Albany Law School’s Community Economic Development Clinic (CEDC) marked a major milestone in its community outreach efforts, celebrating the success of its ongoing partnership with Elevate Every Business, Inc. (EEB). Together, the organizations co-host the Madie Maude Project, a training program designed to promote economic development through entrepreneurship.

The most recent cohort concluded with the start of 2026 and proved to be the program’s most successful to date. A majority of participants successfully launched or expanded their business ventures, an example of the program’s impact on aspiring entrepreneurs in the Capital Region.

A key component of this success was the “Incorporation Station,” a rapid-fire legal workshop hosted at Albany Law’s Edward P. Swyer Justice Center. The event brought together five students from the CEDC’s Fall Seminar, working under the supervision of Senior Staff Attorney Todd Arena and Associate Staff Attorney Sophia Joffe.

During the workshop, students staffed four workstations operating in tandem to provide hands-on legal assistance. Participants received direct support in forming their businesses, including e-filing Certificates of Incorporation with the New York State Department of State, obtaining Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) from the IRS, adopting corporate bylaws, and documenting initial capital investments.

“We couldn’t be more proud to host the Incorporation Station inside the Swyer Justice Center,” said Arena. “It’s always magical to open our doors and pair community members directly with our talented and dedicated student-lawyers.”

With EEB providing business coaching—bundled with other critical supports, such as health advocacy, sector-specific consulting, and public and private benefits planning—participants in the workshop chose to form closely-held C-corporations. While limited liability companies (LLCs) are often more common among small businesses, C-corporations can offer distinct advantages for community-based and necessity entrepreneurs when implemented with appropriate guidance.

These advantages include clearer separation of personal and business assets, the ability for owners to pay themselves W-2 wages while contributing to state benefit systems, and expanded access to tax-advantaged planning options. Though more complex to establish, C-corporations can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs navigating financial, legal, and social barriers.

“Our program does not merely teach those basic aspects of successful entrepreneurship that you can get anywhere. We took a look at our target audience and their specific needs and barriers and look to address those issues.  We do this by supporting and fulfilling both the tangible and intangible needs. By actually bringing participants into the Justice Center and introducing them and building relationships, we did not just provide legal information, we helped them to build relationships and gain knowledge to be able to move in their businesses in the future, to inform their critical thinking about their legal needs in the future,” said Deborah Williams, founder of EEB.

Williams emphasized that most the participants – even those who have worked with attorneys – were not aware of how to fully utilize them. By the end of the program, participants not only felt comfortable navigating the legal relationships and understanding them; they also left with a realistic view of how attorneys fit into the ethos of a successful business.

“That’s a big win,” she said. “It makes business owners less susceptible to poor advice and better prepared for long-term success.”

In total, CEDC students assisted in the formation of nine new business enterprises spanning industries such as health and wellness, fashion and design, and performing arts production.

The collective success was celebrated at a “Corporate Birth Day Celebration” honoring the entrepreneurs and their newly formed businesses. The event brought together participants, student volunteers, and staff, as well as community leaders including Albany Common Council President (then-President Pro Tempore) Kelly Kimbrough.

“The human side of business is all too easily forgotten,” Arena said. “It’s so important that we take the time to celebrate milestones in a warm, community environment.”