Maslon Launches New Sustainable Business Practice and Sponsors Innovative "Structure Lab" to Prepare Social Entrepreneurs for the Future
Maslon is pleased to announce a new Sustainable Business Practice. The practice is comprised of business lawyers with a deep understanding of the distinct needs and concerns of social enterprise clients—businessess that choose to do well by doing good. From raising capital and understanding tax implications, to governance issues and exit strategies, Maslon's new practice will leverage broad experience to serve, support and protect the unique mission and values of its social enterprise clients.
"As attorneys practicing in the sustainable business area, we are driven by the opportunity to not only help our social enterprise clients succeed, but to support those interested in growing such ventures by serving as the exclusive Midwestern host of Criterion Venture's innovative Structure Lab workshop." said Terri Krivosha, head of Maslon's Business & Securities Practice Group.
Criterion Ventures (www.CriterionVentures.com) is among the nation's leaders in launching social enterprises. With generous support from the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, Criterion designed Structure Lab, an interactive, hands on exploration for entrepreneurs and established organizations alike of the range of legal structures already available for a newly forming or growing ventures that prepares participants to take the next steps in understanding and establishing their optimal legal structure. Maslon's sponsorship brings Criterion Ventures' considerable expertise to the Minneapolis area's social venture sector, with the first workshop scheduled for November 12, 2009.
"We are thrilled to partner with Maslon in this new discipline of alternative legal structure" said Joy Anderson, founder and president of Criterion Ventures. "Every venture poses a different mix, from the raising of capital, to the desired financial returns, to governance, relationships with existing entities, exit strategies, and tax implications. As with many things in life, inattention at the start can lead to unintended consequences down the line. We look forward to working with Midwestern entrepreneurs to weave protections through legal structure and ensure their mission survives."
Criterion Ventures identifies, examines and solves social problems on a large scale by launching social ventures - either for clients, or as entrepreneurs. Criterion works across discipline and sector with large nonprofits, faith-based institutions, foundations and individuals to develop sustainable, business driven solutions in areas like impact investing, healthcare, education, energy and the environment, poverty and more. Criterion brings to this work a wealth of connections, the methodology and savvy to navigate complexity, and a commitment to creating social impact. To learn more: www.criterionventures.com. To learn more about Criterion Ventures Structure Lab, please visit Criterion Ventures: Structure Lab.
Structure Lab is an educational program intended to teach participants how to think about how legal structures can be used to further their mission. It does not provide direct legal advice.
