University of Oklahoma Launches State's First Entrepreneurial Law Center

NORMAN, Okla., May 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to address critical business and legal support needs for entrepreneurs and small businesses, the Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma, in partnership with the OU College of Law, has launched Oklahoma's first-ever entrepreneurial law center.

The OU Entrepreneurial Law Center provides free, early-stage counseling to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Under the guidance of executive director David Kinsinger and with accreditation insight and design support offered from OU College of Law colleagues, OU ELC completed its first pilot clinic by supporting three startup clients over OU's spring 2023 semester.

"Opening the Entrepreneurial Law Center is imperative to our purpose of ensuring the enduring global competitiveness of Oklahoma and the nation," said Corey Phelps, Price College dean. "A crucial resource that early-stage startups and small businesses need is inexpensive access to legal expertise and business advisory services on matters of intellectual property, legal organizational form and commercial relationships. The ELC provides these services, reducing the barriers to entrepreneurship and empowering startups to develop their ideas into sustainable businesses."

Katheleen Guzman, dean of the OU College of Law, stated, "The Price College of Business recognized the specific type of interprofessional, community-engaged collaboration that is critical when facing complex and rapidly changing environments. OU ELC allows business and law students to sharpen design-thinking skills together through integrated options and solutions for real clients. Moreover, it furthers both business and law's commitment to the sort of sophisticated, contextualized education that experiential opportunities like this program offer."

The OU ELC primarily works with clients on a 15-week basis during OU's fall and spring semesters and is uniquely positioned as the state's first entrepreneurial law center.

"The OU Entrepreneurial Law Center is the first of its kind in the state of Oklahoma," said Kinsinger, who received his juris doctor from OU in 1989 and has more than 30 years experience representing corporations on intellectual property matters and corporate transactions. "While there are a lot of resources throughout the state that are designed to help startups, there aren't any that provide this type of free legal and business support."

The OU ELC also provides both Price College and OU College of Law students with the opportunity to gain valuable, real-world experience in structuring the business and legal needs of a new company.

The Entrepreneurial Law Center is housed in the Tom Love Innovation Hub, located on the OU Research Campus, and is currently recruiting clients for the fall semester. Companies interested in applying for OU ELC's services can contact the staff at elc@ou.edu.

About the Michael F. Price College of Business

The Michael F. Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma has experienced significant growth over the past five years, becoming OU's second-largest college with over 5,200 students. The college offers highly ranked undergraduate, master's, executive and doctoral programs across six academic divisions. More information is available at price.ou.edu.

About the Tom Love Innovation Hub

Founded in 2016, the Tom Love Innovation Hub, powered by the OU Michael F. Price College of Business, is a cutting-edge facility designed to foster the creation, development and implementation of innovative ideas. The Innovation Hub stands as a leader in the Oklahoma entrepreneurial ecosystem. Purposed with advancing innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Oklahoma and across Oklahoma, the Innovation Hub has helped to launch many new ventures and entrepreneurial projects. Its programs have rapidly grown the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Oklahoma by providing top-tier talent and launching promising businesses into the economy. For more information about the Innovation Hub, visit ou.edu/innovationhub.

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SOURCE The University of Oklahoma Price College of Business