April 21, 2025

Law in action: ASU Law students help the Phoenix business community through the Business Legal Assistance Program

In many cases, small businesses and entrepreneurs need legal advice, but can’t afford it. That’s where the Business Legal Assistance Program at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University steps in. 

The program connects local volunteer attorneys with businesses in need of legal guidance, while giving ASU Law students in BLAP valuable, hands-on experience. It’s a win-win: entrepreneurs receive professional consultation and students gain practical legal training.

“BLAP is a multifaceted program which allows students to network with attorneys, build meaningful relationships, learn about niche legal issues, earn pro bono hours and conduct research for consultations — all within a short period as compared to other programs,” said third-year JD student Kiki Owens.

BLAP operates with a fivefold mission:

1. Help small businesses and entrepreneurs resolve legal issues.
2. Connect students with the Phoenix business and legal community.
3. Enhance students’ legal research skills.
4. Enable the law school to contribute to the local business ecosystem.
5. Give students real-world experience in business law.

Volunteer attorneys dedicate their time to client consultations, while students manage logistics like setting up meetings, completing intake forms, taking notes and conducting research. Students are at the heart of the program, recruiting both attorneys and clients to keep BLAP running smoothly.

“Programs like BLAP are essential for modern legal education because they give law students the hands-on experience that allows them to understand how what they learn in the classroom translates to practice,” explained Laura Coordes, BLAP faculty advisor and Professor of Law. “Students also gain experience that they don't typically receive in a classroom, such as interacting with clients and fellow attorneys.”

For second-year JD student Tayte Gleason,  the program was a turning point in his education. 

“Sitting in on consultations, observing BLAP’s volunteer attorneys work with real businesses, and having the opportunity to reflect and ask the attorneys questions following consultations provided me exposure to the transactional practice,” he said. “Without BLAP, I likely would not have received such opportunities until well into – or even after – law school.”

Students in the program develop skills that extend far beyond legal research.

“Sitting in on these consultations taught me how to think on my feet, ask better follow-up questions and listen to what a client is asking, which isn’t always what it seems at first,” said third-year JD student Emma Smith. “I also learned how to manage expectations and set boundaries in a professional but compassionate way. Working as part of a team that has to organize these calls, coordinate with attorneys and make sure everything ran smoothly — that gave me a whole different kind of confidence and leadership experience that a doctrinal class just can’t replicate.”

BLAP is more than a legal assistance program, but rather a bridge between education and practice between students and professionals. As BLAP and many other ASU Law programs continue to grow, it stands as a model for how law schools can meaningfully contribute to student development and local economic resilience.

Written by Crystal Jimenez