LEGAL SERVICES WE PROVIDE
The following is a list of the most common types of legal services we provide to our clients, as well as the most common legal issues we have addressed for our clients. We have also addressed many other tax and legal issues for our clients, so please contact us to discuss our experience and ability to help with other issues not identified below.
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Formation, Choice of Entity and Corporate Structure
- Articles of Incorporation/Certificates of Formation
- Bylaws
- Tax Identification Number
- Board of Director Formation
- Registration to do Business
- Fictitious Name Registration
- Structuring and Operation of Subsidiary Entities
- Conversion of Entities
- Mergers and Aquisitions
- Asset Purchase Agreements
- Winding-down and Dissolution of Entities
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IRS Recognition of Tax Exempt Status
- Drafting and Filing of Application for Exemption under 501(c)(3)(IRS Form 1023)
- Drafting and Filing of Application for Exemption under 501(a)(Form 1024)
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Corporate Governance and Boards
- Assistance and Training of Board of Directors
- Board Meeting Attendance and Documentation
- Corporate Resolution Drafting
- Conflict of Interest Avoidance, Disclosure, and Documentation
- Whistleblowing Compliance
- General Religious Nonprofit Corporate and Commercial Law Issues
- Risk Management of Nonprofit Organizations
- Succession Planning
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Business and Financial Operations
- Annual Information Returns (Form 990)
- Guidance Regarding Expenditure of the Organizational Funds
- Charitable Giving Rules
- Charitable Donations and Substantiation
- Planned Giving Issues
- Charitable Soliciation Registration and Compliance
- Compliance with Federal Guidelines Regarding International Activities
- Insurance Coverage Considerations and Guidance
- Unrelated Business Activities
- Vendor Contracts
- Bonds, Notes Payable, and Alternate Financing
- Exempt Security Offerings
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Volunteers and Humanitarians
- Volunteer Policies and Handbooks
- Background Checks
- Classification of Volunteers
- Structuring and Compliance with Internship Programs
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Real Estate and Construction
- Representation before Governmental Entities
- Asset Purchases, Leases and Sales Guidance
- Commercial Lease Agreements
- Zoning Law Representation
- Construction Contract Negotiating and Drafting
- Eminent Domain Issues
- Adverse Possession Claims
- Liens, Deep Restrictions, and other Title Related Issues
- Finance and Traditional Third-Party Private Financing
- Cell Phone Tower Lease Negotiating and Drafting
- Oil and Gas Lease Negotiating and Drafting
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Employment and Employees
- Employment Policies and Handbooks
- General and Executive Level Employee Contracts
- Early Retirement and Incentive Structuring
- Employee Complaints and Discrimination Allegations
- Wage and Hour Disputes
- Wrongful Discharge Claims
- Sexual Harassment Compliance and Compliants
- Worker Classification (Employee vs. Independent Contractor)
- Independent Contractor Analysis
- Termination of Employment
- Separation Agreements
- Confidentiality Agreements
- Volunteer Policies and Handbooks
- Structuring and Compliance of Internship Programs
- Social Media Policies
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Litigation and Peace Making
- Contract Disputes
- Commercial and business litigation
- Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
- Employment and Discrimination Disputes
- Construction Litigation
- Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
- Imposition of Federal Excise Tax
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Executive Compensation
- Compensation Studies
- Formation of Independent Compensation Committees
- Parsonage Allowance or Housing Allowance Documentation
- 403(b) Plans
- Rabbi Trusts
- Intermediate Sanctions
- Excess Benefit Transactions
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Clergy and Ecclesiastics
- Parsonage and Housing Allowance Issues
- Confidentiality Issues and the Clergy-Penitent Privilege
- Implications of Self-Employment vs. Employee Classification
- Implications of Opting Out of Social Security
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Children and Childcare
- Child Abuse Prevention Training
- Release Forms and Waivers
- Assistance with Responding to Child Abuse Allegations
- Child Abuse Reporting Compliance
- Children’s Ministry Policies and Handbooks
- Employee and Volunteer Screening
Our clients range from small, newly incorporated, startup nonprofits to large, well-established, well-known organizations with multi-million dollar budgets and global presence. We take care and pride in carefully tailoring the types of legal services we provide for a particular client to the needs of that client. For some clients, we act as outside general counsel or outside federal tax counsel (or both), addressing the full range of legal or tax issues that the organization is confronted with in the course of furthering its nonprofit mission.
For other clients, we handle discrete legal issues when our specialized knowledge or experience is needed to supplement the organization’s executive team.
Finally, for many clients, our principal role is to provide the experience and substantive knowledge needed to guide them through voluntary disclosure, criminal investigations, or state or federal court action. Whatever a client’s need is with various legal issues that growing religious nonprofit organization’s face in today’s legal climate, The Church Law Group is here to assist.
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