After over a decade of helping startups and entrepreneurs, we’ve noticed the negative effects of not hiring a lawyer early enough in the process. A company that doesn’t protect itself from the beginning is unknowingly exposed to risks ranging from contract disputes, loss of intellectual property, vulnerability of personal assets, employment issues, regulatory obligations, and potential lawsuits. In a recent poll, the cost of legal services was the number one reason for not hiring an attorney at the beginning of a new business venture.

Legal services are priced based on expertise, experience, and the comprehensiveness of the protection provided. Effective assistance is costly because of the time investment to establish expertise and the long-term value provided to clients. Foundational legal services are often one of the many expenses an early-stage founder encounters.

Venture capital remains a relatively small share of funding and targets very specific companies: generally high-growth and high-tech. Most business owners use more traditional funding sources, such as family assets and bank loans, to start their businesses.

Many new businesses struggle with cash flow. Traditional funding options are available only to those with personal wealth, collateral or connections and carry significant personal risk in case of startup failure. The Minority Business Data Agency found that minority business owners received fewer loans, and with less-optimal rates, than similar-sized white-owned businesses. Without easy access to family assets and bank loans, most under-represented founders are disadvantaged in comparison with their counterparts.

Spark Grants provide under-represented founders with the free legal services, resources, and community they need to create and protect their businesses.

Each grant recipient receives $2,500 worth of legal services and guidance; participation in a Legal for Business Workshop (4 one-hour sessions covering entity formation, legal risk analysis, IP protection, agreement types, contract negotiations, insurance, best practices, and more); access to a Startup Resource Database including summaries, checklists, templates, and discounts from local business partners; and membership in the Spark Grant Community of early-stage under-represented founders throughout North Carolina to help lift up and support each other.

Spark Grant cycles open up as funding becomes available. Follow Liles Law on LinkedIn to get up-to-date information on our next grant cycle!

The Spark Grant program is the only attorney-led grant program for under-represented business owners in North Carolina. Being attorney-led allows us to provide direct legal advice unavailable via other local accelerators and bootcamps. The cohort model also allows us to help a greater number of companies than the traditional 1:1 attorney/client model. It’s a fantastic supplement to other programs available to founders.

Liles Law is a female-led, minority-led, entrepreneur-led, carbon-neutral, Better Business Bureau A+ accredited, and B-corp (pending) law firm that has already helped hundreds of new businesses throughout North Carolina. We are well-positioned to radically change the access to legal resources for under-represented founders. 

The Spark Grant Program is funded by Liles Law in partnership with local sponsors whose values align with our mission. A big THANK YOU to our current sponsors: The NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic, The UNC School of Law Institute for Innovation, Durham Tech Small Business Center, Uncompany, Curious, and PowerSecure. 

100% of sponsorship fees go towards legal services, startup resources, and program administration for grant recipients.

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $2,500 to sponsor one company through the program. Sponsors can increase their impact by sponsoring several companies — and can even sponsor an entire cohort with a theme that aligns with their mission (e.g., sustainability, community-building, biotech, education, health and fitness).

We are only looking for sponsors whose values align with our core mission: radically changing the access to legal services for under-represented founders. Sponsors receive direct exposure to the local startup ecosystem, marketing opportunities (including social media posts, newsletter advertisements, speaking engagements, networking events, media coverage, and a unique digital sponsor badge), and access to the grant recipients’ pipeline of clients and employees. Most importantly, sponsors are able to to make a significant difference in the business trajectory of under-represented founders in North Carolina. 

Reach out for more info!

We provided 4 grants in 2022 and 10 grants in 2023. With help from our sponsors, we hope to help at least 20 businesses each year by 2026. 

Understanding that it often takes a couple of years to generate ongoing revenue, our ultimate goal is to have past grant recipients become future sponsors in a “pay it forward” model.

Early stage businesses based in North Carolina in need of foundational legal services with at least one founder who is under-represented. We also require a commitment to program participation and community-building.

Our grant cycles are currently closed. Once we have the funding available, we will initiate our next round of grants and this site will be updated with more information.