CORP Recruitment Sheet

BUSINESS LAW OPPORTUNITIES

Are you interested in doing valuable pro bono work?? Volunteer through the Community Organization Project at the Volunteer Legal Services Program!! Assist organizations that are doing exciting work in low-income communities, improving the lives of thousands of clients, and promoting the economic revitalization of neighborhoods around the Bay Area!!

The Community Organization Project assists community-based organizations with the full range of transactional legal needs, including employment law, real estate, business contracts, finance, intellectual property, taxation, liability, corporate formation, insurance law, and zoning.

Some examples of projects our volunteers have worked on recently

 Employment—An associate reviewed and revised the personnel policies and procedures for The United Council for Human Services, a Bay View Hunters Point homelessness organization that serves over 14,000 individuals each year.

 Real Estate—The East Bay Habitat for Humanity is working in partnership with a law firm on a host of real estate development, acquisition, and land-use projects. The firm has also sent a team of attorneys, staff, and their families to work on construction projects with the organization.

 Contracts—An associate drafted a collaborative agreement between the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation and other service providers so that they could work together to benefit low-income neighborhoods.

 Tax—An experienced tax attorney clarified the tax status of the Child Care Law Center with the Internal Revenue Service.

 Intellectual Property—An experienced IP attorney obtained a trademark for Planning for Elders in the Central City to protect their logo.

 Finance—An associate reviewed loan documents for the Northern California Community Loan Fund, which was refinancing loans granted to a mental health provider.

 Corporate Formation—After attending our Nonprofit Incorporation training a new attorney is assisting the West Oakland Community Land Trust to become a tax-exempt organization and begin its mission of preserving affordable housing in a rapidly changing neighborhood.

 Zoning—A partner represented Ohloff Recovery Programs at conditional use permit hearings before the San Francisco Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors so that Ohloff could develop a new residential care facility for women. PARTNERSHIPS A model for firms and corporate legal departments to contribute to their communities

The Community Organization Project facilitates the formation of long-term partnerships between community-based organizations and law firms, teams of attorneys within law firms, and corporate legal departments. Through a partnership, a firm can bring its full range of resources and expertise to assist its client organization. Partnerships allow firms to participate in the larger community, and provide unique opportunities for transactional attorneys to assist in community economic development, to develop relationships with organizations that help low-income communities, and to gain valuable transactional experience.

We have already formed highly successful partnerships between law firms or corporate legal departments and organizations such as East Bay Habitat for Humanity, The Homeless Prenatal Program, the Mission’s Arriba Juntos job training program, The Northern California Community Loan Fund, and the Juma Ventures job training and entrepreneurship organization. We have several other leading organizations that we would like to partner with law firms. Perhaps your firm is interested in this exciting opportunity.

TRAININGS AND WORKSHOPS

The Community Organization Project also provides trainings and workshops to executive directors and other leaders of community-based organizations on a wide range of legal issues. If you are interested in leading or helping to lead a workshop on employment law, real estate issues, fundraising law, or insurance and liability issues please contact us.

For More Information

The Community Organization Project provides a myriad of services to our volunteers through www.probono.net/sf. Please register on this website to see more information about our project and how to volunteer. You can also access our library of materials, message board, and a list of the legal matters we are currently seeking to place with volunteer attorneys.

If you have any questions regarding the Community Organization Project, or are interested in volunteering through our program, please contact us.

Haydée Alfonso Pierre Stroud Ki Rubin Supervising Attorney Project Coordinator Project Assistant (415) 782-8914 (415) 782-8957 (415) 782-8961 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]