JEP Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective Participants
The goal of the JEP is to expand legal services to low- and middle-income people and small businesses by developing new market-based models of legal service through which lawyers in solo or small practices can sustainably serve clients with moderate incomes. The JEP practice models rely in particular on maximizing the use of “unbundling,” technology, and set fees. Lawyers with an entrepreneurial streak are provided with essential support and resources to help them develop their practices into self-sustaining businesses. While the economics are different than traditional technology and business incubators, the JEP aims to duplicate the innovation and collaborative advances that have come through those programs.
- an open, shared workspace, with individual desks for those farther along in the program;
- private, shared-use offices and conference rooms for meeting with clients and others;
- a large amenity space shared by the building;
- wireless internet access, and
- printing and copying capabilities.
Participants working in a shared location encourages peer mentoring, collaboration, and collective innovation.
The JEP incubates firms that come in many forms, including LLCs, PCs, LLPs, NFPs, and unincorporated solo practitioners. All JEP firms are committed to serving the needs of regular people and small businesses in a market based, self-sustaining manner. Accordingly, though the JEP may incubate a nonprofit firm that sustains itself solely on fees generated from serving legal consumers, the JEP does not support the creation of nonprofit firms that rely on external inputs (like grants) to be sustainable.
All program participants are required to be CBA members in order to tap into existing CBA training and mentoring programs to the maximum extent possible. The CBA’s Director of Law Practice Management and Technology is a key partner and the JEP relies on her programming for many aspects of the law practice management and technology curriculum. In addition, the JEP works with the CBA Lawyer Referral Service on referral and partnership possibilities. We expect the JEP participants will remain strongly tied to the CBA after the program.
Information and application details are available here. If you have further questions about participating in the JEP, please email swilliams@chicagobarfoundation.org.