OUR EXPERIENCE
We serve nonprofits of all types and sizes, offering creative legal advice grounded in over 20 years of specialized experience in nonprofit law.
In addition to serving a wide variety of nonprofit organizations, our clients also include donors making significant or complex gifts, businesses forming foundations for cause-marketing campaigns, and nonprofit founders considering the best philanthropic vehicle to meet their needs.
NEW PRACTICE AREA
Employment Law for Nonprofits
Our newest team member, Jennifer Ward, Esq., SPHR, SHRM-SCP, brings over 15 years of experience with a strong focus on nonprofit and employment law. We can now assist you with:
- Employment Agreements, Employee Handbooks and Workplace Policies
- Compliance with federal and state employment laws, including paid sick leave, wage and hour, and discrimination laws
- Governmental agency investigations
- Executive compensation
- Employee performance and management issues
PRACTICE AREAS
Specifically, our team of nonprofit lawyers provides advice and counsel with respect to the following:
- STARTING A NONPROFIT AND MAINTAINING TAX-EXEMPT STATUS
- GRANTMAKING AND GIFT PLANNING
- INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS AND GRANTS
- NONPROFIT MERGERS, ACQUISITIONS, AFFILIATIONS
- NONPROFIT TAX CONSULTING
- OUTSIDE GENERAL COUNSEL
- CAUSE MARKETING (COMMERCIAL CO-VENTURES)
- CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND PROFESSIONAL FUNDRAISER REGISTRATIONS
- NONPROFIT EMPLOYMENT LAW
RESOURCES
Free Guides for your Nonprofit Organization
How to Start a Nonprofit
State Registration
Nonprofit Legal Checklist
How to Start a Nonprofit
Before you form a legal entity and apply for tax-exempt status, you need a strong, well-researched plan for your organization. Download our free guide to learn about the many elements needed to run a successful nonprofit organization, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls and mistakes.
State Registration
Most states require you to register your organization if you solicit donations from their residents. Many states also require registration if your organization collects substantial or ongoing donations from their residents, even if you aren’t specifically targeting donors in that state. Download our comprehensive list of each state’s requirements.
Nonprofit Legal Checklist
There are many legal issues specific to nonprofit organizations that can be easily prevented by taking certain steps early on in the life of the organization. For more established nonprofits, it’s a good idea to conduct a periodic review of your compliance documents, tax filings, and record keeping. We created this checklist to help you understand the items that a lawyer will assess when reviewing the overall legal health of your nonprofit organization.
CharityLawyer Blog offers plain language explanations of complex nonprofit law concepts, discussions of current events and links to valuable resources for nonprofits.
FEATURED BLOG POSTS
- International Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021
This week is International Charity Fraud Awareness Week is organized by a global coalition of charities, regulators, law enforcement agencies, representative and umbrella organizations, and other nonprofit stakeholders. What is the Goal of International Charity Fraud Awareness Week? The week’s goal is to increase awareness of fraud and cybercrime in the nonprofit sector and provide … International Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021 Read More »
- What is a Consent Agenda?
A consent agenda is a practice of bundling routine matters into one board vote to free up a nonprofit board’s meeting time to focus on the substantive issues facing the organization. Because every board action must be agreed upon and documented in the board meeting minutes, time is frequently wasted discussing and approving actions such … What is a Consent Agenda? Read More »
- Ban on Campaign Intervention for 501(c)(3)s
In recent years, there has been some confusing activity around the rules governing campaign intervention for 501(c)(3)s. Nonprofits operating under I.R.C. 501(c)(3) are obligated to comply with several rules as a condition of tax exemption. One such rule is a prohibition on intervening in political campaigns. Under what is colloquially known as the Johnson Amendment … Ban on Campaign Intervention for 501(c)(3)s Read More »
