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Without sound legal advice that can head off problems, a nonprofit organization's entire mission can be at risk.
LegalCORPS assists small nonprofits by connecting them with volunteer business lawyers who can provide high-quality, free business legal services.
Nonprofits face legal issues with both ongoing legal concerns and emerging issues. Some ongoing concerns are common to nonprofit and for-profit organizations alike. Some are:
- Human resources, including employment and benefits;
- Contracts relating to leases, buying buildings, signing state and county contracts;
- Articles and bylaws; mergers and dissolutions;
- Intellectual property (particularly copyright and trademark).
Some emerging issues are unique to the nonprofit sector, however. They include:
- Special state and federal reporting requirements;
- Lobbying expenditures limits;
- Regulations directed at mitigating conflicts of interest and monitoring executive compensation;
- Tax-related issues around unrelated business income.
LegalCORPS volunteers assist eligible nonprofits after they have incorporated and received tax-exempt status from the IRS. (For eligible religious organizations, they must be qualified for tax-exempt status.) LegalCORPS can help organizations that have not yet incorporated and received tax-exempt status to find the assistance they need to do so.
LegalCORPS volunteers do not assist organizations in litigation or other adversarial proceedings.
In determining a nonprofit organization's eligibility for the assistance of LegalCORPS volunteer lawyers, LegalCORPS considers a number of eligibility requirements  (96 KB), which include the size of its annual budget. Qualified organizations need to complete an application form (164 KB) and return it to LegalCORPS for review, along with a $50 administrative fee (unless the applicant previously has requested and received a waiver of that fee).
If LegalCORPS determines that an organization is not eligible for the assistance of LegalCORPS volunteer lawyers, it can help the organization find the assistance it needs.
F.A.Q.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions by clients.
Collaborators
LegalCORPS often relies on community partners – collaborators – to refer cases to our program. Several Minnesota-based organizations collaborate with LegalCORPS. Individuals and organizations seeking LegalCORPS assistance can work with an appropriate collaborator for further guidance in determining eligibility for our program and to receive information about other possible community resources.
Click to view a list of our collaborators.
In addition to updates about trainings and events LegalCORPS collaborators will receive an e-mail newsletter with a calendar and updates on matters of interest.
Requirements and Application
Eligilibity Requirements (96 KB)
Non-Profit Application (164 KB)
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