addition, through community partners, we also offer free or low-cost workshops on a variety of legal topics.

Some examples of how we are able to assist our clients:

  • Employment Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Leases
  • Business Contracts
  • Tax Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Liability and Insurance
  • Choice of Business Entity and Start-Up
  • Reorganization
  • Nonprofit Incorporation
  • Corporate Governance
  • Land Use (including Conditional Use Permits)
  • Government Licensing

In order to qualify for legal services, an organization must serve low-income or under-represented individuals and communities in Orange County, and must not have the resources to pay for legal services. For micro-business owners and childcare providers, please contact us for eligibility guidelines.

All legal services, provided by PLC or volunteer attorneys are free of charge. However, clients are responsible for out-of-pocket expenses associated with the legal work performed, such as governmental filing and other administrative fees. For more information or to request a legal services application, please contact us at (714) 541-1010 x281, or by email at colap@publiclawcenter.org.

Please see links below for helpful resources to address COVID-19 legal issues impacting nonprofit organizations and small businesses.

Links

  • Staff Versus Contract Workers: What AB5 Means to The Social Sector

    Co-sponsored with the Orange County Community Foundation & the Public Law Center

    California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) extends employee classification status to gig workers. What does this law (and the supreme court decision behind it) mean to the social sector? Find out with Public Law Center’s Community Organizations Legal Assistance Project.