Legal Resources available for nonprofits
Legal resources may be helpful during any stage of your organizational functions, activities, evaluation and growth. Click on the following links for more details.
The Legal Aid Society's Community Development Project (CDP) offers free legal assistance to qualified non-profit organizations in New York City.
www.legal-aid.org
The National Council of Non-profit Associations (NCNA) is the network of state and regional non-profit associations serving over 20,000 members in 41 states and the District of Columbia. NCNA links local organizations to a national audience through state associations and helps small and midsize nonprofits.
www.ncna.org
The Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Locator has a search form to locate lawyers specializing in non-profit law.
http://martindale.com
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts is a New York-based organization that offers volunteer legal services to arts organizations and individual artists nationwide.
www.vlany.org
Pro Bono Partnership offers pro bono legal services to eligible non-profit organizations in the New York tri-state area that serve the poor and disadvantaged, primarily in the areas of health and human services, affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and economic development.
www.probonopartnership.org
Non-profit Risk Management Center helps nonprofits cope with uncertainty, offering a wide range of services on a vast array of risk management topics (such as employment law)
www.nonprofitrisk.org/advice/technical.shtml#resource
CorporateProBono.Org gives qualified nonprofits the opportunity to create a listing for their organization, which can then be searched and viewed by lawyers looking to volunteer their services.
www.corporateprobono.org
State Specific Legal Resources for Non-Profits:
ALABAMA
The Non-profit Resource Center of Alabama offers members referral assistance to experts in a variety of specialties (e.g. NRCA Attorneys on Call Program addresses basic legal issues and concerns for NRCA Members).
http://alabamanonprofits.org/professional-services.php
ARIZONA
The Arizona Community Legal Assistance (ACLA) program provides free legal assistance (non-litigation) to new and existing charitable community organizations in the health and human service area. Contact: Phoenix -- 602-258-3434, ext. 247; Tucson -- 520-623-9465.
http://vlparizona.net/ACLAApplication.pdf
CALIFORNIA
California Association of Nonprofits has a classified listing of members providing legal services to nonprofits.
http://www.canonprofits.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198&Itemid=200
COLORADO
Colorado Bar Association provides state legal information.
www.cobar.org
CONNECTICUT
The Pro Bono Partnership is a provider of free business legal services, educational workshops and other legal resources to non-profit community-based organizations located in Fairfield County and greater Hartford, Connecticut; the lower New York Hudson Valley, including Westchester, Orange, Putnam and Rockland Counties; and New Jersey.
www.probonopartnership.org/
GEORGIA
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta's mission is to make the highest-quality legal representation available to your non-profit organization.
http://www.pbpatl.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=61&Itemid=68
HAWAII
VLSH provides legal help to non-profit organizations that are unable to pay for such help and training for both emerging and existing nonprofits. Pro bono legal assistance is offered to organizations that have a combined program and operating budget of less tan $1,000,000 and are involved in community-based economic development or are providing services to people who are low-income or "gap" group.
www.vlsh.org
IDAHO
The Idaho Non-profit Center maintains a directory of experts, including legal services at:
www.idahononprofits.org/tabid/928/Default.aspx?ser=S13&isu=All&loc=All&cnt=0&kw=
ILLINOIS
The Non-Profit Legal Assessment Program (NLAP) provides legal analysis, representation and technical assistance to established non-profit organizations in the Chicago area.
http://www.thelawproject.org/services/for-nonprofits/nonprofit-comprehensive-legal-assessment/
IOWA
The Iowa Non-profit Resource Center, with the assistance of the University of Iowa College of Law Legal Clinic, research and graduate assistants are available for consultations to non-profit organizations in Iowa needing to strengthen their operational capacity.
http://inrc.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/work/consultants.asp
KENTUCKY
The Non-profit Leadership Initiative at the University of Kentucky links to several legal information providers for Kentucky nonprofits
http://www.kynonprofits.org/learn/nonprofit-resources/
LOUISIANA
The Louisiana Association of Non-profit Organizations maintains a consultant directory, searchable by expertise type, including legal.
http://www.lano.org/
MARYLAND
MVLS is the state's largest provider of pro bono civil legal assistance, having helped more than 40,000 low-income individuals.
www.mvlslaw.org
MASSACHUSETTS
The Lawyers Clearinghouse, founded by the Boston Bar Assn and the Mass. Bar Assn., provides pro bono legal services to non-profit organizations through several programs including corporate and business related needs, as well as employment law and risk management.
(617)-778-1980
www.lawyersclearinghouse.org/for-nonprofits
MICHIGAN
Community Legal Resources provides pro bono legal representation to Michigan non-profit organizations that are working with disadvantaged communities and individuals and are unable to pay for traditional legal services.
www.clronline.org
MINNESOTA
LegalCORPS assists low-income owners of small businesses and small non-profit organizations with high-quality legal services from volunteer lawyers.
www.legalcorps.org/index.shtml
NEW HAMPSHIRE
The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits maintains a consultant directory, searchable by expertise type, including legal.
www.nhnonprofits.org/ypbycategory.cfm?categoryID=8
NEW YORK
Lawyers Alliance for New York's staff, Board, and volunteer attorneys are an unparalleled team of legal professionals who, together with our donors, are dedicated to improving the quality of life for people in low-income communities throughout New York City.
www.lawyersalliance.org/about_us.php
NORTH CAROLINA
N.C. Center for Nonprofits offer services directly to all sizes and types of 501(c)(3) nonprofits and work closely with other local, state and national groups that assist nonprofits.
www.ncnonprofits.org
NEW JERSEY
The Center provides leadership and services for New Jersey non-profits and is an umbrella organization for all charities in the state. Through advocacy, education, capacity building programs and member services, the Center gives non-profits the knowledge and tools they need to pursue their missions more effectively, strengthening non-profits as individual organizations and as a community.
www.njnonprofits.org/incorp.html
OHIO
Ohio Non-profit Resources is an online community of non-profit leaders, consultants and trainers specializing in capacity building and technical assistance for non-profit organizations. To be listed on this site each consultant or trainer has received references from three non-profit clients. The site contains listings for consultants on legal issues.
www.nonprofitresources.net/
OREGON
TACS Legal Assistance Project provides5 01(c)(3) organizations with pro bono legal advice on a variety of issues related to non-profit governance and management.
www.tacs.org/
PENNSYLVANIA
The Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofits maintains a consultant directory, searchable by expertise type, including legal.
http://www.pano.org/Nonprofit-Resources/Consultants/
TENNESSEE
Knoxville Bar Association provides state legal information.
www.knoxbar.org
TEXAS
The Texas C-Bar (Community Building with Attorney Resources) is the only project of its kind in Texas, providing free business law services across the state to community-based nonprofits developing affordable housing and other much-needed services in low-income communities. Texas C-BAR, founded in 2000 with the support of the Texas Bar Foundation, provides three primary resources: free legal assistance, legal workshops, and an online legal resource library.
www.texascbar.org/
UTAH
The Utah Non-profit Association maintains a consultant directory, searchable by expertise type, including legal.
www.utahnonprofits.org/
WASHINGTON
Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations (WAACO) will refer eligible organizations to volunteer attorneys who can help with matters ranging from maintenance of tax-exempt status to complex business contracts and transactions.
www.waaco.org
WISCONSIN
The Wisconsin Nonprofits Association maintains a consultant directory, searchable by expertise type, including legal.
www.wisconsinnonprofits.org/resources/consultants
