Urban Lawyers has partnered with Clifford Chance and HMP Pentonville to run business / commercial law workshops within the prison. These workshops support existing students of the in-prison business course and give them the confidence to establish their companies within a legal framework. This hands-on learning experience helps these individuals transition from prison life to entrepreneurial pursuits with greater ease.

By learning new skills and acquiring knowledge, inmates can experience a sense of achievement and accomplishment, which can be a positive reinforcement for good behaviour. Many ex-offenders struggle to find suitable employment following release from prison. This can lead to a cycle of reoffending, as individuals become trapped in a system that offers few opportunities for advancement or financial stability. At Urban Lawyers, we believe that entrepreneurship is one way to break this cycle, by providing ex-offenders with the knowledge and skills they need to start their own businesses and become financially independent.

Our goal is to provide ex-offenders with the tools they need to become successful entrepreneurs, whilst also reducing the likelihood of them becoming involved in illegal activities and ultimately reducing recidivism rates.

The project consists of four sessions covering the following topics: Commercial law and setting up your business; protecting your interests; product liability; and a case study. The sessions are delivered by lawyers with experience in business and commercial law and will be supported by Clifford Chance. We also plan to bring in guest speakers to talk about their experiences as entrepreneurs, and to provide additional inspiration and guidance to our students.