MORGANTOWN – The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Law Clinic at West Virginia University recently was presented with the 2015 Entrepreneurial Support of the Year award by TechConnectWV, which further brings recognition to a beneficial program for both students and local businesses and organizations.
James Jolly, Director of Marketing at the WVU College of Law told The West Virginia Record that the EILC provides law students with an experiential learning opportunity, working with live clients that have basic needs, and allows them an opportunity to develop the skills necessary in a business law practice.
“The EILC benefits law students by giving them the opportunity to provide legal services to actual startups, small businesses and non-profits,” Jolly said. “It’s practice-ready experience for the students, under the supervision of a lawyer.”
Jolly explained that the clinic works with clients in counseling for various services, providing assistance to organizing business entities, obtaining IRS tax-exempt recognition and filing trademark registration applications, oppositions and responses, to name a few.
“The clinic’s clients benefit by receiving free legal services ranging from employee contracts and dispute resolution to trademark protection and general planning. The state benefits because the clinic’s work contributes to building the economy.” Jolly said.
“Awards like this from TechConnectWV are great because, on one level, they recognize and validate the clinic’s good work,” Jolly said. "Another benefit is that awards potentially increase awareness of the clinic and its services which, in turn, could result in new clients to help grow West Virginia’s economy."
TechConnectWV is a statewide economic development organization dedicated to the advancement of science, technology, and the innovation economy in West Virginia. It is focused on four technology sectors: advanced energy, chemicals and advanced materials, biosciences, and biometrics. TechConnectWV works to grow and diversify West Virginia’s economy through innovation-based economic development.