The week of November 14 was Global Entrepreneurship Week. To celebrate, the West Virginia University College of Law Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program invited Attorney Kery Fries from the United States Patent and Trademark Office to speak at the law school.
[Above: this is me standing very awkwardly as Jessica took forever to take a picture of me stealing the bread basket at the empty table next to us. It wasn’t very subtle.]
After a discussion about the America Invents Act and the changes that were to come, the student-attorneys and faculty involved in the Entrepreneurship Clinic shuffled into the Davis Gallery for a sit-down lunch catered by the University.
The College of Law has multiple clinic programs for third-year students to give us an opportunity to provide some pro bono legal work for real clients under the supervision of a faculty attorney. The Entrepreneurship Clinic in particular helps entrepreneurs, small business owners, nonprofit organizations with legal aspects of starting and running their business. Some things we have done include drafting articles of incorporation or bylaws, filing for 501©(3) tax-exempt status with the IRS, drafting contracts, registering trademarks, and pretty much almost anything
an entrepreneur might need. We provide the help for no charge in hopes of helping West Virginia small business develop.
The students in the Entrepreneurship Clinic get credit for the work we do. We also have a class once a week, as well as a meeting every other week to update each other on clients and ask questions or any other small wrap-up items. Once a month, lunch is provided.
This month, for Global Entrepreneurship Week and hosting Mr. Kery Fries, this lunch definitely beat out the pizza of last month. The table was set, even with a salad fork and cloth napkins. The meal was either a Cobb salad, or the vegetarian option of portabella mushroom salad. A bread basket at every table, a glass of iced tea for everyone, and best of all, potato and cheddar soup. For dessert, a fresh fruit cup with whipped cream and coffee. I ate so much (including the soup of two of my tablemates), I didn’t need to eat again until the next morning.
It seemed appropriate that the Clinic, one of the best experiences of my law school life, would provide the best free lunch yet from the law school.
[Above: That potato cheddar soup was the best soup I’ve had.]
Emily is the editor of the student blog’s Lunch Will Be Provided column, writing about all the great opportunities our students have to learn on a full stomach. Check out a description on the column page.
