Legal Issues for New Nonprofits
Description
Your organization received its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS – now what?
Legal Issues for New Nonprofits is an eight part webinar series that provides general legal information about operating a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, nonprofit corporation. These webinars explain many of the rules and best practices for maintaining your tax-exempt status, including:
- governance, fundraising and record-keeping requirements
- a general overview for compliance with employment laws
- protecting your organization's trademarks and copyrights
- financial oversight by the Board
- basics of risk management to protect your organization and your clients
While geared towards new nonprofits, the webinars are also appropriate for smaller nonprofits (for example, nonprofits that file IRS Form 990-N).
Each webinar is a standalone presentation, so you can view any or all of the presentations in any order that is most convenient for you. Also, each webinar has a PowerPoint that can be downloaded.
Legal Issues for New Nonprofits is a joint effort of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, Pro Bono Partnership, and Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, members of the National Network of Business Law Pro Bono Providers.
We would also like to thank the Bipartisan Policy Center, Lawyers Alliance for New York, Turner Broadcasting System, and Weil, Gotshal and Manges, for their assistance with this project.
Table of Contents
- Course Outline
- Webinar 1: What Does It Mean to be Tax Exempt?
- Webinar 2: Nonprofit Governance
- Webinar 3: Fundraising
- Webinar 4: Recordkeeping Requirements
- Webinar 5: Employment Law
- Webinar 6: Trademarks and Copyright Law for Nonprofits
- Webinar 7: Board's Responsibility for Financial Oversight
- Webinar 8: Risk Management and Insurance
Course Outline
This outline covers all of the topics in the webinars.
Webinar 1: What Does It Mean to be Tax Exempt?
This webinar highlights IRS regulations for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, including limitations on private inurement, lobbying and unrelated business income.
Presenter: Regina Hopkins, Esq., Assistant Director for Community Economic Development, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center
Webinar 2: Nonprofit Governance
This webinar discusses nonprofit governance requirements and best practices, including those for board duties, board meetings, board member rights and liabilities, governing documents, and filings.
Presenter: Holly Gregory, Esq., Weil, Gotshal & Manges (no longer with firm)
Webinar 3: Fundraising
This webinar presents an overview of legal issues concerning fundraising by nonprofit organizations, including charitable solicitation registration, required IRS acknowledgments, and gambling laws.
Presenter: Robyn Miller, Esq., Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
Webinar 4: Recordkeeping Requirements
This webinar covers the recordkeeping requirements for nonprofits, including IRS requirements, and best practices for keeping and maintaining other important organizational records.
Presenter: Mark Hoenig, Esq., Weil, Gotshal & Manges
Webinar 5: Employment Law
This webinar introduces some of the many legal issues concerning employment law, including hiring, supervision and possible termination of employees; the proper use of contractors; wage and hour compliance; and an overview of harassment and discrimination laws.
Presenter: Judith Moldover, Esq., Lawyers Alliance for New York
Webinar 6: Trademarks and Copyrights for Nonprofits
Your nonprofit may have valuable "intellectual property" rights in your organization's name, logo, program materials and other assets. This webinar will give an overview of intellectual property considerations, and how to best protect these assets.
Presenters: Rick McMurtry, Esq. and Carly Regan, Turner Broadcasting System
Webinar 7: Board's Responsibility for Financial Oversight
This webinar details the financial responsibilities of the Board of Directors, including approving budgets, reviewing financial statements, and setting internal controls.
Presenter: Denise Devenny, CPA, Vice President of Operations with the Bipartisan Policy Center
Webinar 8: Risk Management and Insurance
This webinar covers the basics of identifying the risks involved in operating a nonprofit, and how to best address those risks in order to protect your organization, your clients, your board, your employees and your volunteers.
Presenter: Regina Hopkins, Esq., Assistant Director for Community Economic Development, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center
PLEASE NOTE: The course outline and webinars are being provided solely for informational purposes and do not provide specific legal advice for any individual situation. Moreover, the information contained in the course outline and each webinar were based upon the laws as of June 1, 2014, and these laws may be repealed, revoked or modified, possibly retroactively. Any changes in the law may result in changes to the information contained in the course outline and webinars. The course outline and webinars should be used in conjunction with, and not as a substitute for, qualified legal and tax counsel. Only an attorney or other tax professional with knowledge of your particular situation can provide the assistance you need. You are urged to consult an attorney or other tax professional.
