2010–2011 ANNUAL REPORTlegalcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/LegalCORPS-Annual-Report1.pdfcollect sales tax from his customers. He was advised on how to deal with the consequences

Mission StatementLegalCORPS assists small businesses and nonprofits, especially those that strengthen Minnesota’s low income communities, by providing these organizations with legal services they could not otherwise afford. We seek to provide quality pro bono legal services to increasing numbers of clients throughout Minnesota, so they can focus their time and resources on pursuing their objectives.

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LegalCORPS 600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 390A Minneapolis, MN | 612-752-6678 | [email protected] | www.legalcorps.org

2010-2011 LegalCORPS Annual Report

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From the President

LegalCORPS Board of Directors 2011–2012

LegalCORPS is at a crossroads. In the seven years since our organization was formed, we’ve grown from one clinic and less than 50 clients to six clinics that served over 500 clients. We’ve also joined the virtual revolution as we successfully opened our first regularly scheduled remote clinic location with volunteers from the General Counsel’s office at Target Corporation in Minneapolis serving clients in Hutchinson. This followed a successful test session in which a volunteer attorney located at the St. Cloud Small Business Development Center counseled clients in Bemidji. Finally, with generous support from fourteen local law firms and corporations, we’ve expanded our operational scope through the LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program, a first-of-its-kind pilot offering of pro bono legal representation to low income inventors seeking patents. But is that enough?

In our world there is never an easy answer to that question. From one point of view, LegalCORPS has succeeded by providing exactly the kind of services that our founders envisioned. While our founders could not have predicted the growth in the demand for our services created by the economic turmoil of the last few years, they certainly positioned LegalCORPS to possess the flexibility to tackle just this kind of challenge. Have we responded appropriately? What will LegalCORPS be doing in the future to stay ahead of these kinds of issues?

First, our board of directors is composed of members from our legal community (including law firms and in-house volunteers) and our client community (including both nonprofits and small businesses). This fosters communication among these communities and gives LegalCORPS an improved understanding of issues that affect clients, as well as effective and proactive responses. Second, our expansion into virtual legal clinics and our new Inventor Assistance Program have laid the groundwork for LegalCORPS to raise our profile and ensure our relevance in the nonprofit and small business communities throughout the state. Third, we expect to expand operational capacity in the next two years by hiring additional staff to assist with our day to day operations. This will allow Michael Vitt, our hard working executive director, more time to focus on our key client initiatives.

I remain confident that, with the continued support of our generous donors and dedicated volunteers, LegalCORPS will continue providing relevant, meaningful services to our diverse client community. As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. We look forward to seeing you at our 2012 Annual Gala!

Steven Y. Reeves, President Faegre & Benson LLP

James L. Baillie, Vice-Chair Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.

L. Joseph Genereux, Vice-Chair Dorsey & Whitney, LLP

Janet Ogden-Brackett, Treasurer Nonprofits Assistance Fund

Janine Laird, Secretary Minnesota Justice Foundation

Jodie Boderman Faegre & Benson LLP

Tammera Diehm Winthrop & Weinstine, P.A. Hussein Farah African Development Center

Michael Vitt Executive Director 612-278-6378 | [email protected]

LegalCORPS Staff

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Steven Y. Reeves Board President

Gene H. Hennig Gray, Plant, Mooty, Mooty & Bennett, P.A. Barry Kirchoff Central Minnesota Area Small Business Development Center (St. Cloud) Thomas G. Lovett, IV Lindquist & Vennum, PLLP

Neil M. Meyer Meyer & Njus P.A. Brian Miller Seward Redesign Inc.Michael E. Nolan South Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center (Mankato)

Sondra Reis Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Martin R. Rosenbaum Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP Stephanie K. Schweiger, J.D. Minnesota Philanthrophy Partners

Sandra J. Towey, CPA, CMA, CFM RevTrak, Inc. Gail Van Horn U.S. Bank Legal Department Anivuin C. Xiong Hamline University School of Law

Bill Dooley Client Intake/Case Placement Coordinator 612-752-6678 | [email protected]

Janet Schafer Administrator, LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program 612-278-6348 | [email protected]


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Like the low-income entrepreneurs and nonprofits we assist, LegalCORPS continued to encounter serious challenges from an inhospitable economy last year. Also like the entrepreneurs and nonprofits, LegalCORPS chose to respond by pressing ahead with hope and confidence.

With invaluable contributions from partners in Minnesota’s pro bono legal community and active support from the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (“USPTO”), LegalCORPS prepared and launched the nation’s first patent law pro bono program

in 2010-2011.

As the fiscal year ended, we have secured dedicated funding for at least three years to support the LegalCORPS Inventor Assistance Program. Janet Schafer has just begun work as the part-time administrator of the program. The USPTO has started notifying do-it-yourself patent applicants about our program.

Meanwhile, we added another twice-monthly brief-advice business law clinic site at the SCORE chapter office in St. Louis Park—providing more access to needed assistance for the people we serve in the metropolitan area.

The ties between LegalCORPS and SCORE (a volunteer business adviser organization) grew even stronger when closure of the Business Planning Center forced us to find a new site for our weekly St. Paul clinic. As the fiscal year ended, our clinic just relocated to the St. Paul SCORE chapter office.

LegalCORPS volunteers again served several hundred clients. In the fiscal year, they served 502 clients, despite the suspension of the St. Paul clinic site. In calendar year 2010, volunteers served 618 clients, up from 503 in 2009, 418 in 2008, and 177 in 2007.

With the unwavering dedication of our volunteer attorneys and inspiration from our clients, LegalCORPS continues to build a sound resource for small businesses and nonprofits in Minnesota.

From the Executive Director

Michael Vitt Executive Director

450

500

L lCORPS S tti400

450

Full Representation

LegalCORPS Setting

300

350 Full Representation

Clinic

200

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100

150

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50

Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro

405 matters, 81%

Rochester Metro

Other MN Counties 46 matters, 9%

2010-2011 Services by Area

Mankato Metro14 matters, 3%

St. Cloud Metro 21 matters, 4%

16 matters, 3%

200

300

400

500

600

Nonprofits

Small Businesses

LegalCORPS Services

0

100

200

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

FROM THE PRESIDENT FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

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500

2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

Full Representation

Clinic

LegalCORPS Setting


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LegalCORPS volunteer attorneys serve clients who come from a broad range of personal and cultural backgrounds. Here’s a look at a small sample of the clients that our volunteers assisted in 2010–2011.

• Ayoungself-employedtreetrimmerfromsouthernMinnesotadidnotknowthatstatelawrequiredhimto collect sales tax from his customers. He was advised on how to deal with the consequences of that omission.

• Anunemployedmotherofyoungchildreninventedaproducttocleanwaterbottles.Shereceivedlegal coaching before her first meeting with a potential investor in her startup business.

• AnorthMinneapolisresidentstartedaventuretoraisevegetablesonemptyurbanlotsforsaleatareamarkets. He benefitted from advice on entity selection.

• Aself-employedmasseuselearnedaboutherlegaloptionsindealingwiththedebtthatwassmothering her enterprise.

• TheownerofagrowinghousecleaningbusinessinasmallsoutheasternMinnesotatownwasreadytohire her first employee. She was counseled on the relevant employment law issues.

• AsmallnonprofitchildcareorganizationinMinnesota’sArrowheadregionreceivedassistanceinprocuringa property tax exemption for its day care center.

• Asmallnonprofitorganizationthataddresseshealthcarepublicpolicyissuesobtainedadviceonresponding to demands from a terminated key employee.

• AsmallnonprofitinnorthcentralMinnesotawascounseledaboutwhetheritcouldrequirearelativeor other responsible person to accompany a blind member when she used exercise equipment in the organization’s mainly unstaffed fitness center.

• Anew,smallorganizationthatprovidespeersupportfor women with breast cancer received advice and assistance in negotiating amicably with another allied organization regarding the production and distribution of DVDs to people newly affected by a cancer diagnosis.

• AnorganizationoperatingaMealsonWheelsprogram foundbookkeepingand administrative errors that led to its nonpayment of employee withholding taxes. The organization was assisted in its communications with the Internal Revenue Service.

Serving Small Businesses

Serving Nonprofit Organizations

TYPES OF NONPROFIT ASSISTANCE PROVIDED

• Articles and bylaws• Contracts • Real Estate• Intellectual Property• State and Federal Reporting Regulations

MEET LEGALCORPS’S CLIENTS: COMMUNITY BUILDERS, DREAM SEEKERS


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Serving Small Businesses

Serving Nonprofit Organizations

A Client’s Story

TYPES OF SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCEPROVIDED

• Entity Formation• Intellectual Property • Business Advice• Contracts• Bankruptcy • Employment & Benefits• Taxation• Real Estate

SERVING SMALL BUSINESSESMEET LEGALCORPS’S CLIENTS: COMMUNITY BUILDERS, DREAM SEEKERS

Educating the Community

Four years ago, Jessica ‘Sica’ Lockwood and a fellow co-worker were employed at a hair salon when the opportunity arose to buy the small business and become co-owners. Excited with entrepreneurial spirit, Sica jumped at the chance to co-own the Fox Den Salon in Minneapolis. Eventually Sica concluded that the partnership was hindering Fox Den Salon from reaching its full potential. Sica sought out LegalCORPS after she realized that retaining an attorney would be too costly for her limited resources. Sica was referred to LegalCORPS after attending a SCORE meeting.

Volunteer attorney Jaren Johnson took on Sica’s case, and Sica could not have been happier with this outcome. She noted that Mr. Johnson was “amazing, helpful, and very knowledgable.” Further, Mr. Johnson already had a friendly relationship with her former partner’s attorney, resulting in the efficient and effective dissolution of her partnership.

As a small business owner with inadequate resources to get legal assistance otherwise, Sica greatly appreciates LegalCORPS and the volunteer attorney found for her. She is “100% happy with the way things turned out.” Sica has her own piece of advice for LegalCORPS, suggesting that the program is an underutilized resource within the community. “I wish more people knew about LegalCORPS because they were so helpful for me; I think that if there are more ways to access LegalCORPS, it would be a good thing!”

LegalCORPS offered a number of public workshops and CLEs on small business and nonprofit legal topics throughout the year. The free public workshops included “Choosing the Right Form of Business Ownership” and “Traps and Pitfalls in Intellectual Property.” LegalCORPS also co-sponsored three CLEs: “Advising Distressed Small Businesses,” “Nonprofit Nuts & Bolts,” and “Ethics Concerns in Advising Small Businesses.”


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Gina DeConcini thrives on the “optimism, dreams, and entrepreneurial spirit” of her pro bono clients. Volunteering at LegalCORPS has proven to be the most enjoyable and rewarding part of Gina’s day, giving her a chance to be a part of her clients’ “big and wacky ideas” and really getting involved in the excitement and setup of emerging companies.

In addition to volunteering at the legal clinic through SCORE in St. Louis Park, Gina regularly volunteers her vast legal knowledge through walk-in clinics at the Minneapolis Central Library. Despite her expertise in tax law, Gina finds herself engaging in “legal gymnastics” during her clinics, knowing that her first client’s needs may be across the spectrum from the next client’s. As a result, Gina’s clients help her become a more well-rounded lawyer as she helps them. “Pro bono-sized clients are things I never deal

with at work; [while volunteering] I do research in small emerging businesses that I never cross paths with in a larger corporate environment.”

Working with the small companies she encounters through LegalCORPS contrasts with the corporate clients Gina typically represents through her firm, Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly. She recalled one instance where she obtained a sales tax exemption that a free dental clinic desperately needed. She noted that, to a corporate client, “this may not seem like a big deal, but this is huge for a free clinic to save money on expensive equipment.”

Gina has tremendous respect for her pro bono clients. They allow her to “see what it truly means to be an entrepreneur; it’s very brave to do what they are doing.” She hopes that through LegalCORPS, pro bono lawyers can earn some of that respect back by giving people who don’t normally work with lawyers true insight into the profession. “Lawyers are really just your neighbors who happen to have knowledge about specific forms and certain information.”

LegalCORPS Thanks Our 2010–2011 Law Student and Paralegal Volunteers

LegalCORPS Free Brief-Advice Business Law Clinics

• ST. PAUL: Tuesdays at the SCORE chapter office.

• MINNEAPOLIS: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month at the Small Business Center of the Minneapolis Central Library.

• ST. LOUIS PARK: 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at the SCORE chapter office.

• ST. CLOUD: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at the Small Business Development Center.

• MANKATO: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month at the Small Business Development Center.

• ROCHESTER: 2nd Tuesday and 4th Friday of each month at the Small Business Development Center.

For more detailed information about locations and how to sign up for a 30-minute session go to www.legalcorps.org/html/microbusiness.htm#Brief

2010 LEGAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Volunteering is the Best Part of My Day


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LegalCORPS hosted its second annual fundraiser and volunteer recognition gala at Spill the Wine in Minneapolis on June 8, 2011. The event featured a keynote address by David J. Kappos, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. Kappo’s address marked the kick-off for LegalCORPS’s Inventor Assistance Program, which is the first patent law pro bono program conducted in the U. S. that involves the USPTO.

At the gala, LegalCORPS volunteer Gina B. DeConcini was recognized as Volunteer of the Year. The event was attended by 120 friends and supporters of LegalCORPS and Spill the Wine served as a

perfect venue by providing an evening abundant with wine, hors d’oeuvres, and conversation. The announcement of the silent auction and raffle winners marked the end of an exciting and enjoyable evening. Executive Director Michael Vitt reported that the event raised over $7,500 for LegalCORPS.

Molly Brown University of Minnesota

Lauren Dwyer Hamline University

Ben Hanna University of Minnesota

Kelly Li University of Minnesota

Colette Morris William Mitchell College of Law

Maciej Pietruczak University of St. Thomas

Justina Roberts University of Minnesota

Rochelle Rutman William Mitchell College of Law

Paul Shneider University of Minnesota

Christie Thompson Paralegal

Rob Tungseth Hamline University

Louis Wahl University of Minnesota

LegalCORPS Thanks Our 2010–2011 Law Student and Paralegal Volunteers

SECOND ANNUAL FUNDRAISER & VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION GALA2010 LEGAL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD

African Development Center Center for Nonprofit Management, University of St. ThomasCharities Review Council Greater Mankato GrowthInitiative Foundation (Central Minnesota) Initiative Foundation (Southern Minnesota)

Latino Economic Development CenterManagement Assistance Program (MAP) for Nonprofits Metropolitan Consortium of Community DevelopersMetropolitan Economic Development Association

Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilMinneapolis Community Planning & Economic Development DepartmentMinnesota Council on FoundationsMinnesota Council of Nonprofits

Minnesota Justice FoundationNonprofits Assistance FundSCORESmall Business AdministrationSmall Business Development Center, Central Minnesota RegionSmall Business Development Center, North Central Region

Small Business Development Center, Northwest RegionSmall Business Development Center, Southeast RegionSmall Business Development Center, South Central MinnesotaVolunteer Lawyers Network

COMMUNITY COLLABORATORS

LegalCORPS Executive Director Michael Vitt presents a thank you gift to Volunteer of the Year Gina DeConcini, Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly.

Left to right: Chief Judge Michael J. Davis of the U.S. District Court of Minnesota; David Kappos, U.S. Patent & Trademark Office Director; Candee Goodman, Lindquist & Vennum PLLP Pro Bono Director; Neil Meyer, Meyer & Njus, P.A.(LegalCORPS president from 2008 to 2011); and Jim Patterson, Patterson Thuente Christensen Pederson P.A.

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LegalCORPS Supporters

Thomas ArchboldJames L. Baillie & Jacqueline McGlameryTimothy BeckerJodie BodermanAngela Bohmann & Jon RiehleCatherine CourtneyFred Dawe

David DysonJann EichlersmithMichael FoxL. Joseph Genereux & Shannon M.RileyJames HallerThomas HolloranGene H. Hennig

Jaren JohnsonThomas KingBarry KirchoffMichael KnightGeorge KoeckJanine LairdKeith LibbeyDavid Lillehaug

Thomas G. Lovett IVDaniel McDonaldNeil M. MeyerStephen & Lynn MooreMichael E. NolanJanet Ogden-BrackettCharles ParsonsRobert Pence

Catherine ProdySteven Y. & Kimberly ReevesSondra Reis & Steven GansenMartin R. RosenbaumStephanie K. SchweigerDavid SellergrenSean Solberg

Roger StagebergJim StephensonSandra J. ToweyGail Van HornMichael Vitt & Maureen McCarthyAnthony WalderaPaul Zerby

Association of Corporate Counsel, Minnesota ChapterBest & Flanagan LLP

Business Law Section, Minnesota State Bar AssociationThe Dorsey & Whitney FoundationFaegre & Benson FoundationFafinski Mark & Johnson, P.A.

Fredrikson & Byron FoundationFulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.

Gislason & Hunter LLP

Gray Plant Mooty FoundationHamline University Business Law InstituteHennepin County Bar Foundation

Henson & Efron, P.A.

Initiative FoundationLawyers Trust Account BoardLegal Services Advisory CommitteeLeonard Street & Deinard FoundationLindquist & Vennum PLLP

Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, P.A.

Maslon Edelman Bormann & Brand, LLP

Merchant & Gould P.C.

Meyer & Njus P.A.

Minnesota State Bar FoundationOppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly LLP

Patterson Thuente Christensen Pedersen, P.A.

Ramsey County Bar FoundationRobins Kaplan Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.

Shumaker & Seiffert, P.A.

U.S. BankTurnaround Management Association, Upper Midwest ChapterWestman, Champlin & Kelly P.A.

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Financial Report July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011

Balance Sheet June 30, 2011

Thank you to our contributors and community partners who generously supported the growing work of LegalCORPS in 2010-2011.

2009-2011 Media Sponsor

IN-KIND DONORS

ORGANIZATIONAL DONORS AND SPONSORS

FOUNDING SPONSORS FOR THE INVENTOR ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Documents

2010–2011 ANNUAL REPORTlegalcorps.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/LegalCORPS-Annual-Report1.pdfcollect sales tax from his customers. He was advised on how to deal with the consequences