Best Lawyers in America for Nonprofit / Charities Law

Sue Abbott, a partner in Goodwin’s Trusts & Estate Planning practice, is the chair of the firm’s Exempt Organization group, former chair of the firm's Higher Education practice, and a member of the firm's Impact and Responsible Investing practice. She focuses her practice on tax-exempt organizations, probate and trust law, and estate planning, with a particular emphasis on charitable planning. She advises tax-exempt organizations on issues related to their formation, operation...

Attorney Johanna J. Allex is a partner in Stafford Rosenbaum LLP 's Madison office where she helps families and individuals plan for and manage life’s expected and unexpected transitions. Johanna’s law practice covers all aspects of estate planning and estate administration, marital property law, business succession planning, and tax-exempt organization planning and operations. Johanna is a Certified Public Accountant and serves on the Firm’s Board of Directors. Johanna&rsqu...

Oliver F. Ames, Jr. is a partner whose practice is concentrated in the areas of trusts & estates and exempt organizations. Olly's practice focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable giving and private foundation matters. In addition to having extensive experience with probate law and gift and estate tax issues, Olly frequently handles real estate and corporate matters as they relate to clients' estate planning needs. Prior to joining Casner & Edwards, LLP,...

Elizabeth is a partner in the private client and tax team at Withers Bergman LLP. She focuses her efforts on estate planning, planned giving and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth represents clients in matters related to family wealth transfers for large estates, sophisticated estate and gift tax saving techniques, charitable planned giving, and complex probate and trust administrations. She also regularly represents tax-exempt organizations in formation, organizational and operational issue...

Margaret L. Behm has earned the reputation as the go-to person in 45 years of representing clients and forging coalitions for change. After beginning her legal career in 1976 at Legal Services if Middle Tennessee, Inc., Behm and Marietta Shipley in 1980 founded Shipley and Behm, the city's first all-woman law firm. “Back then, women just weren’t taken seriously as business owners or lawyers,” Behm says. “I wanted to run my own business and demonstrate that women could ...

Leah Bishop focuses her practice on tax planning for high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. Her areas of focus cover a wide range of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, entertainment and professional services. Passionate about philanthropy, Leah also has extensive experience in the areas of charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations. Leah’s estate planning experience includes all matters pertaining to hig...

Michael B. Bressman is Of Counsel with the firm. Additionally, he serves as Professor of the Practice of Law at Vanderbilt Law School, where he has taught a variety of courses such as Contracts, the Law of Cyberspace, and Art Law. Michael directs the law school’s clerkship program, which supports students and graduates applying for post-graduation judicial clerkships. With a career spanning more than 25 years in premier law firms, as in-house corporate counsel, and as a professor at one...

Douglas C. Carlson has extensive experience in corporate, partnership, individual and estate tax matters. The primary emphasis of his practice is on transactional planning, including acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and limited partnership syndications, liquidations and executive compensation, including stock options and deferred compensation. He has substantial experience in compliance activities, controversy matters, and state and local tax matters. As a business law attorney,...

At Withers Bergman LLP, Steven focuses his practice on estate planning, trust and estate administration, charitable giving and representing tax-exempt organizations. He has designed and used computer modeling to show the economic consequences of various estate planning and charitable giving techniques. Steven is also experienced in the area of executive compensation, focusing on compensation and intermediate sanctions issues for tax-exempt organizations. Steven has represented exempt organiza...

John E. Christopher is a partner at Manley Burke, LPA. He primarily practices in the areas of nonprofit organizations, business organizations, tax, and estate planning. John’s tax focused education and his years of experience in working with a broad variety of nonprofit organizations (both charities and non-charities) allow him to provide focused, relevant and usable legal advice to his nonprofit clients in all phases of their operations, from creation and start up through termination. ...

Kathie Coyle has practiced in the areas of estate planning and tax-exempt organizations for more than three decades. She does complex estate planning for individuals, many of whom are charitably inclined. Ms. Coyle has a particular interest in inter-generational issues that arise in the realm of charitable giving and wealth transfer. She assists clients in effective philanthropic strategies, particularly in the area of private foundations and charitable trusts. Ms. Coyle’s clients also ...

David A. DeJarnett is a partner in the Martinsburg office of Bowles Rice and concentrates his practice in trust and estate law, federal and state taxation, and corporate, LLC and partnership law. His estate planning practice includes providing clients with planning techniques to meet their objectives. These objectives may include minimizing the effect of estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes through the use of credit shelter trusts, charitable remainder trusts and irrevocable li...

As both a lawyer and certified public accountant, Christopher J. Dine represents corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), trusts, foundations, and individual clients in tax, general business, and commercial matters. He regularly advises religious, non-profit, and tax-exempt organizations relating to obtaining and maintaining exempt status, corporate governance affairs, and general operational issues. Mr. Dine works extensively with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detr...

Jill Dodd chairs the firm’s estate planning and personal representation practice, focusing on gift, estate and philanthropic planning for very-high-net-worth individuals and families. Jill counsels very-high-net-worth individuals in all aspects of gift, estate and philanthropic planning. She has extensive experience designing and implementing a variety of sophisticated structures, including family limited partnerships, grantor retained annuity trusts, insurance trusts, complex grantor t...

For more than 40 years, Harlan Dodson has been helping people and businesses solve problems and plan for the future. Clients seeking general business advice, estate planning services, or problem solving and advice generally count on his vast experience and track record of getting the job done. Dodson provides hands-on guidance for his clients, whether working with them to launch a business, structure a complex real estate deal, or draft a will. He learned this dedication from his attorney fat...

Eleanor Evans has over 20 years’ experience representing nonprofit and for-profit organizations in a diverse range of legal, governance and compliance matters. She provides practical advice to private foundations, public charities and other tax-exempt organizations on strategic initiatives and day-to-day operations. Having served nonprofit organizations in senior legal and management positions, Eleanor understands the opportunities and challenges her clients face. She works collaborativ...

RANDY E. FISHER is an attorney with the law firm of Thomas & Fisher, P.A. in Greenville, South Carolina. He practices in the areas of taxation, estate planning, trusts and estates, probate, partnership, limited liability company and corporate law, and mergers and acquisitions. He is a certified specialist in the fields of both Taxation Law, and Estate Planning and Probate Law by The Supreme Court of South Carolina. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Taxation Law,...

Alyssa Fitzgerald is a counsel in the firm's Trusts and Estate Planning practice. She focuses her practice on advising tax-exempt organizations. She provides guidance to tax-exempt and taxable entities on a variety of issues ranging from formation, sale of assets, mergers, joint ventures and partnerships, foreign activities, political campaign activity and lobbying, charitable sales promotions and corporate sponsorship, planned giving and compliance with intermediate sanctions and self-dealin...

Jeffrey M. Folkman is experienced in all phases of estate and charitable planning for individuals and families, including those where family-owned businesses are involved. Plans range from the modest in size to the very large and sophisticated. He works extensively with corporate trustees, financial planners, insurance agents, accountants and consultants. Jeffrey is also experienced in the administration of trusts and estates. Jeffrey is knowledgeable with stock and asset acquisitions, dispos...

Paul Frimmer focuses on estate planning, wills and trusts, probate and trust administration, postmortem tax planning, probate litigation, art law, charitable giving, and tax issues relating to these matters. Widely regarded as one of the top estate planning attorneys in the country, Paul has received numerous accolades for his work. He’s known for taking a collaborative approach with his clients and guiding them toward the best decisions tailored to meet their individual needs. Paul has...

Tom Garth practices in the areas of taxation, corporate and estate tax, estate planning, qualified retirement plan, corporate, mergers and acquisitions, foreign tax planning, securities, and health care. He has practiced before Probate Courts, State Courts, U. S. District Courts, and Tax Courts. Mr. Garth regularly represents clients in the formation of family limited partnerships, LLCs, grantor retained annuity trusts, grantor trusts and other leveraged estate planning opportunities. In addi...

Jon Gaston advises public and private clients on a wide range of federal and state tax matters. Renowned as among the leading legal practitioners in the tax-exempt arena, Jon provides strategic counsel to public charities, private foundations, and various nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. His nearly two decades of experience spans a broad range of tax issues, including the formation and maintenance of tax-exempt status, governance, international grantmaking, regulatory compliance, tax-e...

Chair of the firm’s Associations and Foundations group, Paula Goedert represents nonprofit organizations, including professional societies, trade associations, public charities and private foundations. Paula offers a depth of experience in guiding nonprofits through the challenges they face, and appreciates the opportunity to help make a difference. Paula serves as general or lead counsel for many national associations that represent prominent economy-drivers, industries and professiona...

John concentrates his practice in tax-exempt organizations, estate planning, sophisticated charitable giving, private foundation tax planning and the unrelated business income tax. He has also lectured extensively in the tax area. John has helped organize and establish the qualifications for numerous private and public foundations and other charitable organizations including schools, medical research, religious, social welfare and cultural organizations.

Joanne Grimes is a Partner in the firm’s Honolulu Office and is licensed to practice law in Hawaii and Guam. She has over two decades of experience in representing institutional businesses, nonprofit organizations, and private and charitable trusts in matters involving governance, employment & employee benefits, procurement, contracts, proprietary rights protection, fiduciary duties and trust administration. Ms. Grimes is a Certified Financial Planner™ professional and is acti...

Mr. Grissom's primary practice areas are nonprofit organizations, business and corporate law and tax. Mr. Grissom represents a wide variety of public charities, private foundations, and other nonprofit organizations, including scientific research organizations, social welfare organizations, professional societies, trade groups, educational institutions and related groups, religious organizations, business leagues, hospitals and related groups, social clubs, and organizations dedicated to anim...

Henry Grix focuses his practice on Estate Planning & Administration and Taxation. He is experienced in developing and implementing enforceable estate plans for the management and transfer of assets during life and at death in ways that avoid unnecessary taxation, preserve privacy and protect loved ones. He counsels clients about achieving their charitable intentions through tax-efficient outright gifts, 'lead' and/or charitable remainder trusts, private foundations, donor advised funds an...

Brett Harris is a shareholder on the Corporate team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Her corporate practice includes transactional matters and counseling, including stock and asset acquisitions, document drafting and negotiation and regulatory compliance matters. Ms. Harris has a particular focus on counseling non-profit organizations including entity formation, establishing and maintaining tax exempt status and complying with fundraising regulations. She has also developed a corporate...

Clarke represents a wide array of businesses in many different types of business transactions. For more than 40 years, he has successfully negotiated commercial leases for tenants and landlords, formed venture capital funds for institutional investors, represented management in various transactions involving employment agreements, separation agreements, and various types of equity and phantom equity compensation arrangements. He is committed to providing cost effective, high quality legal ser...

Wood Herren concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate transactions, federal, state and local taxation, exempt organizations, emerging businesses, health care organizations and industrial development. He is also regularly involved in transactions for the purchase, sale, lease and exchange of private aircraft. Wood advises clients on a broad range of corporate matters, including structuring, financing, and negotiation of business acquisitions and dispositions, entity conversions, join...

Dan is a Fellow, Regent, and past Tennessee State Chair of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and serves on the ACTEC Charitable Planning and Exempt Organizations Committee. He is a member of the Knoxville, Tennessee, and Florida Bar Associations, The National Lawyers Association, and the Christian Legal Society. Dan served on the Tennessee Probate Study Group from 1986 to 2008, a joint ACTEC and Tennessee Bar committee responsible for reviewing and drafting proposed sta...

Jamie G. Houston, III, was admitted to the Mississippi Bar in 1976. He has been admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Mississippi, and the United States Tax Court. His experience includes practice in corporate and business law, tax and estate planning and administration. Jamie is a Certified Public Accountant (Retired).

Elizabeth H. Hutchins is a shareholder in Dentons Sirote’s Birmingham, Alabama office, where she is a member of the Trusts, Estates and Wealth Preservation practice group and serves on the Firm's board of directors. Her practice includes planning for the management and distribution of clients' estates to accomplish their goals and to minimize estate taxes using sophisticated estate planning tools and techniques. She counsels business owners regarding succession planning. In probate admi...

Jerald A Jacobs is a Washington attorney and head of the Nonprofit Organizations practice of the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP law firm. That practice annually provides legal counseling and advocacy for over 150 national trade associations, professional societies, cause organizations, and charities. He is also head of the 75-attorney Public Practices and Public Policy Sections of the firm. His practice includes antitrust and trade regulation, health law, litigation, nonprofit corporate ...

Chris Jedrey represents nonprofit and for-profit provider and health plan clients in merger, acquisition, affiliation, and joint venture transactions; sales of nonprofit assets and operations to for-profit companies; and conversions from taxable to tax-exempt status. He represents academic medical centers for a variety of matters, including clinical network development, clinical research issues and faculty practice plan structures. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/jedrey-christ...

Norah Jones is a founder and principal of C3 Legal LLC. Norah’s practice focuses primarily on representing public charities and private foundations. She also advises family offices and founders in the creation and operation of new philanthropic vehicles. She has a particular passion for organizations focused on economic justice and community safety.

Stephen J. Knerly, Jr. focuses his practice on matters involving art transactions, nonprofit corporate law, closely held and family-owned businesses and international commercial transactions. Josh serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Non-Profit Institutions section. In his art law practice, Josh has represented museums, foundations, trusts and collectors in the acquisition, disposition, lending and borrowing of and estate planning for works of art, including domestic and international trans...

LISA A. KRUPICKA is a member of the law firm of Burch, Porter & Johnson, PLLC, in Memphis, where she heads the firm’s Labor and Employment Law group. She received her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Rhodes College, and her J.D. degree, with high honors, from Duke University where she was a member of the Duke Law Journal and the Order of the Coif. From 1986 to 1987, she was law clerk to the Honorable Julia Smith Gibbons (then United States District Judge for the Western District o...

Ovide’s expertise encompasses substantial legal territory. He has experience in complex business and litigation transactions, and has also served as an advisor to various non-profit and charitable institutions. From representing 350 manufactured housing owners both in litigation and in a complex real estate transaction in order to enable them to purchase their community to dissolving and reorganizing a major healthcare merger, Ovide brings strategic, creative and practical solutions to ...

William R. Lane Jr. is a partner in Holland & Knight's Tampa office and practices in the areas of trusts and estates, tax exempt organizations and family business succession planning. Mr. Lane is the North/Central Florida regional team leader for the firm’s Private Wealth Services Practice Group. Mr. Lane works primarily in the areas of estate planning, family business succession planning, and resolution of disputes involving trusts, estates, their fiduciaries and beneficiaries. He ...