Those who want to create alternative economic structures have difficulty finding affordable and competent legal assistance because there are so few attorneys specialized in the legal needs of the sharing economy. Communities with high rates of unemployment and poverty will find the hurdles to launching new enterprises especially insurmountable. 

The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides direct legal advice, workshops, teach-ins, discussions, and legal services supporting the creation of:

Types of Legal Advice Given at the Legal Cafe

At the Legal Cafes, the Sustainable Economies Law Center (SELC) and our volunteers specialize in serving cooperatives, nonprofits, cottage food businesses, social enterprises, urban farms, complimentary currencies, time banks, and small businesses. We provide advice and legal consultations around the following legal areas: 

• Legal formation for small businesses

  • What are the regulations and requirements to have your organization legally function?

• Legal entity choice

  • Should your org be a for profit, non-profit, and which legal entity fits best with your vision?

• Employment law

  • Whether you're an employer, employee, or a cooperative, we can answer questions on how to prevent or resolve issues?

• Securities law

  • What are the legal ways to raise money for your nonprofit org or for-profit business?

• Tax law

  • What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?

• Contracts

  • Contract review, drafting and negotiation

• Liability issues

  • What are you governance requirements to avoid liability?

• IP agreements and licensing

  • Do you have a product or invention that you'd like to protect or to be available as a creative commons but don't know how to do it?   

• Environmental Law

  • Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community? 

• Food Safety Laws

  • Are you making and selling food? What are the regulations that you need to know to operate within the law?

Dates and Locations

Find the dates and locations for each Legal Cafe on our Legal Cafe events calendar.

Currently, the Resilient Communities Legal Cafe runs three times per month at three separate locations to provide the most convenient, accessible legal advice sessions for those creating more just and resilient local economies in the East Bay. 

No appointments necessary!

The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe is a first-come, first-serve, donation-based legal advice session. You might be asked to wait, but have no fear! There are always snacks, drinks, collaborative discussions, and the Resilient Communities Law Library to peruse. Feel free to come at anytime during the Legal Cafe hours to receive your legal advice and consultation from SELC’s competent volunteer attorneys. 

Teach-Ins at the Legal Cafe

Find future Legal Cafe Teach-ins at our Legal Cafe event page or find out what we mean by "teach-ins" here.

Legal Cafe Bites

This is a series of bite-sized legal guides, called Legal Cafe Bites, and can be found on their own page here.

Volunteer at the Legal Cafe!

Become part of the movement toward a new, generative, localized economy that build community empowerment. Find out how by visiting SELC's Legal Cafe Volunteer page. 

Questions

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about the Resilient Communities Legal Cafe, please email eunice [at] theselc.org.