Good Counsel : Meeting the Legal Needs of Nonprofits

**A concise overview of the legal needs of nonprofit organizations**__Good Counsel__is a compact and personable overview of the legal needs of nonprofits, crafted by one of America's most astute nonprofit general counsels. The book distills the legal needs of the 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States.Written in a clear and accessible style, with plenty of humor and storytelling as well as illustrative case studies,__Good Counsel__explains the basics of nonprofit corporate law, governance, and the tax exemption. It then takes a department-by-department look at legal topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, communications, human resources, operations, contracts, government relations, and more.__Good Counsel__is designed help organizations fulfill their missions to do the public good.Designed to impart confidence and demystify the issues,__Good Counsel__is a must-read for nonprofit professionals and board members as well as lawyers and law students. Using__Good Counsel__as their playbook, lawyers, executives, and trustees can get an overview of the most common legal, governance, and compliance issues facing their organization and together ramp up a top-notch legal function.Contains practice pointers, checklists, and assessment tools Features sample contracts, licenses, and other form documents Filled with case studies and end-of-chapter focus questions, as well as available lesson plans for easy classroom use by educators in business, management, public policy, and law schools__Good Counsel__is the first-of-its-kind guidebook written by the sitting General Counsel of a major nonprofit. Written by influential author, speaker, and Bar leader Lesley Rosenthal, the General Counsel of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,__Good Counsel__shares the insights of a Harvard Law School graduate with years of in-house and business law experience as well as board service.

Good Counsel reveals:

• What makes a nonprofit a nonprofit (hint: it has nothing to do with whether the organization makes a profit)
• How good governance ties to mission and fundraising
• How to protect the organization's name and monetize its original works ?
• Potent phrases that can turn gift pledges into enforceable contracts
• One thing NOT to say in a hire letter or employee handbook
• How to find a coveted law job at a nonprofit

Good counsel: Meeting the Legal Needs of Nonprofits

"Triple kudos to Good Counsel, a treasure-trove for nonprofit executives, attorneys, and board members. It's everything they would want to know, embellished with real-lifestories, checklists, forms, and available resources."—Hon. Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge Emerita, State of New York

"Lesley Rosenthal has composed a score for nonprofit leaders and their legal advisors. Lively, comprehensive, and easy to understand, Good Counsel speaks to the concerns of board members, administrators, legal practitioners, artists, and students."—Wynton Marsalis

"Good Counsel is a unique and inspiring contribution to nonprofit management. I am buying this book for my entire senior leadership team."—Erin S. Gore, Chief Financial Officer, University of California, Berkeley

"Lesley Rosenthal addresses a wide array of legal issues in a fun, easy-to-read manner, using practical checklists and work plans. Good Counsel is invaluable not only for nonprofit and pro bono legal counsel, but also for board members and executives in the nonprofit sector."—Ira M. Millstein, Senior Associate Dean for Corporate Governance, Yale School of Management

"In the fast-moving and freewheeling excitement of connecting artists and audiences, Lesley Rosenthal's savvy and sound counsel is a go-to guide for the industry. Her direct style, keen insight, and entrepreneurial sense make Good Counsel indispensable."—Nan Keeton, Director of External Affairs, San Francisco Symphony

"A concise overview of the legal needs of nonprofit organizations, Good Counsel is a compact and personable overview of the legal needs of nonprofits, crafted by one of America's most astute nonprofit general counsels. The book distills the legal needs of the 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States. Written in a clear and accessible style, with plenty of humor and storytelling as well as illustrative case studies, Good Counsel explains the basics of nonprofit corporate law, governance, and the tax exemption. It then takes a department-by-department look at legal topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, communications, human resources, operations, contracts, government relations, and more. Good Counsel is designed help organizations fulfill their missions to do the public good. Designed to impart confidence and demystify the issues, Good Counsel is a must-read for nonprofit professionals and board members as well as lawyers and law students. Using Good Counsel as their playbook, lawyers, executives, and trustees can get an overview of the most common legal, governance, and compliance issues facing their organization and together ramp up a top-notch legal function. Contains practice pointers, checklists, and assessment tools Features sample contracts, licenses, and other form documents Filled with case studies and end-of-chapter focus questions, as well as available lesson plans for easy classroom use by educators in business, management, public policy, and law schools Good Counsel is the first-of-its-kind guidebook written by the sitting General Counsel of a major nonprofit. Written by influential author, speaker, and Bar leader Lesley Rosenthal, the General Counsel of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Good Counsel shares the insights of a Harvard Law School graduate with years of in-house and business law experience as well as board service"-- Provided by publisher