By Ryan Michaels
The Birmingham Times
Black business and nonprofit owners in Birmingham will have access to free legal services starting Friday, through a collaboration between Bradley Arant Boult Cummings law firm and Legal Services Alabama (LSA), as first reported by the Birmingham Business Journal.
The firm recognizes “the historic and systemic racial inequities that have made it challenging for the Black business community to thrive in Birmingham,” said Bradley Birmingham Office Managing Partner Dawn Helms Sharff.
“Our partnership with LSA is an opportunity for Bradley to join the cause for racial equity and to make a lasting impact in the local community,” Sharff said.
LSA Executive Director Guy Lescault agreed, saying everybody shares a “responsibility to effect change in our fight for racial justice.”
“We are excited to collaborate with Bradley to help fulfill our mission and work to rectify historical inequities in Birmingham’s Black business and nonprofit communities,” Lescault said.
The Birmingham Black Small Business and Nonprofit Community Clinic opens virtually on Friday, April 29 from noon to 1 p.m. and is by appointment only. Succeeding clinics will be offered on the fourth Thursday of each month through December 22. Appointments are initially virtual, with plans to transition to in-person operations in the coming months.
LSA will conduct the initial screening of prospective clients. Eligible businesses should consist of at least 50 percent Black ownership with 10 or fewer employees and limited means.
Participants in the clinics will have access to attorneys who will offer a range of free, business-oriented consultations, including:
–Business Formation
–Corporate Governance
–Local and State Regulations
–Contract Review
–State and Federal Taxes
LSA Court Debt Project Staff Attorney Frederick Spright said the clinics are “a great next step in the evolution of addressing poverty in historically disenfranchised communities.”
“The goal is to help local entrepreneurs build their capacity for organic growth and development, thereby providing jobs and helping build wealth in these communities for generations to come,” Spright said.
Tiffany Graves, pro bono counsel at Bradley, said the firm’s attorneys are “committed to breaking down some of the barriers that prevent Black business owners from receiving the support they need to legally maintain their businesses.”
“Bradley is working to bridge the gap between the legal needs of those who cannot afford or access legal services and the resources available to meet those needs,” Graves said.
LSA is the local organization of Legal Services Corporation, which is a nonprofit established by the U.S. Congress.
Moving forward, Nell Brimmer, LSA managing attorney of client access said the organization wants to expand its free services through partnerships.
“The Black Small Business and Nonprofit Community Clinic with Bradley allows LSA to continue the community development work started under Frederick’s John Lewis Fellowship project in 2020, with Bradley’s expertise and success in creating clinic collaborations,” Brimmer said.
To register for the Friday clinic, visit https://bradley.com/legalclinicapr29.
