About ELC

The ELC helps entrepreneurs achieve ambitious business goals, build a talented workforce, and protect their budding brands. Upper-level law students advise clients under the close supervision of Bernice Grant, the ELC’s founding director.

The ELC is part of a larger Entrepreneurial Law Program at Fordham that combines a foundational curriculum in law and entrepreneurship with the opportunity for students to work directly with startups in New York’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The ELC advises clients on transactional matters in the following three areas of law:

    • Founders’ agreements
    • Entity selection and formation
    • Corporate governance
    • Operating agreements and shareholder agreements
    • Customer agreements
    • Vendor agreements
    • Commercial leases
    • Website terms of use and privacy policies
    • Loan agreements
    • Regulatory compliance
    • General business law advice and counseling
    • Worker classification analysis (employee, independent contractor, or intern)
    • Employment agreements and employee offer letters
    • Independent contractor agreements/consulting agreements
    • Intern agreements
    • Non-competition and non-solicitation agreements
    • Separation agreements
    • Incentive compensation, including equity compensation agreements
    • Employee handbooks
    • Employer responsibility counseling regarding minimum wage, employment discrimination, etc.
    • General employment law advice and counseling
    • Proprietary information agreements
    • Non-disclosure agreements
    • Trademark registrations

The ELC does not advise on litigation, patents, or securities.

The ELC also provides free educational programming for entrepreneurs through community workshops and our podcast. 

In addition, future clients may have the opportunity to receive customized business advice from MBA students at Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business, who will work in interdisciplinary teams of law and business students.