Overview

Since their inception, exempt organizations have sought to tackle some of the world’s most difficult problems. 

As Melinda Gates stated in a speech to a room full of exempt organization representatives, “Everybody in this room knows that philanthropy isn’t easy. It can be frustrating sometimes. I am reminded of the time I saw my 3-year-old daughter trying and failing to tie her shoes. She got angry. Still, she kept trying. “This is difficult,” she concluded. “But I like difficult.” It turns out that her parents like difficult, too. And I suspect that you all like difficult, which is why you’ve devoted your lives to solving some of the world’s toughest problems.” 

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  • Maintaining IRS tax-exempt status
  • Counseling on New York State policies and regulations
  • Fundraising and sweepstakes
  • Special laws relating to health care and educational institutions and others
  • Federal and state labor, employment and safety laws
  • Representing clients before federal, state and local authorities and in court.
  • Counseling directors and officers on their fiduciary duties and best management practices
  • Liability insurance for directors and officers
  • Labor & employment law, executive compensation and employment contracts
  • Advising on issues involving litigation
  • Counseling on special issues involving private family foundations
  • Determining if the not-for-profit form is appropriate and it qualifies as a charitable organization;
  • Preparing required documents to form new charitable and other nonprofit organizations
  • Drafting by-laws and counseling on organizational framework and management structure
  • Separating for-profit or unrelated businesses to preserve tax-exempt status
  • Property, sales, state and federal tax issues
  • Tax-exempt bond financing
  • Advising on unrelated business income tax issues
  • Special tax issues related to charitable contributions and fund raising
  • Affiliation agreements, mergers, acquisitions and dissolutions
  • Real estate acquisitions, sales and construction
  • Creating and implementing planned-giving programs.
  • Counseling on investments and endowment fund creation