Partner with Lane

Request Legal Help

If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur in need of legal assistance, you can request help by completing the form below.

Who We Serve

Legal Aid for New Entrepreneurs, Inc. (LANE) provides services to entrepreneurs in the City of Chicago, Cook County, or those employing individuals or serving communities in the Chicago area.


LANE helps businesses that are ready to benefit from legal services. To qualify, applicants must meet one of the following criteria:

  1. Be actively selling goods or providing services.
  2. Be able to demonstrate that your business is at a stage where legal assistance is necessary (e.g., you have a clear path forward for your business).

We also request income and revenue information to verify eligibility for our free legal services.

We do not provide assistance to nonprofit organizations or groups.

Legal Services We Provide

LANE’s network of volunteer attorneys offers support for a range of business law needs. Establishing a solid legal foundation early on can reduce risks and help you understand your legal rights and responsibilities as your business grows.


Our services include:

  • Business entity formation
  • Commercial lease review
  • Employment consultations
  • Financing and lending transactions
  • Contract review and drafting
  • Intellectual property
  • Other short-term transactional matters

Please note, we do not provide representation for litigation, disputes requiring legal action, or court appearances

Next Steps

After submitting your application, our team will review your request and contact you with the next steps. Please provide as much detail as possible to help us determine how best to assist you.


Any person that has been refused service by Legal Aid for New Entrepreneurs or any person who has a complaint about the way service was provided is entitled to have that complaint reviewed in accordance with LANE's grievance procedure.

Please click here to download a copy of our grievance procedure: LANE Grievance Procedure

Click here to download a copy of the compliant form: LANE Complaint Form