SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Current and aspiring small business owners are getting a helping hand from a new local partnership. The group "Lawyers For Civil Rights" has teamed up with the Springfield City Library to host a "BizGrow Conference" Thursday afternoon. The event helped local entrepreneurs network with other business owners, as well as receive free legal advice and other resources. Organizers said the event will help small business owners avoid common pitfalls. Executive Director Ivan Espinosa-Madrigal told 22News, "There are many questions that entrepreneurs face, how am I supposed to classify employees? Should they be classified as independent contractors or otherwise? And more importantly, there are complex issues around taxes." This was the first time this BizGrowth event has been held in Springfield. Lawyers for Civil Rights hope to hold a similar event in the future. Local News Headlines American Red Cross and the Salvation Army need volunteers and donations to keep helping hurricane victims in Southeast Longmeadow dog inspires new Massachusetts law BizGrow conference offers free legal help to entrepreneurs O’Dell Center distributed 15,000 diapers to families in need WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.