Legal Assessment Program
The Lawyers Clearinghouse is pleased to announce the launch of its new Legal Assessment Program. This service for nonprofit organizations will function as a preventative “check-up” whereby lawyers will review and evaluate the corporate governance of nonprofits to identify and remedy potential legal issues, ensure that legal requirements are met, and suggest best practices for governance.
The Legal Assessment Program will provide meaningful pro bono opportunities to transactional attorneys. Other benefits include:
- an ideal opportunity for cross discipline team building within a firm
- well suited to firm/corporate client pro bono project partnerships
- associates will gain valuable corporate experience and learn best practices regarding corporate governance
- an opportunity for law firms and attorneys to develop and maintain professional relationships with nonprofits
With assistance from attorneys at Brown Rudnick LLP, Lawyers Clearinghouse has compiled a set of program materials, which will assist attorneys in completing the legal assessment. The issues covered by the legal assessment will include:
- Legal Form and Corporate Governance
- Internal Controls and Procedures
- Employment Practices
- Insurance
- Tax Matters
- Fundraising Activities
- Privacy and Data Security
- Material Contracts
The Lawyers Clearinghouse anticipates that a full comprehensive assessment on average could take between 40-60 hours of pro bono work, although this estimate depends on the complexity of the nonprofit organization among other factors. However, law firms and lawyers may choose to complete only one or more sections of the assessment. The bulk of the time taken to complete the assessment is spent on the core issues facing nonprofits. Those core issues include legal form and corporate governance, internal controls and procedures, tax matters, fundraising, and material contracts. Because of the interrelatedness of these core issues, Lawyers Clearinghouse would prefer that one firm complete this portion entirely.
For more information contact Machiko Sano Hewitt at (617) 778-1954.
