Law School faculty spotlight: Prof. Nathaniel Hammons

Law

Law School faculty spotlight: Prof. Nathaniel Hammons

A decade ago, Nathan Hammons recognized a critical gap in the marketplace - entrepreneurs and small businesses who lack access to affordable legal services. As the founding director of Marquette University Law School's Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic, Hammons has cultivated a space where law students gain firsthand experience while providing pro bono legal services to underserved entrepreneurs. Since its inception in 2014, the clinic has delivered over 20,000 hours of free legal assistance to more than seven hundred clients - half of whom represent women- and minority-owned businesses - empowering local innovators and transforming the city's entrepreneurial landscape.

Hammons set out to form a space where students could learn and practice while supporting Milwaukee's entrepreneurs.

"I started as an adjunct professor at the law school where I taught a couple courses. Then I came on full time in fall of 2014 for purposes of launching the Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic," said Hammons.

The Law and Entrepreneurship Clinic is an in-house clinical program that provides pro bono legal services to businesses and entrepreneurs in southeastern Wisconsin. It focuses on clients who lack access to the traditional legal marketplace.

"I really wanted to adopt best practices to help both our law students who are receiving training in the clinic and also to make sure that we would provide great services to our entrepreneurial clients," Hammons said.

"Milwaukee is full of initiative-taking, bright, and passionate entrepreneurs who want to bring their ideas to the marketplace. It makes me optimistic for the future of the city," said Hammons.

For students, the clinic offers a unique opportunity to step out of the classroom and into the real world of legal practice. Under faculty supervision, students assist clients with issues such as business formation, intellectual property, contract drafting, and compliance with state and federal regulations.

"It's invaluable for students to gain direct experience while still in law school. They graduate not only with a stronger understanding of business law but also with the confidence that comes from having already worked directly with clients," Hammons said.

He emphasized his gratitude for the support of the law school and numerous community partners, including nonprofits, small business development centers and universities, including Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"We are part of what is often called the 'entrepreneurial ecosystem.' We have wonderful partners who support our work - we send clients to them, and they send clients to us. Their collaboration has been invaluable," Hammons said.

The Wyoming native, who found himself in the academic arena after working in Chicago as a litigator for Sidley Austin LLP and then as in-house counsel for DePaul University, has also taught courses in business associations, business planning and contract drafting.

Some advice that Hammons would like to give students is to take initiative and remember that the law is a helping profession.

"Always remember we are in a service industry and the better that you know your client and your client's values and goals, the better of an attorney you'll be," Hammons said.

Hammons earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Boston University School of Law, a master's degree in philosophy from Boston University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and a Bachelor of Science in zoology, with honors, from the University of Wyoming.

Although he doesn't view himself as a traditional academic, Hammons is deeply committed to Milwaukee's educational ecosystem. In addition to his work at Marquette, he serves as the treasurer and governance officer for Shorewood's School Board, a role he will hold until April 2026.

"I'm passionate about education - not just for law students, but for K-12 as well. I've seen firsthand the profound impact that great educators can have on children's lives. Being involved ensures that my kids and others in the community have access to the best possible education," Hammons shared.

With two children attending Shorewood schools, Hammons finds balance outside his professional commitments by enjoying seasonal activities with his family - skiing in the winter and boating in the summer.

Related Articles