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BR Legal
BR Legal, established in September 2003, forms the third leg of the Enterpreneurship Triad.
The BR Legal (BRL) program provides affordable, professional- quality legal services that are vital to the formation, operation, and eventual success of any start-up or emerging growth-oriented business. Through BRL, students at Cornell Law School work under the direct supervision of attorneys experienced in the relevant fields of law that a start-up company may encounter. This mentoring structure assures the quality of the legal services that students provide to clients. BR Legal also includes a Business Development Team comprised of MBA students who recruit additional mentoring law firms, create BRL marketing collateral, and market the program.
BRL bills clients at a rate of $25 per hour. Clients are required to provide fee retainers. In addition, clients are billed for out-of-pocket expenses. Participating law students receive modest cash compensation for their services. Participating BRL law firms provide their services pro bono.
The BR Legal structure affords important benefits to all parties. Clients receive professional-quality legal services at very affordable rates. Law students gain invaluable experience working directly with clients under the expert guidance of attorneys who specialize in legal aspects of entrepreneurship. Law firms benefit through their relationship with an Ivy League law school whose graduates may be desirable employees, as well as gaining exposure to companies that may become clients, and enjoying the satisfaction of performing pro-bono services.
