Free · Bilingual · Nonprofit Legal Aid
Legal support for inclusive growth in the Central Valley.
The New Business Community Law Clinic gives small businesses, worker & housing cooperatives, and nonprofits — especially immigrant entrepreneurs — free access to corporate, commercial, and transactional legal help across California’s Central Valley, centered in Fresno and Merced.
What we do
How we help Valley entrepreneurs build something that lasts.
Business formation & compliance
Entity selection, contracts, licensing, and regulatory guidance for businesses, cooperatives, and nonprofits at every stage.
Workshops & trainings
Free sessions on formation, employment law, intellectual property, and compliance — in person, live online, or on demand.
One-on-one consultations
Book English, Spanish, or bilingual office hours with a supervising attorney or trained student attorney.
OLLIE self-guided legal library
Free online modules on business planning, entity formation, and managing legal risk — for when you need an answer now, not an appointment.
“Truly, thank you to the Clinic for the support you’ve given my business — and for everything you do for our Hispanic community.”Benny Albarrán · Fresno, CA · Clinic client
In partnership with
The James Irvine Foundation
Central Valley Women's Entrepreneur Center
Confía
Access + Capital
Merced College Business Resource Center
ProsperoOur mission
Legal support for inclusive growth.
We empower small businesses, nonprofits, and startups led by people of color, immigrants, and low-income residents through accessible, high-quality legal services — fostering equitable economic development across the Central Valley. Our student attorneys and volunteers bring corporate, commercial, and transactional expertise to entrepreneurs who would otherwise go without it.
Staff & leadership
The people running the Clinic day to day.
William Kell
Director & Supervising Attorney, Board Chairman
J.D. Wayne State University. Practicing law since 1987; retired UC Berkeley Law lecturer (2001–2024) and founder of two small-business legal clinics. Licensed in CA, NY, MA, and IL.
Mariana Acevedo Nuevo
Supervising Attorney (Volunteer)
LL.M. UC Berkeley. Previously with Mexico’s Federal Economic Competition Commission and an antitrust practice in Mexico City; nonprofit housing work in the Bay Area.
Clarissa Vivian Petrucci
Administrative Director
Over a decade working with immigrant communities; received a Fresno City Proclamation for small-business and immigrant-rights work.
Board of directors
Oversight from law, academia, and industry.
Fernando Parra, Ph.D.
Board Treasurer
Assistant Professor of Accountancy, Fresno State. Ph.D. in International Business, UT El Paso.
Kevin Xu
Board Secretary
Software engineer at GitHub; formerly a supervising attorney at the Clinic who helped expand service into the Central Valley.
Calvin Morril
Board Member
Stefan A. Riesenfeld Distinguished Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology, UC Berkeley. Ph.D. Sociology, Harvard.
Anne Harrison
Board Member
Founder, Harrison De la Cruz Law Office. J.D./LL.M. Duke Law; practice in immigration, business visas, and family-based residence.
Arohi Kashyap
Board Member
Kashyap Partners & Associates LLP. LL.M. UC Berkeley; expertise in startup, healthcare, and data-privacy law.
Our commitment to equal opportunity
The Clinic complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.
Services & appointments
Free consultations, in the language you’re most comfortable in.
Book time with a supervising attorney or trained student attorney to talk through business structuring, contract drafting, compliance, intellectual property, or dispute resolution.
Spanish-language office hours
One-on-one consultations conducted entirely in Spanish, Fresno office.
Book Spanish hoursEnglish-language office hours
One-on-one consultations conducted entirely in English, Fresno office.
Book English hoursEnglish / Spanish general hours
Flexible bilingual sessions covering general business legal questions.
Book bilingual hoursNeed something lighter than a consultation?
Try OLLIE — a free online legal library for entrepreneurs, connected to the Clinic’s Berkeley Law roots. Self-guided modules walk you through business planning, entity formation, capitalization, and managing legal risk, so you can get a straight answer before deciding whether you need to book time with an attorney.
Explore OLLIEWhat’s covered
Topics our attorneys help with
- Business structuring — sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or nonprofit
- Contract drafting and review
- Regulatory and licensing compliance
- Intellectual property basics
- Dispute resolution guidance
Where to find us
Three Central Valley locations
Fresno — main clinic
General office hours, Spanish, English, and bilingual consultations.
Merced — Merced College Business Resource Center
Free legal consultations by appointment; call ahead to reserve a slot.
Merced — Prospero
Additional free legal consultations and Clinic events; call ahead to reserve a slot.
We primarily serve clients in person in Fresno and Merced, but we work with entrepreneurs throughout the Central Valley — and we’ll see how we can help.
Workshops & events
Practical legal training, always free.
In-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions on the legal questions Valley entrepreneurs run into most — taught in English and Spanish.
Business structure workshops
Sole proprietorships, partnerships, LLCs, and nonprofit structures — offered in English and Spanish.
Nonprofit academy series
Two-hour sessions on forming a board of directors and completing a tax-exempt application.
Specialized topics
Home-based business rules, ADA and website accessibility, and AI tools for small business owners.
Upcoming events
October 2026
All times are Pacific. Schedule current as of October 2026 — contact us to confirm before attending.
Ongoing programming
Workshops we run regularly
Choosing the Right Business Structure
ADA Compliance & Website Accessibility
Using AI in Your Business: Know the Legal Risks
Free Legal Consultations at Merced College
Topics we’ve run recently — follow Facebook or contact us for upcoming dates and registration.
Want the full workshop calendar in your inbox?
Gallery
Workshops, consultations, and community moments.
A look at the Clinic in action — legal workshops, partner events, and the entrepreneurs we serve across Fresno and Merced.
Legal
Terms, privacy, and accessibility.
Terms of use
This website provides general information about the New Business Community Law Clinic and its services. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice, and browsing or submitting a contact form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legal advice is only provided after the Clinic has agreed to represent you through a formal intake and consultation.
Privacy policy
We collect only the information you choose to give us through our contact and newsletter forms — your name, email, and message. We use it solely to respond to your inquiry or send the updates you signed up for, and we never sell or share it with third parties. You can ask us to remove your information at any time by emailing admin@newbusinesslaw.org.
Accessibility statement
The Clinic is committed to making this website usable for everyone. We comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and we aim to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility guidelines. If you encounter a barrier using this site, please contact us at admin@newbusinesslaw.org or 559.549.2009 and we will work with you to provide the information in an accessible format.
Get involved
Volunteer, give, or just stay in the loop.
Volunteer
Attorneys and law students support Valley entrepreneurs directly through pro bono consultations and workshops.
Donate
Every gift keeps consultations and workshops free for immigrant entrepreneurs across the Valley.
Give todayStay informed
Subscribe for practice notes, legal updates, and the workshop calendar — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Mailing list coming soon
In the news
Featured in the press
“In Fresno, the New Business Community Law Clinic provides free legal services to entrepreneurs, and works extensively with undocumented business owners who are trying to support their families while living under the constant threat of immigration enforcement.”
— William Kell, Director & Supervising Attorney
Contact
Get in touch.
Questions about eligibility, appointments, or workshops? Reach out — we respond in the language you write to us in.
General inquiries
admin@newbusinesslaw.org
Workshops & consultations
559.549.2009 · admin@newbusinesslaw.org
Fresno
Main clinic & office hours
Merced
Merced College Business Resource Center