On Aug. 4, 2023, McGuireWoods participated in its first legal clinic with the Charlotte Legal Initiative to Mobilize Businesses (CLIMB).
Charlotte associates Rachel Robertson and Zach Lankford along with lawyers from other area law firms participated in the clinic, which assisted 13 clients. All of these small business owners have participated in programming through the Mecklenburg County Office of Economic Development, which hosted the clinic.
CLIMB is a pro bono initiative providing transactional legal services to qualifying entrepreneurs and small businesses in Charlotte, with a focus on businesses owned by people of color, women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans or disabled persons.
At the Aug. 4 advice-only clinic, volunteers counseled clients on matters such as forming or registering a business entity with the state, drafting basic operating agreements, filing annual reports, updating or amending business registrations, and filing a DBA (doing business as) or trade name with the state.
Charlotte innovation counsel and MWAccel innovation leader Carter Arey leads McGuireWoods’ ongoing role in CLIMB and serves on CLIMB’s Board of Directors.