ABOUT US
Hi, we are the New Business Community Law Clinic
WHO WE ARE
The New Business Community Law Clinic is a non-profit organization based in the Central Valley, dedicated to supporting small businesses, workers' cooperatives, housing cooperatives, and nonprofit organizations in Fresno and the Central Valley. With a focus on immigrant entrepreneurs, our team of student attorneys and volunteers provides invaluable assistance to those who might otherwise lack access to legal resources.
Leveraging extensive expertise in corporate, commercial, and transactional law, we aim to empower our clients and foster equitable economic development within the community. Our commitment is to ensure that all entrepreneurs have the legal support they need to thrive and contribute to the region's growth.
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MISSION STATEMENT
Legal Support for Inclusive Growth
Our mission is to empower small businesses, nonprofits, and startups led by people of color, immigrants, and low-income individuals by providing accessible, high-quality legal services. We are dedicated to fostering equitable economic development and ensuring that our clients have the resources and support they need to thrive and positively impact their communities.
Meet the Team
At NBCLC, we are fortunate to have a dedicated and professional team that shares a passion for empowering small businesses. Committed to fostering economic growth and wealth-building, our team works tirelessly to provide free legal assistance and resources to entrepreneurs, ensuring they have the support they need to thrive and succeed.
William Kell
Director and
Supervising Attorney
William Kell is NBCLC's CEO and Board President. He has founded and directed two small business-focused clinical programs, one at Berkeley Law (operating from 2007 to 2024), and Cornell Law School (from 1998-2000). He has practiced law since 1987, and has advised new businesses for over 35 years. Professor Kell recently retired as a Lecturer in Residence at UC Berkeley Law teaching transactional law from 2001 to 2024. He lives in Oakland, CA and is licensed to practice in CA, NY, MA and IL.
Education
B.A., University of Michigan (1981)
J.D., Wayne State University (1987)
Mariana Acevedo Nuevo
Supervising Attorney -volunteer-
Cardozo School of Law
Mariana Acevedo Nuevo grew up in Mexico City and received her BA in Law from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico in Mexico City. After graduation she worked for the Federal Economic Competition Commission and later continued working in antitrust and regulation in a law firm in Mexico City. She moved to Berkeley to study her LL.M and after graduation started working in nonprofit organizations in the Bay Area focusing in housing areas. Mariana returned to Berkeley Law as Deputy Attorney for the Clinic in 2021.
Education
LL.M, UC Berkeley School of Law (2020) Master in Public Administration and Public Policy, Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas in Mexico City (2018)
LL.B., Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (2015), Mexico City
Clarissa Vivian Petrucci
Administrative Director
With over a decade of experience working with immigrant communities, Clarissa has dedicated her career to advancing migrant advocacy and economic development. Her commitment to serving the community earned her a Proclamation from the City of Fresno for her contributions to small business support and immigrant rights.
Clarissa has held leadership positions in government and nonprofit organizations, always focusing on economic empowerment and community development.
In 2024, she joined the New Business Community Legal Clinic (NBCLC) as Administrative Director, bringing her expertise in program management and advocacy to support entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Central Valley.
Her career has been driven by a steadfast commitment to equity and economic opportunity, continuously working to bridge gaps in access to legal and business resources for underserved communities.
Education
B.A International Affairs University Autonomus of Baja California.
Specilist: International Immigration Studies Colegio de la Frontera Norte.
Claudia Sanchez
Administrative Assistant
Claudia Sanchez is an administrative assistant at the New Business Community Law Clinic. For the past six years, she has been collaborating with various nonprofit organizations, contributing her skills and expertise to their missions. In addition to her role at the clinic, Claudia is an independent business consultant and an expert in entrepreneurship. Throughout her career, she has discovered a passion for helping others and connecting with the community, making a meaningful impact through her work.
Board Members
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act: Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance, while Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in such programs.
William Kell
Chairman/President
New Business Community Law Clinic
William Kell is NBCLC's CEO and Board President. He has founded and directed two small business-focused clinical programs, one at Berkeley Law (operating from 2007 to 2024), and Cornell Law School (from 1998-2000). He has practiced law since 1987, and has advised new businesses for over 35 years. Professor Kell recently retired as a Lecturer in Residence at UC Berkeley Law teaching transactional law from 2001 to 2024. He lives in Oakland, CA and is licensed to practice in CA, NY, MA and IL.
Education
B.A., University of Michigan (1981)
J.D., Wayne State University (1987)
Fernando Parra Ph.D
Treasurer
California State University, Fresno
Dr. Fernando Parra is an Assistant Professor of Accountancy at Fresno State, holding a Ph.D. in International Business with a specialization in Information Systems and Accounting from The University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Parra has extensive experience as a private practitioner, providing enterprise and accounting software solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. He has published and presented research on accounting topics, teaching strategies, enterprise systems, and other international phenomena in various forums. He is committed to the economic development of the Central Valley through experiential learning applications with students and our small business entrepreneurs. He is the recipient of the Craig School of Business Faculty Service Award (2023), and the Provost’s Award for Faculty Service (2024) in connection with his community development activities .
Kevin Xu
Secretary
GitHub
Kevin Xu is a software engineer at GitHub working at the intersection of technology, law, and policy. Previously, Kevin was a supervising attorney at the New Business Community Law Clinic, where he helped the clinic expand its service area to the Central Valley.
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Calvin Morril
Board Member
University of California, Berkeley
Calvin Morrill is a law and sociology professor based in Berkeley, California, USA. His research focuses on how people make sense of and mobilize their rights in organizational and economic contexts. He earned his PhD in Sociology from Harvard University, and his research has received awards from multiple scholarly associations, including the American Sociological Association, Academy of Management, the Society for the Study of Social Problems, and the Pacific Sociological Association. He also received the Stan Wheeler Mentorship Award from the Law & Society Association. He is particularly known for his ethnographic research on law and organizations.
Outside of work, Cal enjoys spending time with his family, music, and sports. He sits on the advisory boards of multiple law and society research centers in the United States, Asia, and South America, is an elected member of the honor society, Sociological Research Association, and is a member of the Law & Society Association, American Sociological Association, and American Anthropological Association.
Stefan A. Riesenfeld Distinguished Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology
School of Law, University of California, Berkeley.
Anne Harrison
Board Member
Harrison De la Cruz Law Office
Anne Harrison is the founder and owner of Harrison De la Cruz Law Office, where she specializes in immigration and citizenship law. With over two decades of experience, Anne provides expert legal services in areas such as business visas, family-based and employment-based permanent residence, waivers of ineligibility, naturalization, expatriation, and strategic immigration planning for businesses and investors. She also offers guidance on immigration compliance and audits for employers.
Anne earned her Juris Doctor (JD) and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International and Comparative Law from Duke University School of Law, where she served as Chair of the Frontiers of Legal Thought, Editor of the Duke Journal of Gender Law & Policy, and a Volunteer Clerk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative and French Literature from Brown University.
Arohi Kashyap
Board Member
Kashyap Partners & Associates LLP
Arohi is an international attorney practicing in California and India, with expertise in startup law, transactional law, healthcare law, technology law, data privacy, and AI regulation. She holds an LL.M. from UC Berkeley and an LL.B. from Northcap University.
Her practice focuses on advising tech- and healthcare-driven startups on cross-border transactions, regulatory compliance, IP, data privacy (including HIPAA), and business structuring. Arohi is known for delivering pragmatic legal solutions that support innovation while managing risk.
She is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution, serving as both an arbitrator and commercial mediator, and is affiliated with CIArb and the Indian Institute of Arbitration and Mediation.