We're always cooking up pay-it-forward legal advice, action-oriented workshops, and happy hours with engaging conversations on how to build just and resilient local economies. And we don't only provide in-person events for you to connect with us, we provide online trainings and travel across the country to support grassroots economic empowerment. Don't miss out!
Please, help us get the word out about our upcoming events. Share with your friends or networks on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn! If you're interested in an event, someone you know will probably be interested too. Share the love!
Find Sustainable Economies Law Center's events below!
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 01:00 PM PST
Lucky Charms for Lawyers Part 2
This activity is approved by the California State Bar for 1 MCLE credit for the subfield of “Competence - Wellness Education"
A webinar presented by the Law Center’s Janelle Orsi, Tia Taruc-Myers, and friends
Need some love, inspiration, sparks of energy, or a marshmallow? Please join us for an hour of treats: short stories, insights, practices, and contemplations to break up the heaviness of law and the legal profession. Given the epidemic of suffering in the profession – high rates of depression, anxiety, and addiction – it’s as if our legal system casts dark spells on us. We’ll share some of our favorite tricks for breaking spells of fear, competition, and isolation, helping us all remember how love and cooperation can free us.
In our first edition of Lucky Charms for Lawyers, we offered tips and tricks for remembering (1) who we are, (2) how loving we are, (3) where we belong, and (4) how to find connection. This time, we'll share charms to observe how our thoughts play tricks on us, how to remap our lives, how to break the spell of hierarchy, and more!
No registration fee. We’ll send you an email afterward and invite you to make a contribution if you feel inspired.
Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM PST
Online via Zoom in Oakland, CAOnline Legal Cafe
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice, via Zoom, by appointment.
If you need advice about starting a worker-owned cooperative, converting an existing business into a cooperative, organizing a housing cooperative, founding a nonprofit or other social enterprise, please RSVP below! Here are some questions we will be prepared to answer:
❖ Radical real estate law: How to form a housing cooperative, real estate cooperative, or nonprofit housing?
❖ 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?
❖ Tax law: What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?
❖ Contracts: Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
❖ Liability issues: What are your governance requirements to avoid liability?
❖ Environmental law: Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community?
❖ Worker Self Directed Nonprofits: How can you run your nonprofit organization more like a worker-owned cooperative?Note: We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities to RSVP. We focus on cooperatives, participatory or democratic nonprofits, land trusts, and mutual aid groups. If you need Spanish Language or American Sign Language interpretation, please email Hope ([email protected]) with Subject Line "Interpretation Request - for [mm/dd/yyyy] event." We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Keep an eye out for an e-mail when you RSVP. The e-mail will have your appointment slot, instructions on how to attend our Legal Cafe remotely, and an intake form that we need you and your partners to fill out.
Format: You and/or your group will be paired with a lawyer for 30-45 minutes to get answers to questions about entity formation, contracts, governance, and more! Since we're based in Oakland, our event times are listed as Pacific Standard Time.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Only one person per group needs to RSVP.
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM PST · 103 rsvps
Zoom"The Future is Collective" Book Discussion with Author Niloufar Khonsari
“For lasting change, we need evolution as much as revolution.” - Niloufar Khonsari, from her new book, The Future is Collective: Effective Workplace Strategies for Building a Culture of Care
Join the Nonprofit Democracy Network, a program of the Sustainable Economies Law Center, in conversation with Niloufar Khonsari about her new book, The Future is Collective: Effective Workplace Strategies for Building a Culture of Care. Together we’ll explore many hard-won lessons learned from a decade of immigrant justice organizing with Pangea Legal Services, and hear practical, concrete tools and approaches to building a movement organization that is strategic, impactful and leaderful.RSVP below!
Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 03:00 PM PST
Online Zoom inTax Hacks for Artists Nano-Training
Join us for a 30-minute Tax Hacks for Artists Nano-Training from 3:00–3:30 PM PST, offering a clear, practical deep dive into common areas of artists' anxiety and confusion around taxes: IRS "red flags," deducting use of your home for business, estimating expenses, and how to categorize payments to other people. The training will be led by Sarah Lockhart, a licensed tax professional in practice for 25 years and Executive Director of Safer DIY Spaces, an Oakland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in the wake of the 2016 Ghost Ship fire. RSVP below!In partnership with:
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice by appointment.
Vital Arts envisions a world in which groundbreaking arts and culture that are essential for the continued health and vitality of society at large are recognized and cultivated. We seek to bring this about by implementing projects to meet the needs of low income artists in the Bay Area.
Movement Law, the client-centered law practice of Hope Mohr (she/her), is dedicated to supporting artists, changemakers, and mission-driven organizations.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 03:30 PM PST
Online via Zoom in Oakland, CAOnline Artist Legal Cafe
RSVP below!
In partnership with:
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice by appointment.
Vital Arts envisions a world in which groundbreaking arts and culture that are essential for the continued health and vitality of society at large are recognized and cultivated. We seek to bring this about by implementing projects to meet the needs of low income artists in the Bay Area.
Movement Law, the client-centered law practice of Hope Mohr (she/her), is dedicated to supporting artists, changemakers, and mission-driven organizations.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Here are some questions we will be prepared to answer:
❖ Radical real estate law: How to form a housing cooperative, real estate cooperative, or nonprofit housing?
❖ 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?
❖ Tax law: What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?
❖ Contracts: Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
❖ Liability issues: What are your governance requirements to avoid liability?
❖ Environmental law: Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community?
❖ Worker Self Directed Nonprofits: How can you run your nonprofit organization more like a worker-owned cooperative?Note: We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities to RSVP. We focus on cooperatives, participatory or democratic nonprofits, land trusts, and mutual aid groups. If you need Spanish Language or American Sign Language interpretation, please email Hope ([email protected]) with Subject Line "Interpretation Request - for [mm/dd/yyyy] event." We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Keep an eye out for an e-mail when you RSVP. The e-mail will have your appointment slot, instructions on how to attend our Legal Cafe remotely, and an intake form that we need you and your partners to fill out.
Format: You and/or your group will be paired with a lawyer for 30-45 minutes to get answers to questions about entity formation, contracts, governance, and more! Since we're based in Oakland, our event times are listed as Pacific Standard Time.
Only one person per group needs to RSVP.
Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 03:30 PM PST
Online via Zoom in Oakland, CAWAITLIST Online Artist Legal Cafe
RSVP for the waitlist below!
In partnership with:
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice by appointment.
Vital Arts envisions a world in which groundbreaking arts and culture that are essential for the continued health and vitality of society at large are recognized and cultivated. We seek to bring this about by implementing projects to meet the needs of low income artists in the Bay Area.
Movement Law, the client-centered law practice of Hope Mohr (she/her), is dedicated to supporting artists, changemakers, and mission-driven organizations.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Here are some questions we will be prepared to answer:
❖ Radical real estate law: How to form a housing cooperative, real estate cooperative, or nonprofit housing?
❖ 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?
❖ Tax law: What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?
❖ Contracts: Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
❖ Liability issues: What are your governance requirements to avoid liability?
❖ Environmental law: Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community?
❖ Worker Self Directed Nonprofits: How can you run your nonprofit organization more like a worker-owned cooperative?Note: We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities to RSVP. We focus on cooperatives, participatory or democratic nonprofits, land trusts, and mutual aid groups. If you need Spanish Language or American Sign Language interpretation, please email Hope ([email protected]) with Subject Line "Interpretation Request - for [mm/dd/yyyy] event." We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Keep an eye out for an e-mail when you RSVP. The e-mail will have your appointment slot, instructions on how to attend our Legal Cafe remotely, and an intake form that we need you and your partners to fill out.
Format: You and/or your group will be paired with a lawyer for 30-45 minutes to get answers to questions about entity formation, contracts, governance, and more! Since we're based in Oakland, our event times are listed as Pacific Standard Time.
Only one person per group needs to RSVP.
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 10:00 AM PST · $5.00 USD · 9 rsvps
ZoomCreating a Culture of Feedback
(español abajo)
How To Create A Healthy Feedback Culture
Do you believe that offering more consistent, grounded, and supportive feedback would enable your organization to build a more joyful, impactful, and liberatory culture? Do you want more effective and meaningful feedback, but haven't yet figured out how to change your current organizational culture and practices to meet that need?
Join Ananda Valenzuela and the Nonprofit Democracy Network on February 12, 2026 for this sliding scale (with no one turned away for lack of funds!) offering on creating a healthy organizational culture of growth and shared learning. In this "reverse classroom" format training, participants will be invited to watch a recorded training on giving and receiving feedback, and then come for an interactive action-oriented coaching and Q&A session exploring how to bring new feedback skills to your workplace. You will be invited to reflect on ways to shift your own mindsets regarding giving and receiving feedback and strategize about how to steward a process of change to make learning and growth a core life-giving part of your organization. You will leave the training with a clear, customized action plan for how to build a healthy feedback culture in your organization.
Please register far enough in advance so that you have ample time to watch the recorded 90 minute training before the session. Recording and preparation materials will be sent upon registration.
A note on language justice: We recognize and honor the commitment to ensure language justice in our movement spaces. If at least 5 registrants request language interpretation, we will have Spanish interpretation available for this offering. Please register by January 28th if you are requesting Spanish interpretation.
If would like a full scholarship for registration, please email [email protected].
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Cómo crear una cultura de retroalimentación saludable
¿Cree que ofrecer retroalimentación más coherente, fundamentada y solidaria permitiría a su organización crear una cultura más alegre, impactante y liberadora? ¿Desea retroalimentación más eficaz y significativa, pero aún no ha descubierto cómo cambiar la cultura y las prácticas actuales de su organización para satisfacer esa necesidad?
Únase a Ananda Valenzuela y a la Nonprofit Democracy Network el 12 de febrero de 2026 para participar en esta oferta de escala móvil (¡sin rechazar a nadie por falta de fondos!) sobre la creación de una cultura organizativa saludable de crecimiento y aprendizaje compartido. En esta formación con formato de «clase invertida», invitaremos a los participantes a ver un entrenamiento grabado sobre cómo dar y recibir retroalimentación, y luego a asistir a una sesión interactiva de preguntas y respuestas y de coaching orientada a la acción en la que se explorará cómo llevar nuevas habilidades de retroalimentación a su lugar de trabajo. Les invitaremos a reflexionar sobre formas de cambiar su propia mentalidad con respecto a dar y recibir retroalimentación y a elaborar estrategias sobre cómo gestionar un proceso de cambio para que el aprendizaje y el crecimiento sean una parte fundamental y vital de su organización. Al finalizar la formación, tendrá un plan de acción claro y personalizado sobre cómo crear una cultura de retroalimentación saludable en su organización.
Inscríbase con suficiente antelación para tener tiempo de ver la formación grabada de 90 minutos antes de la sesión. La grabación y los materiales de preparación se enviarán tras la inscripción.
Una nota sobre la justicia lingüística: Reconocemos y honramos el compromiso de garantizar la justicia lingüística en nuestros espacios de movimiento. Si al menos 5 inscritos solicitan interpretación lingüística, dispondremos de interpretación al español para esta oferta. Por favor, inscríbase antes del 28 de enero si solicita interpretación al español, y envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] con su solicitud de interpretación. Si no podemos ofrecer servicios de interpretación y justicia lingüística, le reembolsaremos las tasas de inscripción.
Si desea obtener una beca completa para la inscripción, envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected].
Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor DeepL.com
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 03:00 PM PST
Southern Exposure in San Francisco, CAIN PERSON Nano Training: Grant Writing for Artists
Register below for the nano-training and here for legal cafe!
Brought to you by:
Arturo Méndez(he/they) is an arts producer, curator, and community organizer, advancing cultural equity in San Francisco. Founder of community projects including Arts.Co.Lab, La Diáspora Festival, and Urban Prophets Illustrated. His work centers on cultural equity by creating art and producing platforms that showcase narratives outside the mainstream and advocate for institutional policies and practices that center the voices of people from under-resourced communities. He is an alum of the 2019 Emerging Arts Professionals San Francisco/Bay Area, the 2020 Seeding Reciprocity with the SFAC, the NALAC Advocacy Leadership Institute, the NALAC Leadership Institute, and the NALAC Intercultural Leadership Institute.
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice by appointment.
Vital Arts envisions a world in which groundbreaking arts and culture that are essential for the continued health and vitality of society at large are recognized and cultivated. Vital Arts seeks to bring this about by implementing projects to meet the needs of low income artists in the Bay Area.
Movement Law, the client-centered law practice of Hope Mohr (she/her), is dedicated to supporting artists, changemakers, and mission-driven organizations.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 03:30 PM PST
Southern Exposure in San Francisco, CAIn-Person Artist Legal Cafe
RSVP below!
In partnership with:
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice by appointment.
Vital Arts envisions a world in which groundbreaking arts and culture that are essential for the continued health and vitality of society at large are recognized and cultivated. We seek to bring this about by implementing projects to meet the needs of low income artists in the Bay Area.
Movement Law, the client-centered law practice of Hope Mohr (she/her), is dedicated to supporting artists, changemakers, and mission-driven organizations.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Here are some questions we will be prepared to answer:
❖ Radical real estate law: How to form a housing cooperative, real estate cooperative, or nonprofit housing?
❖ 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?
❖ Tax law: What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?
❖ Contracts: Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
❖ Liability issues: What are your governance requirements to avoid liability?
❖ Environmental law: Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community?
❖ Worker Self Directed Nonprofits: How can you run your nonprofit organization more like a worker-owned cooperative?Note: We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities to RSVP. We focus on cooperatives, participatory or democratic nonprofits, land trusts, and mutual aid groups. If you need Spanish Language or American Sign Language interpretation, please email Hope ([email protected]) with Subject Line "Interpretation Request - for [mm/dd/yyyy] event." We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Keep an eye out for an e-mail when you RSVP. The e-mail will have your appointment slot, instructions on how to attend our Legal Cafe remotely, and an intake form that we need you and your partners to fill out.
Format: You and/or your group will be paired with a lawyer for 30-45 minutes to get answers to questions about entity formation, contracts, governance, and more! Since we're based in Oakland, our event times are listed as Pacific Standard Time.
Only one person per group needs to RSVP.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM PST
Online via Zoom in Oakland, CAOnline Legal Cafe
The Sustainable Economies Law Center provides direct legal support to individuals and groups who are working to create new solutions for resilient local economies. The Resilient Communities Legal Cafe provides sliding-scale donation-based legal advice, via Zoom, by appointment.
If you need advice about starting a worker-owned cooperative, converting an existing business into a cooperative, organizing a housing cooperative, founding a nonprofit or other social enterprise, please RSVP below! Here are some questions we will be prepared to answer:
❖ Radical real estate law: How to form a housing cooperative, real estate cooperative, or nonprofit housing?
❖ 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?
❖ Tax law: What are the ways to receive tax exemption for your org?
❖ Contracts: Contract review, drafting, and negotiation
❖ Liability issues: What are your governance requirements to avoid liability?
❖ Environmental law: Do you have questions about how to create more green spaces for your community?
❖ Worker Self Directed Nonprofits: How can you run your nonprofit organization more like a worker-owned cooperative?Note: We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, people of color, and low-income communities to RSVP. We focus on cooperatives, participatory or democratic nonprofits, land trusts, and mutual aid groups. If you need Spanish Language or American Sign Language interpretation, please email Hope ([email protected]) with Subject Line "Interpretation Request - for [mm/dd/yyyy] event." We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Keep an eye out for an e-mail when you RSVP. The e-mail will have your appointment slot, instructions on how to attend our Legal Cafe remotely, and an intake form that we need you and your partners to fill out.
Format: You and/or your group will be paired with a lawyer for 30-45 minutes to get answers to questions about entity formation, contracts, governance, and more! Since we're based in Oakland, our event times are listed as Pacific Standard Time.
Got any questions? E-mail [email protected]!
Only one person per group needs to RSVP.