The UNC School of Law’s Institute for Innovation built vital bridges across North Carolina in 2024, connecting legal expertise with entrepreneurs from the North Carolina coastal regions. Through strategic partnerships, the Institute strengthened communities and provided crucial support to business owners across diverse communities.
In Wilmington, the Institute’s partnership with Channel created a groundbreaking pro bono opportunity. Channel, led by Director Chakema Clinton-Quintana and Business Advisor Atiba Johnson, provides free services to minority entrepreneurs. During fall break, Carolina Law students, faculty, alumni, and staff delivered crucial legal guidance to 12 minority-owned businesses, setting a new model for community engagement.
The collaboration brought together rising legal talent with established expertise. Students worked alongside Smith Anderson attorneys to craft comprehensive advice letters, while Carolina Law graduate James Jolley ’14 led intellectual property training sessions. First-year law student Sabrina Betz shared why this hands-on experience proved meaningful. “I met so many inspiring and intelligent people, and the work we did together changed lives. Being able to talk to clients reminded me of the positive impact attorneys can have in their communities.”
On the coast, Carolina Law Assistant Professor Dustin Marlan led an October 2024 seminar on trademark and copyright protection for Outer Banks Entrepreneurs. Over 40 members from Outer Banks Entrepreneurs ‘s chapters in Elizabeth City, the Outer Banks, and Chesapeake, V.A. participated in the dynamic session, while each chapter maintains 30 members to preserve close collaboration and foster meaningful relationships. “The level of camaraderie and enthusiasm inside Outer Banks Entrepreneurs surpassed anything I’ve seen at other entrepreneurial centers,” Marlan said. Members engaged in nearly an hour of discussion about protecting their intellectual property, demonstrating the deep need for accessible legal education in entrepreneurial communities.
The success of these initiatives stems from deep collaboration across organizations and sectors. “Everyone joined forces – from different parts of the School, Channel, Live Oak Bank, and the alumni network – and seeing it come together after months of work was really heartwarming,” said Meghan Moran ’19, director of pro bono initiatives.
Building on this momentum, James Dickson Phillips Jr. Distinguished Professor Tom Kelley will lead an upcoming legal seminar for Outer Banks Entrepreneurs members on nonprofit law in early 2025. The Institute also plans to expand its successful pro bono program model to serve entrepreneurs in additional North Carolina communities.
“We want to help the whole state, and there is a lot of need in this area,” Institute Director Aaron Gard said. The Institute’s mission continues to focus on supporting entrepreneurs across all 100 North Carolina counties through expanding educational programs and pro bono services.
