Law Clinics as a Tool for Sustainable Entrepreneurship

Abstract

What legal challenges do sustainable new ventures face, and can Sustainable Entrepreneur-ship Law Clinics (SELC) address these barriers? Sustainable entrepreneurs confront unique legal and institutional challenges, including navigating complex regulations, limited access to tailored legal knowledge, and resource constraints. These challenges hinder their ability to create societal, ecological, and economic values. Existing literature on Law Clinics and Sus-tainable Entrepreneurship (SE) remains fragmented. This study bridges this gap by exploring the potential of SELCs to support sustainable entrepreneurs in overcoming barriers. Key refer-ences include Cohen & Winn (2007) on market imperfections, Hoogendoorn et al. (2019) on barriers in SE, and Giddings et al. (2010) on Law Clinics' societal impacts. This study intro-duces SELCs as a novel adaptation of traditional Law Clinics tailored to SE. It builds on exist-ing frameworks by highlighting the interplay between legal systems and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, offering actionable insights into bridging academic and practical applications. This study conceptualizes SELCs, identifies the specific legal challenges sustainable ventures face, and evaluates how tailored legal support can enhance their viability. Independent varia-bles include legal complexity and resource availability, with the dependent variable being the success of sustainable new ventures. The study employs a structured literature review, syn-thesizing insights from SE and Law Clinic research across global academic databases. The research adopts an interdisciplinary approach, integrating institutional theory and ecosystem perspectives with legal frameworks, to evaluate SELCs’ role within entrepreneurial ecosys-tems. SELCs address critical legal and resource gaps for sustainable entrepreneurs, providing tailored support for compliance, resource optimization, and investor relations. They also facili-tate access to justice and social innovation, emphasizing their potential as transformative tools. This paper advances the understanding of legal frameworks in SE, proposing SELCs as a bridge between legal education and sustainable business practices.