Community Economic Development Clinic 2024 Highlights
The Community Economic Development Clinic (CEDC) at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is making a significant impact across Colorado by providing pro bono transactional legal services to entrepreneurs, small businesses, and non-profits. This semester, the CEDC's student attorneys have much to celebrate as they welcome 31 new clients, continuing the clinic’s mission to deliver high-quality transactional legal services to underserved communities across the state.
Among other projects, Student Attorneys Shay Schulz, Tyler Paddor, and Lily Girton are guiding clients on corporate formalities and contract drafting. Their work also includes assisting businesses with employee vs. independent contractor classification, reviewing commercial leases, drafting legal memoranda on compliance issues, and preparing operating agreements.
Hunter LaClair, Jessica Wright, and Carson Pinter are supporting clients with nonprofit formation, including establishing 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, drafting bylaws, and overseeing nonprofit dissolutions. They are also preparing employee handbooks, fiscal sponsorship agreements, healthcare intake forms, employment contracts, and restaurant catering agreements, to name a few of their projects.
For their clients, Maddie Campbell, Chris Cardillo, and Kristine Castillo are drafting non-disclosure and volunteer agreements, reviewing privacy policies and telehealth provisions, and preparing memoranda on employment laws, trade secrets, and trademarks. Additionally, they are helping organizations obtain 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) status, drafting employment contracts and bylaws, and securing sales tax exemptions.
Beyond their work with clients, the CEDC is also hosting workshops on a variety of important legal topics for students and community groups. These include workshops on healthcare directives, navigating student-athlete NIL agreements, exploring reentry and entrepreneurship opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, and assisting migrants with work authorization. The CEDC is also continuing its collaboration with Colorado public high schools, teaching students about entrepreneurship and intellectual property protection.
Professor Joe McKay, the director of the CEDC and a visiting assistant professor, joined the University of Denver in 2023 after serving as an assistant clinical professor and assistant director of the Business Law Clinic at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Enthusiastic about contributing to Colorado’s legal community, Professor McKay has led numerous workshops and events in collaboration with organizations such as the African Chamber of Commerce of Colorado, the Center for Community Wealth Building, and the City and County of Denver’s Office of Economic Development & Opportunity, among others.
