Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic Director Jim Niemann, ’93, was recently presented a University of Missouri System President’s Award for Economic Development. The award, given to only 10 faculty in 2017 to recognize contributions to the economic development of the state of Missouri, was presented to Professor Niemann during a law school faculty meeting.

Professor Niemann joined the law school in 2015 to direct the Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic, the first transactional law clinic at MU, which was designed to provide simple legal advice to small and start-up businesses.

“The scale of Jim’s involvement in the entrepreneurial fabric of Missouri is truly marvelous,” wrote nominator Gary Myers, Earl F. Nelson Professor of Law. “His clinic has already advised 70 business ventures, helped train 24 law students through the ELC course and through research assistantships, and provided valuable collaboration with those in the economic development sphere —whether at the MU campus, at the System level, in the transactional business law world, or in the broader community.”

Clinic clients include entrepreneurs at the Missouri Innovation Center, minority and women-owned businesses, MU faculty and staff members, alumni, veterans and students, among others. In two short years, Professor Niemann has established the School of Law as an economic development resource for the campus and local community and has provided unmatched opportunities for entrepreneurs and his students.

The UM System President’s Awards are presented annually to faculty members across the four campuses of the UM System who have made exceptional contributions in advancing the mission of the university. Professor Niemann will be formally recognized by UM System President Mun Choi during an awards celebration to be held in June.