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.
RESOURCES
Free Guides for your Nonprofit Organization
How to Start a Nonprofit
State Registration
Nonprofit Legal Checklist
Taking minutes of nonprofit board meetings
How To Set the Compensation of Nonprofit Executives
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.
Taking minutes of nonprofit board meetings
Meeting minutes are a necessary form of record-keeping for all nonprofit organizations, regardless of size. These records can be used as legal evidence by the courts, IRS, and other regulators, so it’s important to ensure minutes are properly completed and stored. But where do you start?
How To Set the Compensation of Nonprofit Executives
Executives from tax-exempt organizations can only be paid “reasonable compensation” for their services.
To avoid excise taxes, nonprofits should strongly consider increasing the time and attention they devote to investigating, deliberating, documenting, and reporting executive compensation.
CharityLawyer Blog offers plain language explanations of complex nonprofit law concepts, discussions of current events and links to valuable resources for nonprofits.
"*" indicates required fields
FEATURED BLOG POSTS
- HR 9721: What the Proposed Fiscal Sponsorship Transparency Act Means for Sponsors and Sponsored Projects
The Fiscal Sponsorship Transparency Act, a new federal bill, would impose reporting requirements on fiscal sponsors for the first time, and it has already moved further than most nonprofit legislation gets. Representative Lloyd Smucker introduced the Fiscal Sponsorship Transparency Act of 2026 (HR 9721) on July 16, 2026, and the House Ways and Means Committee
- IRS Whistleblower Alert Targets Grant Misuse by Tax-Exempt Organizations
On April 17, 2026, the IRS issued a Whistleblower Alert flagging the misuse, diversion, or fraudulent use of federal funds and grants by tax-exempt organizations, individuals, and businesses. Whistleblower Alerts are a relatively new tool the IRS is using to spotlight high-risk areas and invite tips from people with direct knowledge of noncompliance. What does
- 501(c)(7) Social Clubs: Formation, Nonmember Income, and the Investment Income Trap
Arizona has no shortage of golf clubs, country clubs, yacht clubs, and athletic and dining clubs organized as tax-exempt social clubs under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(7). Unlike a 501(c)(3) charity, a social club exists to serve its members, not the public, and it is funded by dues rather than donations. That difference changes the