The IJ Clinic is delighted to work with Chicago entrepreneurs looking to transform their companies and communities. The attorneys and UChicago law students of the IJ Clinic are proud to guide and support our clients as they achieve amazing results. Our current client list features businesses across various industries.
If you’re inspired by the work our clients do and believe you would benefit from our services, learn more about how to become a client here!
Current Clients
Kuleta Inc.
Manda Bwerevu
Cross-border e-commerce
Kuleta is a cross-border e-commerce business that connects women vendors in Kenya to U.S. consumers seeking authentic, ethically sourced African goods. Founded by Manda Bwerevu, the business serves two market niches: women entrepreneurs in Kenya’s informal economy who lack access to reliable international markets, and U.S.-based African diaspora and values-driven consumers who currently rely on informal, inconsistent channels to purchase goods from home. Kuleta provides digital storefronts, payment processing, and logistics coordination to replace these fragmented systems with a compliant, scalable marketplace. The IJ Clinic is counseling Kuleta with international transactions including agreements and importing.
Teas for Tots LLC
Kristin Rhodes
Intentional Tea Products for Children
Teas for Tots is a wellness brand creating intentional tea products and sensory-driven experiences for families, professionals, and community spaces. Inspired by her children, Kristin sensed the need for healthier drinking options. Teas for Tots products are used for corporate wellness activations, airport-friendly retail, farmers markets, pop-ups, and hotel/restaurant partnerships.
Both brands are rooted in community care, routine-building, and accessible wellness. We create intentional products, educational content, and immersive tea experiences that meet people where they are—in homes, workplaces, schools, and high-traffic public spaces. The IJ Clinic is counseling Teas for Tots on labeling and brand protection.
Wellayhimmek LLC (Nabala Café)
Eyad Zeid
Palestinian Café and Community Hub
Nabala Cafe is a third space, community hub, and Palestinian coffee shop built around food, culture, and connection founded by Eyad Zeid. While Nabala Café serves specialty coffee and Arab-inspired dishes, Zeid’s deeper purpose for the café is to offer a welcoming home for activists, organizers, creatives, and neighbors. The IJ Clinic is counseling Nabala Café on structuring its relationships with staff and customers so that it can continue growing as a sustainable community hub.
TrnscndWellness LLC
Nicole Sain
Sensory Friendly Fluoride Free Toothpaste
TrnscndWellness LLC is a health and wellness company best known for its’ oral sensitive and sensory friendly fluoride free toothpaste, Talk Natural Whitening Toothpaste with Hydroxyapatite. Founder, Nicole Sain aims to target those that are interested in a clean vegan, fluoride-free toothpaste option that is also gentle on our teeth and gums.
Talk toothpaste was born out of Nicole’s desire for a gentle natural toothpaste that offered premium gum health benefits —especially after trying non-nicotine products during the pandemic due to stress. When she couldn’t find a fluoride-free toothpaste that left no grittiness, reduced sensitivity, no bad after taste, and was gentle for her autistic daughter to use so she created one herself. The IJ Clinic is assisting TrnscndWellness LLC with distribution and supplier agreements.
Tatis Floral LLC and Tatiana Williams
Tatiana Williams
Black Female Owned Floral Business
Tatis Floral is a Chicago-based, Black woman–owned floral design business rooted on the South Side. Founded by Tatiana Williams, Tatis Floral provides custom florals for everyday moments, life milestones, and community events, including bouquets, sympathy florals, pop-ups, subscriptions, and experiential floral activations. Their niche serves individuals, families, churches, schools, nonprofits, and small businesses seeking high-quality florals with cultural relevance, affordability, and purpose. In addition to traditional floral services, Tatis Floral operates as a community-centered brand that reinvests into neighborhood beautification, youth engagement, and local economic development.
Contemporary Farmer, Inc.
Davíd Toledo
Urban Regenerative Gardening
Davíd is the Founder and Farmer-In-Chief of Contemporary Farmer, Inc. CFI grows seedlings, manages home gardens, brews compost tea, presents workshops, and runs the educational garden at a number of schools ranging from grade school to high school. CFI also aims to spread awareness of regenerative agriculture practices to farmers, gardeners and home-growers of all ages, scales, and skill-levels. To support Davíd’s growing business, the IJ Clinic team is providing guidance on contract drafting and creating lasting relationships with educational and community partners.
Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, Incorporated
Aisha Murff
Louisiana Southern Flavor
Aisha is the owner of Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, a family run business with multiple South Side locations. Haire’s started out in a caboose 20 years ago and currently has brick & mortar restaurants in Greater Grand Crossing and the South Loop, and a food truck. Before inheriting Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, Aisha worked in Public Relations and represented clients such as Romane Fragrances, Ebony Magazine, Essence Festival, Illusions Cosmetics, BET Network, National Basketball Association, Bravo Network, and many more. The IJ Clinic is currently working with Aisha and Haire’s Gulf Shrimp to strengthen the family business as it expands and to protect the business’s intellectual property.
Beverage Art II, LLC (assumed name Wild Blossom Meadery)
Greg Fischer
Meadery and Winery
For more than two decades, Greg Fischer has been creating wine and mead using locally produced ingredients. Along the way, he had a vision for an old, vacant industrial building near a forest preserve and bike path on the Far South Side of Chicago. A couple years later, after jumping through many hoops including environmental remediation, building permits, and zoning changes, he transformed the space into a sunlit, elegant tasting room, patio, and production facility — the first winery in Chicago and meadery in Illinois.
We are counseling Wild Blossom with contracts, agreements, and zoning processes as Greg continues to expand the business and create new mead products.
Southside Food Co-op, Inc. (SSFC)
Rev. Bernadine Harvin
Convenient Upscale Grocery Store in a Food Desert
The Southside Food Co-op, Inc. (SSFC) was formed in 2020 to provide a comprehensive, sustainable, community-based solution addressing food insecurity in an area designated as a food desert by the USDA. Underserved residents of Chicago’s South Side have had limited access to fresh, good quality, affordable foods, thus forcing many residents to travel to distant grocery stores in order to gain access to fresh food. To counter this systemic inequity, Rev. Bernadine is striving to make SSFC provide fresh, healthy, and nutritious food to Southside communities in need at the most affordable prices. The IJ Clinic is working alongside Rev. Bernadine to launch the SSFC store.
The Record Track, LLC
Clifton Muhammad and Connie Lynn Anderson
Vinyl Records and Music Experiences
Cliff inherited The Record Track which sells new and used tapes, CDs, DVDs, VHS and vinyl LPs of music of all genres. Cliff and Connie won Second Place in 2022 South Side Pitch, took home the community favorite award and an award from the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business . They are committed to rebuilding their block on the South Side of Chicago by bringing live music experiences to the community with innovative interactive technology. They also are seeking opportunities to develop neighboring vacant properties adjacent to their business. The IJ Clinic is providing wrap around legal counsel in making these dreams come to life; advising on business structures, permits, leasing, employment and grant fulfillment procedures.
Piel Bella by Jazz LLC
Jazmin Curiel
Sustainable, Natural, and Plant-Based Body Care
Piel Bella by Jazz is a clean, plant-based, sustainable & eco-conscious skin + hair care small business based in Chicago. Jazmin started Piel Bella out of her love for food systems, urban farms & skin care. She created Piel Bella by Jazz with the intention to provide small batch, functional, multipurpose, minimal-waste, plant-based, experimental, unique & ethically made all-inclusive body care formulas that uplift our communities & help restore our planet while they nurture the body & soul.
Piel Bella by Jazz is a circular economy that practices sustainable ways to reduce its footprint impact by partnering up with local urban farmers & other Chicago based businesses to source as many local ingredients as possible. Jazmin upcycles ingredients & focuses on using & reusing; recyclable, compostable, refillable & returnable packaging in all of Piel Bella’s formulas.
The IJ Clinic counsels Piel Bella by Jazz primarily on intellectual property and brand protection.
RG Tree L.L.C.
Ruben Garcia
Better Tree Services in South Side Chicago
RG TREE is a family-owned business run by a father-and-son duo—both named Ruben—who blend their complementary expertise to deliver exceptional tree care. Launched in 2021, the company grew out of Ruben Jr.’s decision to put his USC business degree to immediate, real-world use. Recognizing Ruben Sr.’s 25-plus years in the industry, he saw the perfect opportunity to build a company together. From 2021 to 2023, they tackled weekend projects while refining their operations and purchased necessary equipment. When both took the leap full-time in June 2024, RG TREE quickly earned a reputation for affordable, high-quality service across Chicago’s South Side and neighboring suburbs. Today, the team is committed to showcasing—and safeguarding—the full benefits that healthy, well-maintained trees bring to the community. The IJ Clinic is assisting RG Tree Management as it 1. navigates local requirements in the city and suburbs and 2. designs thoughtful packages to serve customers and the local treescape.
Former Clients
YJLacour, LLC
Yohance Joseph Lacour
Designer Leather Goods
Yohance is a leather goods and shoe designer based on the South Side of Chicago. He seeks to design a line of sneakers that blends the luxurious nature of world-renowned fashion houses with the inner-city street flair that characterized rap music’s humble beginnings. As YJL’s fanbase grows, the IJ Clinic counsels the brand on intellectual property protection, manufacturing, importing, and much more.
Boxville
Urban Juncture Foundation
Bronzeville Marketplace
Located in a neighborhood that was once Chicago’s black metropolis, Boxville is a marketplace of local entrepreneurs with innovative businesses operating and selling from repurposed shipping containers while being supported by the Bronzeville Incubator program. There are multiple regulatory and licensing-related challenges to running businesses out of unconventional spaces. We helped Boxville identify licensing paths that best suit this unique business model. The IJ Clinic also consulted Boxville on its vendor and contractor agreements which are vital to its operations.
GiGi Tonye Arts and Fitness
Garley Briggs
Revolutionary mobile dance + fitness studio
With Tonye’ Arts & Fitness, Garley Briggs blends dance, movement, and mindfulness in a wellness brand as creative as she is. Garley has built a multi-faceted business, with studio locations bringing fitness opportunities to South Side communities, programs on site at nonprofits and businesses, and partnerships with after-school programs, just to name a few. As an experienced dancer, Garley is nothing if not flexible! Garley was referred to us by a community partner, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The IJ Clinic supported her vision to expands her offerings, employee relationships, and locations—while protecting her business in the process and monitoring how the law changes over time.
IceBoxx, LLC
Jacqueline Foreman
Gourmet Treats Made with Love
Jacqueline is the founder and heart behind IceBoxx, LLC, a Chicago-based dessert company known for crafting the best frozen treats and baked desserts with a personal touch.
What started as a late night craving, quickly grew into a full-blown passion project—one rooted in love, flavor, and a commitment to doing things the right way. From homemade freeze pops, a growing line of gourmet cookies, handcrafted ice creams, and fresh lemonades, Jacqueline’s dedication to using real, quality ingredients has remained the same. Every product is made in small batches to ensure that each bite tastes just like the last—delicious, comforting, and full of care.
Jacqueline’s vision for IceBoxx goes beyond the freezer—it’s about building a brand that celebrates authenticity, creativity, and the joy that comes from something made with love. With cookies shipping nationwide and local offerings expanding, the IJ Clinic assisted IceBoxx on regulatory compliance, agreements and contracts so Iceboxx can become a a favorite brand for families, foodies, and dessert lovers everywhere.
The Flavour Unit Corporation
Javon Nicholas
Comfort Food, Reimagined
The Flavour Unit Corporation is the parent company of Egg Rolls Etc. and Legacy Kitchen Solutions, which offers coaching and consulting for small food businesses.
Egg Rolls Etc. specializes in a frozen product line featuring comfort-filled egg rolls, potstickers, and rangoon. Its products are available through various B2B and B2C wholesale platforms, including local grocery stores, catering companies, ghost kitchens, online retailers, and other large foodservice platforms. Additionally, it partners with non-profit organizations to conduct cooking demos, workshops, and sponsorships, teaching young people about self-love, cultural sensitivity, and entrepreneurship.
Javon leverages 23 years of expertise in food safety, food quality assurance, and food production to provide training, coaching, and experienced guidance within the food industry. The IJ Clinic worked with Javon and Egg Rolls Etc on corporate structuring and contracts to lay the foundation for serving even more customers across the country.
The Brand The Artist The Mogul Limited Liability Company
Stephanie Blakley
Business Consultancy Services
Stephanie intends to build businesses to create jobs and generational wealth for all. While at the IJ Clinic, she worked toward businesses that promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion based on her extensive experience as a business coach and licensed cosmetologist. The IJ Clinic team had the opportunity to help Stephanie analyze franchise law, tax preparer licensing, and organizational structures for a growing business owned by a family.
The Beauty Genie, LLC
Ebony Karim
Multi-Cultural Haircare Vending
After two decades of experience in the tech space and providing services to the federal government, Ebony Karim decided to start her entrepreneurial journey by innovating hair care distribution with tech. Thus, she founded The Beauty Genie with her cofounder Quintella Rodgers, hair stylist and salon owner, and her identical twin, Swanzetta Lewis. The Beauty Genie team aims to make black hair care products accessible to people in areas where such products are not available through vending machines. The IJ Clinic team worked alongside Ebony to help launch the business with scaling, including advising on contracts with vendors, business partners, stakeholders, and suppliers.
Legacy Barber College Inc.
Juan Rivera and Elizabeth Nachtwey
Barber College
In 2012, Juan Rivera was exonerated after 20 years of wrongful incarceration. He took every class he could while in prison, including all 1,500 hours of barber training that Illinois requires. When he got home, he decided to launch a barber college that would give others, including disadvantaged students and re-entering citizens, an affordable pathway to earn an honest, fulfilling living as barbers too.
Helping others build a future would be Juan’s legacy, and he named it Legacy Barber College. With Elizabeth at the helm, Legacy has made barber students’ dreams a reality. The IJ Clinic law students worked with Legacy and were proud to be part of the vision. We counseled Legacy through the many relationships and requirements that comprise this highly regulated business.
Hemp Heals Body Shop Inc.
Tiffany Joi
Personal Care Products
Tiffany, a classic kitchen entrepreneur, started Hemp Heals Body Shop Inc. when she experimented with products to help ease her mother’s pain. She first tested and developed a salve and now offers a variety of products that have minimal or no THC. Even though the products are derived from hemp, the complicated legal status of CBD makes this a fascinating business and client. The IJ Clinic team dived into questions about the regulation of these products and how Tiffany can build her brand and distribution online and on the ground.
Healthy Substance Kitchen, LLC
Patricia Gonzalez
Vegan Mexican Foods
Healthy Substance, founded by Patricia Gonzalez and Miguel Franco, is a revolutionary vegan Mexican food manufacturer and restaurant with a commitment to animal welfare, health, and sustainability. Born from a desire to create authentic vegan Mexican dishes for a family member in need, this culinary venture has garnered national recognition, including winning Fourth Place at the IJ Clinic’s 2022 South Side Pitch. In light of their plans to open more locations across the country and bring quality shelf-stable products to regions that don’t have access to nutritious vegan food, the IJ Clinic team guided Healthy Substance through the complexities of scaling their business, including leasing, manufacturing, labeling, and financing.