Good Counsel - by Lesley Rosenthal (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A concise overview of the legal needs of nonprofit organizations, Good Counsel is a compact and personable overview of the legal needs of nonprofits, crafted by one of America's most astute nonprofit general counsels. The book distills the legal needs of the 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States.Written in a clear and accessible style, with plenty of humor and storytelling as well as illustrative case studies, Good Counsel explains the basics of nonprofit corporate law, governance, and the tax exemption. It then takes a department-by-department look at legal topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, communications, human resources, operations, contracts, government relations, and more. Good Counsel is designed help organizations fulfill their missions to do the public good.Designed to impart confidence and demystify the issues, Good Counsel is a must-read for nonprofit professionals and board members as well as lawyers and law students. Using Good Counsel as their playbook, lawyers, executives, and trustees can get an overview of the most common legal, governance, and compliance issues facing their organization and together ramp up a top-notch legal function. Contains practice pointers, checklists, and assessment tools Features sample contracts, licenses, and other form documents Filled with case studies and end-of-chapter focus questions, as well as available lesson plans for easy classroom use by educators in business, management, public policy, and law schools Good Counsel is the first-of-its-kind guidebook written by the sitting General Counsel of a major nonprofit. Written by influential author, speaker, and Bar leader Lesley Rosenthal, the General Counsel of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Good Counsel shares the insights of a Harvard Law School graduate with years of in-house and business law experience as well as board service"--

Book Synopsis

A concise overview of the legal needs of nonprofit organizations

Good Counsel is a compact and personable overview of the legal needs of nonprofits, crafted by one of America's most astute nonprofit general counsels. The book distills the legal needs of the 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations in the United States.Written in a clear and accessible style, with plenty of humor and storytelling as well as illustrative case studies, Good Counsel explains the basics of nonprofit corporate law, governance, and the tax exemption. It then takes a department-by-department look at legal topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, communications, human resources, operations, contracts, government relations, and more. Good Counsel is designed help organizations fulfill their missions to do the public good.

Designed to impart confidence and demystify the issues, Good Counsel is a must-read for nonprofit professionals and board members as well as lawyers and law students. Using Good Counsel as their playbook, lawyers, executives, and trustees can get an overview of the most common legal, governance, and compliance issues facing their organization and together ramp up a top-notch legal function.

• Contains practice pointers, checklists, and assessment tools
• Features sample contracts, licenses, and other form documents
• Filled with case studies and end-of-chapter focus questions, as well as available lesson plans for easy classroom use by educators in business, management, public policy, and law schools

Good Counsel is the first-of-its-kind guidebook written by the sitting General Counsel of a major nonprofit. Written by influential author, speaker, and Bar leader Lesley Rosenthal, the General Counsel of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Good Counsel shares the insights of a Harvard Law School graduate with years of in-house and business law experience as well as board service.

From the Back Cover

If you care about nonprofits and their legal needs, this is your playbook. Never before has the General Counsel of a major organization taken readers on a grand tour that summarizes the legal responsibilities and opportunities of nonprofits. With illustrative examples from human services, higher education, cultural, and other organizations, Good Counsel helps executives, board members, and lawyers avoid mistakes and serve with excellence.

Highly relevant for lawyers and non-lawyers alike, Good Counsel distills to their essentials the legal needs of one million public charities in the United States: nonprofit corporate law and governance, the tax exemption, and business law topics relevant to program, fundraising, finance, human resources, communications, operations, and more.

With focus questions, practice pointers, actionable checklists, work plans, and sample documents, the book and its companion website invite readers to:

• Energize the boardroom with role clarity and trustee engagement
• Boost fundraising activities
• Negotiate contracts that serve the organization's best interests
• Support a committed workforce with sound employment policies
• Strengthen the organization's name and protect its good works
• Understand the business model and applicable regulations
• Find the sweet spot for entrepreneurial initiatives
• Lobby effectively . . . without crossing the line
• Start up or step up a network of legal supporters

Good Counsel also reveals how nonprofits and lawyers work together, how they find one another, and how the smart ones leverage their relationships to the greatest benefit of all.

Review Quotes

"Great resource... Her writing style is less lawyerly, and well, human. The book is filled with stories, practical resources, and tools." Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media

"Remarkable, up-to-date and virtually all-inclusive practice treatment...An impressive array of guidelines and how-to suggestions and materials intended to train incoming counsel and those on both sides of the attorney-client relationship." New York Bar Journal

"A true must-read for nonprofit lawyers, executives, board members and even law students....If you interact with nonprofits, this is the book." New York Law Journal

"Rosenthal gives us the scoop on how lawyers can parlay their firm experience into a job in the nonprofit sector." (amlawydaily, April 2012)

"There is no doubt that once you have this book in your hands, you'll be grateful, whether you're a development director, the ED, or a 'member of the board'. Add Good Counsel to your nonprofit management bookshelf and make sure that your entire management team knows about it." (About.com, February 2012)

About the Author

LESLEY ROSENTHAL leads the legal, governance, and compliance functions of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. Since 2005 she has fashioned the legal context for the renowned arts center's world-class cultural and educational offerings, its entrepreneurial initiatives in media, fashion, and international consulting, and the $1.2 billion redevelopment of its iconic physical complex. Rosenthal has served in many roles throughout the nonprofit sector, including for the New York State Bar Association and its Foundation. For thirteen years she was in private practice as a business, litigation, and technology lawyer at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in Manhattan. Rosenthal graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. The National Organization for Women (NOW-nyc) has named her a "Woman of Power and Influence." Follow her on Twitter @GoodCounselBook.