Founder/Principal Attorney of Trellis Legal, LLC and Pitt alum Marlene van Nelson '15. Photo courtesy of Marlene van Nelson.
I never saw myself as an entrepreneur, I always wanted to work for an environmental non-profit or policy office. But in law school, my dream changed when I saw a need for cost-effective, accessible, legal services for small businesses and farms. I saw that traditional legal services often have unpredictable hourly costs and may not have a good understanding of small business relationships. I was applying for legal jobs, but consistently finding that nothing fit my passion and I wanted to find a way to serve those needing legal help to start and grow. And, I wanted to innovate and disrupt how legal services are delivered.
Seeing an opportunity is the easy part, building a business is challenging. In law school I was learning the law, but I wasn’t learning how to run a business. That is when I found out about the Randall Family Big Idea Competition. This was the perfect opportunity to learn about pitching, marketing, and generating a business plan. The mentorship, advising, and experience I received from the Big Idea Center and the competition were invaluable to refining the business plan and determining the next steps to opening a practice. In January 2016, Trellis Legal, LLC was born.
Many of the skills I learned from the competition and the Big Idea Center continue to be applicable. The ability to pivot, listen to what customers are telling you, and make smart, informed, business decisions drive the business.
Trellis originally started with the idea of subscription based legal services, but clients often did not see the ongoing legal needs that would justify a recurring cost. So by listening to my clients, I pivoted, and just focused on transparent, accessible pricing. Trellis utilizes a pricing calculator, flat rates, and free resources and information to provide clients with legal services that meets them where they are. This model has resulted in a growing client base, a dedication to innovation, and new opportunities to expand the practice.
Now in my fifth year of business, the practice is largely referral based and I am constantly using the tools I learned through the Big Idea Center to drive my next steps. Excitingly, just this month I launched a brand-new product, the Trellis Template Library™. This is an innovative, new e-commerce component of Trellis Legal that allows for affordably priced, downloadable legal templates for basic business contracts. The templates have introductory paragraphs explaining the contract, and detailed comment boxes explaining each section and how to fill it out. Instead of balking at clients who can’t afford custom legal services, I found a way to recognize that not everyone is there yet and turn it into an opportunity. Plus, the contracts are drafted by a lawyer that the downloader can turn to as their business grows, not a faceless website. It’s all about creating more layers of legal accessibility. You can learn more and check out the Trellis Template Library™ here: www.trellispgh.com/templates. (And don’t worry, I plan to expand the number of templates offered over time!)
I’ve also just hired an associate attorney, Joseph Macklin, a fellow Pitt Law alum, to help expand services and meet the work demand. This allows me to focus on innovation while still making sure we are serving our clients’ needs.
In sum, the Big Idea Center helped give me the tools to develop, hone, and grow a business straight out of law school. And, every once in a while, I even get to work with clients that also come from the Big Idea Center! I highly recommend that any student looking to pursue an entrepreneurial path utilize the resources they have while in school. Nowhere else do you have access to the network, talent, and experience that you do while at school, and especially with the Big Idea Center.
If you want to learn more about Trellis Legal, LLC check out www.trellispgh.com, @Trellispgh on Instagram and www.facebook.com/TrellisPGH. And sign up for our newsletter and free legal resources list on our website!
Marlene graduated Cum Laude from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and holds a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources from Cornell University. She has helped many businesses across Pennsylvania navigate setting up their business entity, getting the contracts they need, and accounting for unique issues that affect their industry such as permitting, zoning, and liability considerations. She loves seeing her clients succeed.
Outside of the office, Marlene helps advance social entrepreneurship, is a member of the Pennsylvania Farmers Union, serves on the board of Lawrenceville United (her local community organization), is an active member of Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, and is an alternate member on the Allegheny County Health Department Food Safety Advisory Committee.
Marlene also enjoys hiking, cooking, rowing, and traveling with her wonderful husband. She has been named in the Incline's Who's Next: Law as one of 12 Pittsburghers under 40 shaping the legal community. Marlene is licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and admitted in United States District Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania.