Legal Resources
Established in 2010, LawForChange is a leading source of critical legal information designed to educate and empower people and organizations dedicated to improving lives and bringing about positive social change. This Legal Resource Center combines a broad menu of legal information prepared by top-tier law firms and lawyers applicable to the needs of social sector organizations. In 2016, the site was consolidated in order to strengthen the most relevant U.S. resources and to build the offering of global legal resources.
Please be advised that the materials found through LawForChange are informational only and not intended to constitute legal advice. Readers requiring legal advice should not rely on these materials as an alternative to the engagement of local counsel. Further, all materials refer to laws and regulations in force on the date of creation and are subject to change by future legislation.
For information on our pro bono matchmaking program, check out our For Entrepreneurs page!
Getting Started
Legal Audit Checklist
A generic checklist designed to help social sector organizations think strategically about possible legal issues facing their organizations.
Social Venture Startup Kit
A list of broad questions, helpful resources and practical steps social entrepreneurs should consider when establishing a new social venture.
Social Enterprise Legal Structures
Which legal structure is right for your social enterprise? Lex Mundi member Morrison & Foerster created this guide to establishing a social venture in the U.S.
Intellectual Property Basics
A brief summary of intellectual property considerations and issues for social enterprises, created by Lex Mundi member Womble Bond Dickinson.
Global Guides to Doing Business
Essential Tools for Doing Business Around the World
The Lex Mundi Guides to Doing Business series offers valuable, information-packed resources prepared by our premier member firms that provide an in-depth look at business, economic, political and cultural trends in more than 100 jurisdictions around the world.
Country
State or Province
Member Firm Resources
Africa Multijurisdictional Operational Guides
Bowmans Law Firm has a number of incredible resources to help organizations navigate operations across Africa, including detailed guides on Intellectual Property, Banking, Governance, Employment, Environmental Law, and more.
ASEAN Social Enterprise Structuring Guide
Tilleke & Gibbins developed an ASEAN Social Enterprise Structuring Guide, a practical guide for social entrepreneurs to the legal structures available to them for establishing a social enterprise in Southeast Asia.
Global Intellectual Property Guides
Many Lex Mundi member firms contributed to the Legal 500 Intellectual Property guide. The aim of this guide is to provide its readers with a pragmatic overview of the law and practice of intellectual property law across a variety of jurisdictions.
Impact Goals and Investing Resources
Morrison & Foerster partners with startups, providing guidance at every step, helping entrepreneurs scale rapidly and reach their peaks through the ScaleUp program.
The following resources provide practical insights into how you can effectively achieve your impact goals.
United Kingdom Legal Accelerator Program
Womble Bond Dickinson Accelerate UK provides the tools to help kickstart business ventures by supporting high-growth companies with a well-planned, discounted approach.
Helpful External Resources
PILnet Global Nonprofits Guide
DLA Piper, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL), and PILnet are delighted to introduce you to a free tool for navigating the nonprofit laws around the world.
The Global Nonprofits Guide aims to strengthen the resilience and autonomy of nonprofit organizations by providing an easily accessible and user-friendly platform on non-profit law around the world. Visit www.globalnonprofitsguide.org or click on the button below to view the guide.
ABA Contractual Clauses Project
Working with stakeholders to ensure human rights due diligence in business contracting to create Model Contract Clauses for Human Rights.
CASE Knowledge Center
The CASE Knowledge Center is a collection of our research, writings, articles, and interviews we have published and conducted on social entrepreneurship over the years. You can use the category listings on the side of the page to filter the publications to your particular topic of interest.
Bertha Centre
The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the UCT Graduate School of Business is a globally ranked centre of excellence dedicated to advancing social innovation and entrepreneurship. A new wave of social business and institutional change is sweeping the continent, requiring an informed and contextually relevant approach. Research that demonstrates the impact of social innovation in Africa and disseminate actionable insights can be found here.
Candid
Candid provides trusted information, data-driven tools, research, analysis, best practices, and trainings to help the social sector increase its ability to affect change and transform lives. Nonprofit startup resources: Find helpful resources for starting a nonprofit, such as checklists, nonprofit associations, legal support, and government agencies.
DC Pro Bono Center
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center provides legal assistance to community-based nonprofit organizations and small business entrepreneurs. Access a library of fantastic resources including guidance documents, webinars, and brief advice clinics.
National Counsel for Nonprofits
The National Council of Nonprofits produces and curates tools, resources, and samples for nonprofits.
Pro Bono Clearing House
This toolkit helps nonprofit organizations thrive, build capacity, and answer important questions. On this page, you can find useful guides on various legal issues compiled by experts from some of NYC’s best law firms.
Stanford Social Entrepreneurship Hub
There are many things to do before launching and operating a social venture – especially in the areas of planning and implementation. These free resources from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business can help you navigate the Path to Launch.
Stanford Nonprofit Clinic
This website contains a collection of forms and precedent legal documents relating to nonprofit organizations.
Transform
TRANSFORM blends funding and bespoke business support to deliver market-based solutions to the world’s biggest development challenges through impact enterprises. Their tools and resources are designed and curated to help impact enterprises pivot and respond to disruption.
TrustLaw
TrustLaw produces a wide range of tools to help NGOs and social enterprises address their specific legal needs, from day-to-day operational matters to high-level research efforts.
World Bank
Unable to find your country in our guides? Check out the World Bank’s comparative business guide and its detailed guides to conducting business in 190 economies around the globe. IMPORTANT: To access a detailed report on each country, first select your country on the right and then click the “Download Economy Profile” icon found in the middle of the resulting page.
Additional Lex Mundi Resources
Global Practice Guides
Global Practice Guides offer essential practice and industry information that legal and business professionals require as they embark on creating effective global strategies. Prepared by our member firms around the world, our free bespoke guides provide substantive overviews of laws, practice areas, legal topics and business issues in more than 100 countries. Pick a practice area and create tailored reports comparing local policies and regulations across chosen jurisdictions.
Topics Include: AI Legislative Guide, Arbitration, Attorney-Client Privilege, Climate Change Law, Data Privacy, Employment Law, ESG, Foreign Investment Restrictions, Global M&A Trends, Greenwashing, and more.