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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Fashion Legal Clinic

Fashion Law Institute ltd/gte (
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
)
#SDGAction56421
Description
Description

The Fashion Legal Clinic is an initiative dedicated to providing free legal assistance to designers, creatives, and professionals within the fashion industry. Its primary objective is to empower fashion entrepreneurs by offering tailored legal support on key issues such as intellectual property protection, contracts, licensing, and other industry-specific legal concerns. The Clinic ensures that individuals and businesses operating in the fashion industry are equipped with the necessary legal knowledge and resources to safeguard their innovations, protect their brands, and operate within ethical and legal frameworks. This initiative also promotes sustainability by helping fashion businesses navigate the complexities of responsible production and consumption practices.

Implementation of the Project/Activity

The initiative is carried out through a combination of in-person and virtual consultations. Fashion professionals seeking legal advice can sign up online or in person for scheduled sessions. During these consultations, attorneys provide personalized legal guidance based on the specific needs of the designer or business. Key topics covered include intellectual property (IP) protection, contracts, licensing, and navigating the legal landscape of the fashion industry. Workshops and informational sessions are also held periodically to educate a broader audience on emerging legal issues in the fashion world. Additionally, the Clinic leverages partnerships with local law firms, legal experts, and academic institutions to ensure broad access to resources. It uses a streamlined appointment system for consultations, and post-consultation, clients are provided with resources and follow-up steps to address their legal concerns.

Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer

To ensure capacity-building, the Fashion Legal Clinic partners with academic institutions and legal training centers to facilitate workshops and professional development programs for both emerging and established fashion professionals. The Clinic also seeks to build the capacity of legal practitioners interested in specializing in fashion law through continuing education and mentorship opportunities. Technology transfer is incorporated through an online platform that enables virtual consultations, resource sharing, and e-learning modules that cover various legal topics relevant to the fashion industry. This ensures that individuals from diverse geographical locations can access the services and learning opportunities offered by the Clinic, contributing to the overall capacity-building of the fashion industry.

Coordination mechanisms

The Fashion Legal Clinic is governed by a team of experienced legal professionals, including specialized attorneys in fashion law, intellectual property, and business law. The leadership team coordinates legal consultation schedules, manages client intake, and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Clinic. This governance structure ensures accountability and efficient service delivery, with legal experts offering their services on a volunteer or pro-bono basis. The Clinic holds consultations on a regular, pre-scheduled basis, typically on the second Friday of each month, and is overseen by a management board within the Fashion Law Institute.

Evaluation

The impact of the Fashion Legal Clinic is evaluated through regular feedback from clients who have received legal services, as well as follow-up surveys that assess whether the legal advice provided resulted in tangible business improvements. Metrics for success include the number of legal consultations provided, the percentage of cases resolved successfully, and the extent to which fashion businesses report feeling more confident in navigating legal challenges. Periodic reports and data collection will be used to assess the effectiveness of the Clinic’s services and identify areas for improvement.

Partners

Cardinal Counsel

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Goal 9

9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
9.1.1

Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

9.1.2

Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

9.2

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.2.1

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

9.2.2

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

9.3

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
9.3.1

Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

9.3.2

Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.4.1

CO2 emission per unit of value added

9.5

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
9.5.1

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

9.5.2

Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

9.a

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
9.a.1

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

9.b

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
9.b.1

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

9.c

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

9.c.1

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 16

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Goal 16

16.1

Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere

16.1.1
Number of victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population, by sex and age
16.1.2
Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population, by sex, age and cause
16.1.3

Proportion of population subjected to (a) physical violence, (b) psychological violence and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months

16.1.4

Proportion of population that feel safe walking alone around the area they live after dark

16.2

End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children

16.2.1

Proportion of children aged 1–17 years who experienced any physical punishment and/or psychological aggression by caregivers in the past month

16.2.2
Number of victims of human trafficking per 100,000 population, by sex, age and form of exploitation
16.2.3

Proportion of young women and men aged 18–29 years who experienced sexual violence by age 18

16.3

Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all

16.3.1

Proportion of victims of (a) physical, (b) psychological and/or (c) sexual violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized conflict resolution mechanisms

16.3.2
Unsentenced detainees as a proportion of overall prison population
16.3.3

Proportion of the population who have experienced a dispute in the past two years and who accessed a formal or informal dispute resolution mechanism, by type of mechanism

16.4

By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime

16.4.1
Total value of inward and outward illicit financial flows (in current United States dollars)
16.4.2
Proportion of seized, found or surrendered arms whose illicit origin or context has been traced or established by a competent authority in line with international instruments

16.5

Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms

16.5.1
Proportion of persons who had at least one contact with a public official and who paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials, during the previous 12 months
16.5.2
Proportion of businesses that had at least one contact with a public official and that paid a bribe to a public official, or were asked for a bribe by those public officials during the previous 12 months

16.6

Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

16.6.1
Primary government expenditures as a proportion of original approved budget, by sector (or by budget codes or similar)
16.6.2

Proportion of population satisfied with their last experience of public services

16.7

Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels

16.7.1

Proportions of positions in national and local institutions, including (a) the legislatures; (b) the public service; and (c) the judiciary, compared to national distributions, by sex, age, persons with disabilities and population groups

16.7.2
Proportion of population who believe decision-making is inclusive and responsive, by sex, age, disability and population group

16.8

Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance

16.8.1

Proportion of members and voting rights of developing countries in international organizations

16.9

By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration

16.9.1
Proportion of children under 5 years of age whose births have been registered with a civil authority, by age

16.10

Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements

16.10.1
Number of verified cases of killing, kidnapping, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture of journalists, associated media personnel, trade unionists and human rights advocates in the previous 12 months
16.10.2
Number of countries that adopt and implement constitutional, statutory and/or policy guarantees for public access to information

16.a

Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime

16.a.1
Existence of independent national human rights institutions in compliance with the Paris Principles

16.b

Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development

16.b.1
Proportion of population reporting having personally felt discriminated against or harassed in the previous 12 months on the basis of a ground of discrimination prohibited under international human rights law
Name Description
N/A
Staff / Technical expertise
A dedicated team of volunteer legal professionals and fashion industry experts will provide pro bono legal advice and consultation services.
Financing (in USD)
A budget of $5,000 annually is allocated to cover operational costs such as software for virtual consultations, administrative support, and the creation of educational materials, including legal toolkits and guides.
Staff / Technical expertise
Project coordinators and legal researchers will be responsible for organizing workshops, webinars, and follow-up support for fashion professionals. Their role includes overseeing the logistics of monthly consultations and ensuring timely delivery.
In-kind contribution
Partner law firms and legal technology companies will provide in-kind resources, including access to legal databases, software for document management, and tools for conducting virtual consultations, contributing to the smooth operation of the Clinic.
No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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Action Network
Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Network
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Timeline
13 September 2024 (start date)
11 September 2026 (date of completion)
Entity
N/A
SDGs
9 16
Region
  1. Africa
Geographical coverage
SURULERE, LAGOS, NIGERIA
Other beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of this initiative are designers, fashion entrepreneurs, and businesses that lack the resources to access legal advice. Specifically, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and independent fashion professionals will benefit from the legal expertise provided by the Clinic. By empowering these groups, the initiative contributes to the broader development of a sustainable and ethical fashion industry, ensuring that legal protections and industry standards are accessible to all players, regardless of their financial standing.

Countries
Nigeria
Nigeria
Contact Information

Bernice Asein, Director

Nigerianfashionlawinstitute@gmail.com