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The VLSP Story

Related Information

The Community Organization Representation Project (CORP)

 

Strengthening Community Organizations Through Free Legal Services

 

What is CORP?

CORP is a project of the Volunteer Legal Services Program and its mission is to provide free business law services to nonprofit organizations that directly serve low-income and underserved communities in Northern California.

CORP partners with experienced business law attorney volunteers who provide pro bono transactional legal services to qualifying nonprofit organizations. Annually, CORP volunteers provide thousands of hours of pro bono services to hundreds of nonprofit organizations.

Our volunteer attorneys offer legal services in employment, corporate, contract, real estate, tax, and intellectual property law. Examples of the types of pro bono services offered by CORP are:

Nonprofit Incorporation

  • Obtain 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
  • Individual placements, capacity building workshops, and innovative programs.

Employment Law

  • Draft or update personnel manuals and policies
  • Obtain counsel when implementing economically driven layoff plans or furloughs
  • Ensure your employment classifications comply with labor laws

Intellectual Property

  • Protect trademarks
  • Copyright materials, such as training manuals or education textbooks
  • Protect websites and other Internet materials

Real Estate

  • Review rental leases
  • Buy or sell real estate
  • Resolve zoning questions

Corporate Governance and Structuring

  • Revise or update by-laws and other corporate documents
  • Prepare corporate policies, including conflicts of interest, records retention or whistleblower policies
  • Create and structure affiliate relationships
  • Draft fiscal sponsorship documents

Business Contracts

  • Draft contracts with vendors
  • Draft other types of agreements

Tax Law

  • Reinstate revoked 501(c)(3) status
  • Other tax-related matters

Other Preventative Measures

  • i.e., workshops on best practices relating to political activity, employees’ use of social media, etc.

CORP is unable to assist with litigation matters.

CORP's volunteers are experienced business law attorneys who are interested in helping organizations throughout Northern California better serve their communities. If you are an attorney interested in volunteering with CORP, please send your resume and a statement of interest to corp@sfbar.org.

Questions?

For more information, or to sign up for CORP monthly e-newsletter, send an email to corp@sfbar.org.

Last year, VLSP staff and over 1,800 VLSP volunteers assisted nearly 8,000 clients at an approximate value of $13 million. Our award-winning program changes lives by using a holistic approach that offers social services as well as legal assistance.

3 Things You Can Do to Help CORP Advance Its Work:

1. Donate to VLSP: For every dollar VLSP spends, seven dollars worth of services are donated.

2. Volunteer: Join over 1,100 attorneys that work to enhance the lives of low-income individuals and the organizations that serve them.

3. Spread the Word: Tell your friends that work for nonprofits about CORP -- a project that provides free legal services to organizations in Northern California. Email corp@sfbar.org for more information.