Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Organizations

We provide outside general counsel to public charities, private foundations, corporate and community foundations, political organizations, and many other types of tax-exempt organizations. Our specialized legal counsel to these unique organizations covers a wide range of corporate, tax, and other legal matters, including:

• Entity selection and formation and tax-exempt status applications

• Complex tax issues such as the self-dealing rules, unrelated business taxable income, program related investments, and expenditure responsibility

• Corporate governance, fiduciary duties, bylaws, and policies and procedures

• Tax reporting matters and government audits

• Political, lobbying, and issue advocacy activities

• Grant making and charitable giving issues, including charitable solicitation laws and corporate sponsorships

• Donor advised funds and endowments

• Contract negotiation, drafting, and review

• Nonprofit mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures, and complex legal structures

• International grant making, disaster relief grants, & US organizations with foreign affiliates

• Employment and general litigation matters

Our work with trade associations and professional societies includes:

• Serving as primary outside counsel to associations and societies representing a variety of professions and industries

• Assisting in the formation and revision of professional and industry standards, and overseeing disciplinary proceedings

• Developing and supporting legislative and regulatory strategies

• Providing advice on formation, governance, operation, merger, and dissolution of societies and associations

• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating leases, affinity and endorsement agreements, employment agreements, licensing agreements, and special event agreements

• Advising on employment, executive compensation, intellectual property, and litigation matters

• Antitrust compliance