University of Michigan Law School launches entrepreneurial law program

By Kellie Woodhouse Higher education reporter

Posted on Fri, Sep 9, 2011 : 12:16 p.m.

A $5 million donation from University of Michigan Alumnus and Chicago Investor Sam Zell is being used by the University of Michigan Law School to launch an entrepreneurial law program, one of only three in the nation, according to a report from The National Law Journal.

The Zell Entrepreneurship and Law Program — or ZEAL — will assist student entrepreneurs and will include law courses deigned to teach students how to represent start-up companies and become entrepreneurs, the Journal reported.

"We are preparing our students with a specialized skill set that will enable them to serve the small business community through entrepreneurial start-ups," Law School Dean Evan Caminker told the Journal. "At the same time, we can encourage up-and-coming entrepreneurs by helping them get started and grow."

Zell has supported his alma mater before. In 1999, he co-founded the Samuel Zell and Robert H. Laurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at Michigan's Ross School of Business, a program that gives money to student start-up companies.

Read the report here.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602.

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