Cooperation Law for a Sharing Economy

[marmar]

from YES! Magazine:



Cooperation Law for a Sharing Economy
A new sharing economy is emerging—but how does it fit within our legal system? Time for a whole new field of cooperation law.

by Janelle Orsi
posted Sep 23, 2010


What do you call a lawyer who helps people share, cooperate, barter, foster local economies, and build sustainable communities?

That sounds like the beginning of a lawyer joke, but actually, it’s the beginning of new field of law practice. Very soon, every community will need a specialist in this yet-to-be-named area: Community transactional law? Sustainable economies law? Cooperation law?

Personally, I tend to call it sharing law. We need sharing lawyers to help people like Lynne:

* Lynne lives in an urban cohousing community and shares ownership of a car with two neighbors. Every day, she fluidly shares, borrows, and lends (rather than owns) many household goods, tools, electronics, and other items.

* She is a member of a cooperative grocery, through which she receives significant discounts in exchange for putting in a few monthly work hours. She grows vegetables on an empty lot and sometimes sells the veggies to neighbors.

* She has a successful rooftop landscaping business, which she launched using 20 microloans and investments from friends and family. She often barters, doing odd jobs in exchange for goods and services.

* She also owns a 5 percent share of a hot springs retreat center outside of town, which she acquired through sweat equity.

With the help of sharing, cooperation, and collaboration, Lynne has managed to craft an affordable, comfortable lifestyle, put her skills to use, do varied and self-directed work, and live/work in a supportive community. She has “financed” property ownership and launched a thriving business off of the traditional financial and banking grid. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/cooperation-law-for-a-sharing-economy

[FraDon]

1. Co-ops • For Service, Not For Profit • … think about it …

Remember them? Anybody? Bueller?

The Third Way. Not predatory Capitalism. Not confiscatory Socialism.

Remember? Anybody?

Where, oh where, are the leaders of the Co-op Movement?

Here we have a proven alternative for a democratic economy, for The Common Good.

☞ 40 years ago, I attended a gathering of co-op managers. The keynoter said, "It's a tragic fact about co-operatives, that they thrive when people are desperate".

Well, neighbors, tens of millions are desperate, and a hundred million more are on the way.

As a pacifist, and citizen with no interest in The Rapture and the bring-it-on sooner-the-better crowd, I am heartsick for us to find/build a non-violent alternative to the present & coming mayhem.

Co-ops • For Service, Not For Profit • … think about it …
.

[northoftheborder]

2. Thanks for link to this magazine. I'm taking a trial sub.