UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW | LOWELL MILKEN INSTITUTE FOR BUSINESS LAW AND POLICY
Entrepreneurship Practicum
Free legal services for early-stage startups — provided by UCLA Law students, supervised by attorneys at Gunderson Dettmer.
The Entrepreneurship Practicum is a clinical program of the Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, offered in partnership with Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP — one of the country’s leading venture capital and startup law firms. Each semester, a select group of qualifying startups receive free legal assistance on foundational corporate and transactional matters, performed by UCLA Law students working under the direct, hands-on supervision of licensed Gunderson Dettmer attorneys.
Startups get meaningful legal support at a stage when they need it most and often can least afford it. Students get real-world training on the documents and issues that define a company’s early life. Below, you’ll find what the Practicum offers, what it doesn’t, and how to apply.
What the Practicum Offers
Depending on the semester’s curriculum and the Practicum’s capacity, selected startups may receive assistance with:
• Entity formation, cap table set-up, and stock issuance to founders
• Structuring and adoption of an equity incentive / stock option plan
• Preparation of hiring and engagement documents (offer letters, contractor agreements, and similar documents)
• Commercial and customer contracts
• IP strategy
• SAFE or priced equity financing documents
Each company’s actual scope of work is defined in a written engagement agreement and generally reflects only a subset of the items above — matched to that semester’s curriculum and the company’s stage. A sample fall-semester timeline: entity formation and equity plans by approximately week 5, employment offer letters by approximately week 7, and a financing term sheet and SAFE by approximately week 9.
Who Should Apply
The Practicum tends to be the best fit for startups that:
• Are early-stage — from pre-formation through early fundraising
• Have legal needs that fall within the categories listed above
• Can accommodate a semester-based (not immediate) pace of work
• Have founders who can commit to being responsive to students throughout the semester
• Do not have time-sensitive deadlines that the academic calendar cannot accommodate
Important Things to Know Before You Apply
• You become a client of Gunderson Dettmer — not of UCLA School of Law. No attorney-client relationship with the Law School ever arises.
• No attorney-client relationship and no legal services begin until both you and the Firm have signed an engagement agreement.
• Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance, and selection is based solely on the Practicum’s educational goals and capacity for a given semester.
• Legal fees are waived, but you remain responsible for out-of-pocket costs such as filing fees, service fees, or copying costs.
• Information you share on the application form is not protected by attorney-client privilege — please don’t include anything you consider confidential.
• You’re free to seek legal counsel elsewhere at any time, including for matters outside the Practicum’s scope.
How to Apply
Complete the Startup Application Form, which asks about your founding team, company stage, corporate formation status, prior legal representation, fundraising status, and anticipated legal needs. Completed forms should be emailed to:
✉ Entrepreneurship@law.ucla.edu
Please answer every question as completely as you can — incomplete applications may delay or prevent review.
Entrepreneurship Practicum
Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy · UCLA School of Law
In partnership with Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP