Comprehensive legal counsel for nonprofits, foundations, and tax-exempt organizations across all stages of growth and development.
We provide comprehensive and limited scope services for select startup nonprofits that have a compliant tax-exempt purpose and plans for a responsible board of directors and financial viability.
Nonprofit formation, charitable registration, application for federal and state tax-exemption
Drafting of and guidance on governing documents and policies
We provide comprehensive and limited scope services for select startup nonprofits that have a compliant tax-exempt purpose and plans for a responsible board of directors and financial viability.
Nonprofit formation, charitable registration, application for federal and state tax-exemption
Drafting of and guidance on governing documents and policies
Collaboration with external partners is often mentioned as a top priority to enable nonprofits to more effectively and efficiently advance their missions.
Mergers & acquisitions
Subsidiaries & affiliates
Nonprofit-for-profit joint ventures
Coalitions, chapters, & other collaborations
Collaboration with external partners is often mentioned as a top priority to enable nonprofits to more effectively and efficiently advance their missions.
Mergers & acquisitions
Subsidiaries & affiliates
Nonprofit-for-profit joint ventures
Coalitions, chapters, & other collaborations
Fiscal sponsorship describes a number of varying contractual relationships that have through custom and practice developed between "sponsors" and "projects," allowing charitable projects to receive deductible contributions.
Creation of fiscal sponsorship policies, practices, and agreement
Review of prospective and current fiscally sponsored projects
Fiscal sponsorship describes a number of varying contractual relationships that have through custom and practice developed between "sponsors" and "projects," allowing charitable projects to receive deductible contributions.
Creation of fiscal sponsorship policies, practices, and agreement
Review of prospective and current fiscally sponsored projects
An engaged board can be one of the most important organizational assets of a nonprofit. But nonprofit boards are often underutilized and are not always effective in significantly advancing an organization's mission.
Creation and review of governing documents
Counsel on governance policies and processes, compliance with fiduciary duties
An engaged board can be one of the most important organizational assets of a nonprofit. But nonprofit boards are often underutilized and are not always effective in significantly advancing an organization's mission.
Creation and review of governing documents
Counsel on governance policies and processes, compliance with fiduciary duties
Tax-exempt status is generally an essential element of a nonprofit's organization and operations. Compliance with the requirements of a particular tax-exempt status (e.g., 501(c)(3)) can at times be confusing and challenging.
Tax-exemption compliance
Counsel on lobbying and political activities
Unrelated business activity and UBIT analysis
Tax-exempt status is generally an essential element of a nonprofit's organization and operations. Compliance with the requirements of a particular tax-exempt status (e.g., 501(c)(3)) can at times be confusing and challenging.
Tax-exemption compliance
Counsel on lobbying and political activities
Unrelated business activity and UBIT analysis
Private foundations and community foundations face particular legal issues and challenges that must be managed by their executives and boards.
Private foundation law compliance
Donor advised fund compliance
Domestic and foreign grantmaking compliance
Private foundations and community foundations face particular legal issues and challenges that must be managed by their executives and boards.
Private foundation law compliance
Donor advised fund compliance
Domestic and foreign grantmaking compliance
Tailored solutions for specific organizational needs and circumstances.
We provide representation to a selected group of startup nonprofits, including drafting of governing documents, guidance regarding initial actions of the incorporator and board of directors, counsel regarding planned activities and compliance issues, registration with the Registry of Charities and Fundraisers (if applicable), and preparation of applications for recognition of exemption.
Before representing a startup nonprofit, we assess whether the founders have taken reasonable care to plan for continued viability and may consider such factors as the number of independent board members, startup capital, experience in raising funds, and the general business plan.
We provide on-site board trainings to charities and foundations on a variety of nonprofit corporate, tax, and charitable trust law matters. Our trainings may cover general nonprofit corporate governance matters or very specific issues facing the organization.
Our senior attorneys are all experienced speakers who know how to work together with executives and their boards to provide the right training session for each of our clients with a focus on engaging dialogue and critical thinking.
We help organizations with a checkup on their status to conduct business and raise charitable funds in California; their tax status with the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board; their activities and whether they are consistent with their governing documents and bases for tax-exemption; their governance structures, policies, and practices; and other nonprofit law compliance issues.
We advise and create the right agreements, policies, and practice guidelines for nonprofits seeking to establish a fiscal sponsorship relationship or program. This includes counsel on the appropriate form of fiscal sponsorship and the implications of such relationship with the other party. Our attorneys are some of the leading professionals in the area of fiscal sponsorship counsel.