What is this class all about and what kind of work can I expect?

The goal is to equip students to advise founders and early-stage organizations from ideation through initial capitalization and launch, including issue-spotting and how to draft legal documents. There are three hours of class time each week, and you will also be required to meet with clients, your partner(s), and instructors outside of class hours. You will be expected to engage in class discussion and complete a significant amount of work, including completing readings and exercises, preparing model legal documents, and assisting in legal strategy and preparation of legal documents. Class sessions are broken down into theory and doctrinal content, corporate model simulation, and client work. Classes will include lectures by the teaching team and by industry experts, discussion, and workshopping work product.

When is the class each quarter?

Class times and office hours vary by quarter. See the registrar for more details.

How do I apply?

To apply for this course, students must complete and submit a Consent Application Form available on the SLS Registrar website (https://registrar.law.stanford.edu/). Click SUNetID Login in the top right corner of the page and then click the “Consent Courses” tab. See Consent Application Form for instructions and submission deadline.

What makes an outstanding application?

Demonstrated interest in startups and sustainability, related coursework, professional, and extracurricular experiences for foundational knowledge. We are looking for students who are enthusiastic about supporting startups working on climate and environmental issues.

If I don’t get a spot, can I resubmit my consent application for subsequent quarters?

Yes, please do. We have many applicants for limited spots, and priority will go to 3Ls and those with demonstrated interest. Applying two or even three times prior to admission is not uncommon.

Can I take the course twice?

No. There is no material difference in the class each quarter; though the lectures will be slightly different and the clients will be different, the work you do will be similar. In the future, we may offer an advanced course.

Can LLMs apply?

Yes, though space is limited. We are considering offering an LLM-only section in the spring.

Will I be working on a team?

You will likely be paired with a classmate to work on client strategy and deliverables.

If your question has not been answered here, please feel free to email the instructors Sam McClure (sam.mcclure@stanford.edu) and Molly Loughney Melius (loughney@stanford.edu).