Capabilities / Economic Development Impact
Positioning minority business enterprises for growth and success.
Husch Blackwell’s Economic Development Impact team is a dynamic, innovative, cross-disciplinary legal team focused on sustaining and scaling minority business enterprises (MBEs). Our attorneys advocate for and advise MBEs and their owners at all stages of their business life cycle, as well as lead non-MBEs through the development and implementation of conscientious and legally compliant socio-economic and impact investment programs and partnerships.
Our experienced attorneys provide clients and stakeholders with the expertise and resources to define and achieve their objectives. Members of our Economic Development Impact team have deep knowledge of corporate law; government and commercial contracting; diversity, equity, and inclusion; intellectual property; labor and employment; tax law; and real estate matters. We draw on this wealth of knowledge to lead clients through the web of challenges they face, positioning them for growth and success. Through our broad network we are able to introduce opportunities and expand geographies and capabilities for clients.
We provide legal solutions on the following issues:
- Business formation and structure
- Intellectual property
- Financing, including private offerings, crowdfunding, commercial lending, micro-lending, and small business loans
- MBE educational and technical assistance
- Social impact investment criteria and programs
- Government contracting and OFCCP compliance
- Joint ventures, teaming arrangements and other strategic partnership arrangements
- Labor and employment issues
- Certification and compliance with Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Minority Business Enterprise (MBE), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Small Business Administration (SBA), and other preferred supplier programs
- Real estate
- Mergers, acquisitions, and other change of control transactions
- Tax credits and incentives
- Franchise and distribution
- Wealth protection and preservation
We are deeply ingrained in the investment, business, and startup communities across our national footprint, with extensive contacts who may be interested in partnering with minority-owned companies in a variety of ways. In addition to providing legal solutions, we actively seek to educate and provide resources to MBEs through regular networking events geared to connect MBE business owners with suppliers, customers, capital sources, service providers, and other key stakeholders, as well as through educational forums and series.