Legal Aid for Small Business Owners
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
2.1 Small Businesses, Entrepreneurs, and Nonprofits
Federal Expenditure CategoryLoans or Grants to Mitigate Financial Hardship
02/28/2022
Anticipated End Date06/30/2023
Supported Languages
- Korean
- Spanish
- Mandarin
- Cantonese
- Spanish
- Korean
- Simplified Chinese
Project Contacts
-
Felipe Moscoso
-
Analu Fernandini
Indicators & Metrics to Date
-
Number of Small Businesses Served871
-
# of trainings conducted45
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Create a hosted Legal Aid webpage.1
-
Create a toll-free number for LAC Legal Aid program.1
-
# of intake forms completed0
-
Number of Legal Academies conducted6
-
Number of business webinars27
-
Number of Know Your Rights webinars137
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Number of unique businesses receiving 1:1 consultation0
-
Number of applications0
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Number of businesses attending Know Your Rights Webinars137
-
Number of businesses attending trainings on small business topics2398
-
Number of businesses attending legal academies225
-
Number of businesses attending all trainings2760
-
Number of unique businesses that understand the process needed to resolve their legal matter0
-
Number of applications for one-on-one legal consultations841
-
Number of businesses with multiple legal cases0
Target Populations
- Small Businesses
Project Description
Historically and continuing to present day, the 250,000 small businesses in LA County have had a higher risk of failure than large enterprises and one such barrier to resiliency is their limited access to affordable and culturally competent legal guidance on various aspects of running a business, writing and executing a contract, or entering into commercial lease agreements. This lack of legal support leaves our small businesses vulnerable to predatory or unfair practices. The pandemic exacerbated resiliency risks for small businesses with nearly 15,000 businesses facing temporary or permanent closure in the first few months of the pandemic. Over 93% of all businesses have 20 or few employees and over 55% are minority owned and COVID-19 has impacted these business owners and their employees disproportionately once again. While the County mobilized to offer an eviction moratorium and rent relief as well as general financial relief for small businesses, these small businesses also needed and continue to need qualified legal support as they navigate the complexity of staying open in this new normal. Further, in the spring of 2022, the County’s Board of Supervisors passed permanent protections for small commercial tenants in unincorporated areas against retaliation and harassment by landlords and offers a new private right of action for legal remedy. The Legal Aid program will, at no cost, connect 1200 small businesses to legal assistance, including support for those who obtained Small Business Rent Relief and who are reviewing their rights as outlined in the anti-retaliation and harassment ordinance. This project will engage in outreach to small businesses and legal aid will be administered by trusted and community-based legal partners through ongoing webinars, one-on-one counseling, and legal academies covering the most imminent legal assistance on business-relevant topics, including commercial lease agreements; employee safety, wages and paid leave benefits; contract negotiation; intellectual property; tax liability; business entity structure; and bankruptcy. Businesses receiving legal assistance will gain the necessary support to meet their unique legal needs and ultimately maintain their business status, personnel, property, and revenue streams. The Legal Aid program’s intent is to prioritize service delivery to businesses located in the most economically disadvantaged regions of LA County to improve economic disparities in those communities, providing service to at least 1200 businesses, primarily small, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), undocumented immigrant, limited English proficient, and/or women-owned businesses. By targeting businesses located in economically disadvantaged regions, BIPOC, undocumented immigrant, limited English proficient, and/or women-owned, the Legal Aid program will assist in reducing and closing race and gender equity gaps that exist as barriers to these businesses growing and thriving in LA County.
Goals & Objectives
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Service Delivery | Number of businesses attending Know Your Rights Webinars | 250.00 | 500.00 |
7 | Service Delivery | Number of Know Your Rights webinars | 8.00 | 8.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 | Service Delivery | Number of businesses attending trainings on small business topics | 250.00 | 500.00 |
6 | Service Delivery | Number of business webinars | 10.00 | 12.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Service Delivery | Number of businesses attending legal academies | 50.00 | 100.00 |
5 | Service Delivery | Number of Legal Academies conducted | 2.00 | 2.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
22 | Service Delivery | Create a hosted Legal Aid webpage. | 0.00 | 1.00 |
23 | Service Delivery | Create a toll-free number for LAC Legal Aid program. | 0.00 | 1.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Program Outcome | Number of businesses attending all trainings | 250.00 | 500.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 | Service Delivery | Number of applications | 200.00 | 800.00 |
8 | Performance | Number of unique businesses receiving 1:1 consultation | 0.00 | 200.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Program Outcome | Number of unique businesses that understand the process needed to resolve their legal matter | 0.00 | 200.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Program Outcome | Number of applications for one-on-one legal consultations | 200.00 | 800.00 |
Indicators
# | Type | Name | Baseline | Target |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Program Outcome | Number of businesses with multiple legal cases | 100.00 | 200.00 |