Smith Anderson Attorney Spearheads New Entrepreneurship Clinic at UNC School of Law, Talks Benefits it Will Bring to Businesses Statewide

In the article, UNC School of Law dean talks new entrepreneurship clinic, Triangle Business Journal’s Jennifer Henderson reports that as tech giants such as Apple and Amazon continue to consider the Triangle and more startups are founded here, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Law will soon add to the “available infrastructure” by launching its new clinical entrepreneurship program. 

Smith Anderson attorney Richard Stevens and UNC School of Law Dean Martin Brinkley, who remains of counsel at Smith Anderson, provided insight on what this new academia-based clinic means for the university and its students as well as businesses (particularly startups). 

Since he became the dean of the UNC School of Law, Martin says he “wanted to expand experiential education opportunities for students.” While other law schools across the country have similar clinics, Martin was “immediately attracted to the idea of an entrepreneurial clinic as something that I thought Carolina ought to have.” Two new faculty members will be hired for the program, which is expected to launch in roughly one year.

Richard highlighted the benefits of the program for businesses, stating that he thinks the clinic will “serve as a tremendous way to help young companies through that effort” and be “a great boost to the business community in the state.” Adding that “most jobs come from small businesses.”

Richard’s practice focuses on government relations where he regularly assists clients with strategic planning and advises on governmental matters. Richard served as a Senator in the North Carolina General Assembly from 2003 to 2012. He currently also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Martin’s practice focuses on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, antitrust, insurance and regulatory matters, public finance and nonprofit organizations. He became the 14th Dean of the UNC School of Law on July 1, 2015. He is the only lawyer in the modern history of the Law School to be appointed to the deanship from the practicing bar. 

Triangle Business Journal subscribers may read the full article here.