San Diego Non-Profit Attorneys & Lawyers
How it Works
David Yamaguchi
Dean Sage
.png)
Daniel E. Goodrich
Troy Krich
Michael Wales
Alicia Dearn
Colin Breeze
Kieran De Terra
Marco Torres
John Mccarthy
San Diego Non-Profit Lawyers
Why You Need a Non-Profit Lawyer
In their efforts to save money, many non-profits avoid hiring an attorney. That's a mistake that can end up costing your organization more than it saves. Although starting a non-profit can be a very rewarding proposition, it can also be extremely complicated. Hiring a non-profit attorney in San Diego, California, is one of the best ways to ensure your future success, especially when it comes to these areas:
-
Taxes: The main reason to start a non-profit is for tax exemption. A non-profit lawyer can help you apply for your 501(c)(3) so that your non-profit is exempt from taxation. They can also help you comply with 501(c)(3) laws so that your status is never at risk.
-
Intellectual property: It's possible that your non-profit will have intellectual property (IP). This can be anything you use to identify or market your non-profit. A non-profit lawyer in San Diego can help protect your IP by filing for trademarks and service marks. This improves the legal standing of your non-profit if someone infringes on your IP.
-
Founding documents: A non-profit lawyer is very useful when it comes to constructing the founding documents of your non-profit. This can include items like bylaws and amendment. Your attorney can also help resolve any conflicts that arise when writing these documents.
There is also the matter of getting help with common legal tasks. Many people are unprepared for the paperwork and networking required of a non-profit. This is why you need a non-profit lawyer. Some of the tasks your non-profit lawyer can perform include:
-
Incorporating your non-profit.
-
Writing contracts. These can include purchase agreements, employee contracts, and loan agreements.
-
Facilitating interactions. This includes any relationships with other non-profits, as well as interactions with for-profit businesses.
-
Provide consultation for your non-profit.
How to Find the Best Non-Profit Lawyer
If you've decided you need the services of a non-profit lawyer, you want to make sure that the person you're hiring is the best available. To find the best fit for your non-profit, follow these tips:
-
Shop and ask around. Very few lawyers focus on non-profit work. This can make it difficult for you to find a high-quality non-profit lawyer in San Diego. To find the best lawyer for you, it's important to ask and shop around. Contact law firms to see if they do pro bono work. Ask for referrals from other non-profits in the San Diego area. You can even ask friends and family if they have any suggestions.
-
Use referral services. A good way to find any type of lawyer is through a referral service. This is especially true when you use an online service. Online legal referral services allow you to save a great deal of time and money while searching for an attorney. They also provide a wide range of choices. This makes it much easier to find the right attorney for your non-profit.
-
Ask the bar association: There are bar associations across the country that maintain lists of member attorneys. You can browse these lists for non-profit attorneys in San Diego who might be able to work for your non-profit.
Questions to Ask a Non-Profit Lawyer
Once you've narrowed down your options for a non-profit lawyer, you need to interview the likely candidates. Having a list of questions before your interviews will help you decide if an attorney is right for your non-profit. Here is a sampling of questions to ask a non-profit lawyer before hiring:
-
Do they have non-profit experience? It's likely that many attorneys you interview will not have experience working for non-profits. This means they may not be able to perform necessary tasks or secure your tax-exempt status. Any attorney you hire should be very experienced in the non-profit field.
-
Who will work on your case? It is common for attorneys at large law firms to delegate certain tasks to paralegals. This can pose a problem if you want your non-profit lawyer to give your legal tasks personal attention. Ask your attorney if they will be hands-on when working for your non-profit. If they do plan to use a paralegal, get an idea of which tasks the attorney will handle personally and which will be passed to someone else.
-
When will tasks be completed? When starting a non-profit organization, certain tasks must be completed within a specific timeframe. This includes filing for your 501(c)(3) status. Talk to your attorney and ask how quickly they will be able to complete these tasks. A lawyer who delays important non-profit jobs is not the right lawyer for you.
If you're having trouble finding a great non-profit lawyer in San Diego, you need to start searching on UpCounsel. Our attorneys are knowledgeable, experienced, and reasonably priced. When you post your job on the UpCounsel marketplace, you'll be able to choose from the finest non-profit lawyers that San Diego, California, has to offer.
Why use UpCounsel to hire a San Diego Non-Profit Attorney?
Average experience
You always get experienced professionals and high caliber work.
Faster
Your work gets done quickly because professionals are always available.
More cost effective
We use technology to cut traditional overhead and save you thousands.
UpCounsel has been talked about in:
Legal Services Offered by Our On-Demand San Diego Non-Profit Attorneys
On UpCounsel, you can find and connect with top-rated San Diego non-profit attorneys & lawyers that provide a range of non-profit law services for startup non-profits to more seasoned non-profits around the city of San Diego. Any of the top-rated San Diego non-profit lawyers you connect with will be available to help with a variety of your non-profit legal needs on-demand or on an ongoing basis.
From the forming of a non-profit organization to obtaining tax-exempt status from the IRS, to complying with federal and state laws governing fundraising and operations, the advice of experienced San Diego non-profit attorney is crucial throughout each stage of your non-profit’s growth. Whether you are forming a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4), you can easily hire an experienced San Diego non-profit lawyer on UpCounsel for your on-demand or ongoing non-profit legal needs today.
Improve Your Legal ROI with Affordable Non-Profit Attorneys that service San Diego, CA.
What Our Customers Have to Say
"UpCounsel gives me access to big-firm lawyers minus the big-firm price tag. I work with several attorneys on the platform and there are never surprises...I always receive quality legal work at competitive rates that larger firms simply cannot match."
"Every startup needs to know about UpCounsel. We found great attorneys at great prices and were able to focus our resources on improving our business instead of paying legal bills."
"Before UpCounsel it was hard for us to find the right lawyer with the right expertise for our business. UpCounsel solves those problems by being more affordable and helping us find the right lawyer in no time."
Related Articles
How to Start a Nonprofit Organization
- 3 min read
How to Start a Nonprofit Organization
Learn how to start a nonprofit organization by first understanding what it is exactly. Nonprofit organizations invest profits back into the organization rather than distributing profits to the business owner. There are four main types of nonprofit organizations:
- Trade associations. These are organized to serve the interests of a specific trade or profession.
- Charitable organizations. Charitable organizations serve a public purpose. These include organizations dedicated to remedying a social problem or promoting some social good. Museums, libraries, educational institutions, environmental groups, and outreach groups a
...
Read MoreMaster Service Agreement
- 9 min read
Updated June 24, 2020:
A master service agreement is defined as a contract two parties enter into during a service transaction. This agreement details the expectations of both parties.
Master Service Agreement: What Is It?
A master service agreement is when two parties agree to a contract that will settle most details and expectations for both parties. It'll state what each group has to do to honor its end of the bargain. It'll also show which services apply in the master service agreement.
The goal of a master service agreement is to make the contract process faster. It also should make future contract agreements simpler. A master service agreement (MSA) is also called a service level agreement (SLA). It spells out:
- Confidentiality: The parties both agree they won't share any secrets of the company with outside parties.
- Delivery
...
Read MoreBylaws
- 5 min read
Bylaws are the internal legal rules applicable to a corporation and must be followed by the company, its directors, shareholders, and officers when conducting business. They are applicable to both for-profit and nonprofit corporations.
State statutes govern what bylaws can and cannot say and do, and while there are similar considerations throughout the country, every state is different. So, it’s important to consider state-specific laws when drafting bylaws.
Generally, bylaws are legal documents that formally set out the rules of a company. While they may seem like a burden at times, once the company and its personnel are familiar with them and what they require, they can help the company work more efficiently by p
...
Read MoreRepresentations and Warranties
- 7 min read
What are Representations and Warranties?
Representations and warranties in business contracts provide facts (representations) and security against loss (warranties) if the statements made are not true. Representations and warranties may also be shortened to "represents and warrants" in a contract.
If the representation in the contract is found to be false, it is called "inaccurate," while a false warranty is considered breached. Representations always refer to past information, as it is impossible for a company or individual to present future information as factual.
Every contract between two parties includes representations and warranties. For example, if you decide to go to an auto dealership to buy a car, you would enter
...
Read MoreNonprofit Organization Definition
- 5 min read
A nonprofit organization is an entity formed to meet a specific tax-exempt purpose aimed at benefiting the public, a specific group of individuals or the membership of the nonprofit. Nonprofit organizations are prohibited from generating revenue, but instead excess revenues are put back into the operation of the organization – they are not disseminated to owners or investors.
Many of the most familiar nonprofit organizations are 501(c)(3) charitable organizations.
Mission and Tax-Exempt Status
Nonprofits are normally organized around social causes or to serve the public good in ways that government agencies cannot. The mission statements of nonprofits are often tied to specific goals in areas like public welfare, public safety, religion, science, education, art, environmental protection or aid for the less fortunate. A nonprofit may also be created to further non-charitable pursuits
...
Read More