New York and Florida Legal Support at Your Fingertips: Remote Services Available Now!
New York and Florida Legal Support at Your Fingertips: Remote Services Available Now!
Whether you are an established not-for-profit organization or forming a new charitable organization, Lawyer For Business in New York can assist with your legal needs. From formation to claiming tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status or even dissolution, our nonprofit attorneys offer comprehensive legal services across the state of New York for nonprofit organizations large and small.
Whether you are an established not-for-profit organization or forming a new charitable organization, Lawyer For Business in New York can assist with your legal needs. From formation to claiming tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status or even dissolution, our nonprofit attorneys offer comprehensive legal services across the state of New York for nonprofit organizations large and small.
The nonprofit lawyers at Lawyer For Business have extensive experience and a deep understanding of New York nonprofit law, corporate law, and tax law to help not-for-profit agencies achieve their mission.
We understand a nonprofit organization’s challenges and work to address them. Our nonprofit organization attorneys work with smaller groups, like local synagogues and churches, as well as larger companies, like healthcare organizations with multiple locations.
As your not-for-profit attorney, we walk beside you at every stage of your agency’s development with the in-depth legal support you need to ensure that your organization is compliant with all operating regulations and tax laws. Your attorney for nonprofit organizations will:
Lawyer For Business also counsels New York businesses about charitable giving and the regulations governing business donations to not-for-profit agencies.
Our focus includes the intricacies of private foundations, restricted funds, endowments, and charitable trusts. We also help NGOs and NPOs seeking to operate in New York state.
Forming an LLC establishes a unique business entity. This corporation can open bank accounts and conduct various business operations and has a unique tax identification number.
Business entities formed as LLCs are pass-through entities for taxes, meaning owners are only taxed on their profits once. LLCs may also elect S-Corporation status and be taxed as an S-Corporation. A New York LLC lawyer can work with your accountant to advise you on which tax election suits your needs.
Andrea A. Willis, Esq., the attorney for nonprofits at Lawyer For Business, provides legal support and counsel for tax-exempt, non-governmental, and nonprofit agencies operating in New York and internationally. She advises nonprofit clients on all legal matters pertaining to their funding, organizational structure, and tax status.
Her extensive experience as a business attorney and focus on nonprofit operations benefit clients seeking legal advice they can trust. Lawyer For Business represents clients in cities across New York State. We are committed to the highest ethical standards and efficiency.
The following are some of the services Lawyer For Business provides:
Advise on the proper formation of legal entities, including charitable trusts, unincorporated associations, and corporations, with insight into the advantages and disadvantages of each structure. Oversee entity formation and guide the process.
Prepare charters for nonprofit organizations and file appropriate documents with the federal and New York state governments. Obtain an Employment Identification Number from the IRS and apply for tax-exempt status. Advise on the formation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Prepare the documents for a nonprofit organization’s internal affairs, including corporate bylaws and operating guidelines. Prepare or review other policies, such as:
Complete risk management assessments and counsel the board on potential issues, including anti-takeover strategies. Provide fiduciary advice. Review organization best practices for the legality and potential compliance concerns.
501(c)(3) lawyers ensure legal compliance of tax-exempt organizations operating in New York with regard to:
If you have questions about compliance, just ask!
Negotiate and prepare contracts and other agreements; review and provide counsel on agreements and contracts presented to the client. Ensure that all contracts are compliant with New York tax-exempt organization requirements. Review enforceability of internal contracts and provide counsel on said agreements.
Draft contracts to address specific operating concerns and provide advice to ensure the client receives favorable terms when signing contracts with another agency.
The nonprofit organization lawyers give legal advice on all transactions by the client. Provide ongoing general counsel advice, develop client policies, and define corporate procedures and operating programs, including employment agreements.
Offer strategic counsel to the agency’s board of directors as needed or in board meetings. Evaluate outside counsel and oversee all work done by the agency’s legal affiliates.
Oversee any mergers, acquisitions of other entities, or dissolution of the not-for-profit agency and provide ongoing legal advice to ensure all contractual obligations are met. Provide legal advice on special rules for dissolution as per New York laws and any asset transfers under the New York Religious Corporation Law and/or the New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.
Choose an experienced New York nonprofit attorney to handle your affairs so you can focus on your mission! Reach out to Lawyer For Business today.
At Lawyer For Business, a New York attorney for a non-profit organization can assist with all New York non-profit organizations, such as:
If you are the leader of any of these non-profit organizations in New York, Lawyer For Business has you covered.
Advocate for change with the help of our New York nonprofit lawyer. We’re committed to your nonprofit’s success and mission.
Lawyer For Business has extensive experience forming, advising, and managing compliance for nonprofit organizations. We use our knowledge and experience to solve complex cases, including:
A client approached Lawyer For Business about simultaneously forming a nonprofit and a business to support it. We developed a cohesive strategy to establish two separate legal entities that were just separate and distinct enough to comply with New York and U.S. tax laws. This way, the for-profit LLC could sell products and donate to the nonprofit, supercharging its fundraising early in its lifecycle.
The lead attorney at Lawyer For Business, Andrea (Tarshus) Willis, is the founder of the nonprofit organization Boss BeCause. This organization helps kids fighting or recovering from life-threatening illnesses, helping them start their own businesses or nonprofit organizations. These kids then provide products or services to other kids facing health issues.
Nonprofit clients of Lawyer For Business rely on the shrewd insight the legal team at Lawyer For Business provides. As attorneys 501(c)3, we carefully ensure that each client is tax-compliant and retains their state and federal status. Our clients include NGO and NPO organizations from all over the world that chose to operate in New York.
Here are just a few of the reasons why Lawyer For Business is the ideal 501(c)(3) lawyer near me for your nonprofit legal counsel:
As your legal advisor, we work only for you and your organization. We value integrity in the legal profession and are scrupulous about any conflicts of interest.
When shopping for the right nonprofit legal counsel, it’s crucial to find a firm whose interests align only with yours — and not with the other side of the fence.
Does your nonprofit organization need dedicated, focused legal representation to address your nonprofit operating status? Lawyer For Business, an experienced New York business law firm, has the experience and insight to ensure your organization is compliant so you can focus on your mission and goals. Contact us today to learn more!
We proudly serve businesses across New York and Florida. Below, you’ll find some of the key locations where we’ve helped businesses thrive.
New York charitable corporations must have a minimum of three board members. The law does not set a maximum number of board members.
In New York, you obtain tax-exempt status by forming a nonprofit organization, then filing forms to request exemptions from local and state taxes, including:
You must also file a request for a corporate income tax exemption with the IRS.
You will maintain your tax-exempt status by preparing statements of:
You must file these statements with each agency that granted a tax exemption.
The IRS outlines several major steps to forming a 501(c)(3), including:
The most critical legal step in the 501(c)(3) application process is the drafting of compliant organizing documents and bylaws.
Your nonprofit lawyer will prepare a governance plan to ensure you comply with IRS and NYS tax laws and avoid common violations like:
Nonprofits cannot confer private benefits to individuals or use their assets and revenue to benefit insiders.
Nonprofits cannot expend substantial efforts on political lobbying.
Nonprofits cannot campaign for or against political candidates at any level.
Nonprofits cannot earn substantial income from activities unrelated to their purposes.
Nonprofits must report activities and financial status annually.
Nonprofits must inform the IRS before they alter their purposes.
Nonprofits use contracts the same way for-profits do. Some contracts your nonprofit might need include:
In many cases, a nonprofit’s contract will look the same as a for-profit’s contract. But in some cases, the scope of the agreement will need to be tailored to maintain compliance with the organization’s tax-exempt status.
Your lawyer will draft fundraising policies to ensure fundraisers do not violate NYS or IRS tax regulations. Some issues you should bear in mind include:
Fundraising activities might relate directly to the exempt purpose, such as a 5K to benefit heart disease research. Or they might only benefit the exempt purpose through the money they generate, like a car wash to benefit a local orchestra. Fundraising that only indirectly benefits the charity could jeopardize its tax-exempt status as unrelated business income.
The nonprofit should strongly consider operating fundraising activities rather than paying someone else to do it. This allows donors to receive clear receipts from the organization for donations.
If your fundraising includes gambling, you must report it to the IRS and NYS on Form CHAR500.