The Law (in Plain English) for Nonprofit Organizations

“In easy to understand language, the book walks one through the many different foundational aspects of running a nonprofit—an important tool to have handy on one’s bookshelf!” —Michael Royce, Executive Director, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

Navigating the legal complexities of running a nonprofit organization has never been easier than with the expert advice of authors Leonard DuBoff and Amanda Bryan. Managers, board members, advisers, consultants, contractors, employees, and even donors and volunteers will benefit from the invaluable information contained in The Law (in Plain English)® for Nonprofit Organizations. An approachable guide to planning and problem-solving, this handbook’s chapters cover important topics such as:

• Organizing a nonprofit
• Hiring and working with employees, contractors, and members
• Filing taxes and applying for tax-exempt status
• Fund-raising strategies
• Liability and insurance
• Protecting trademarks and intellectual property
• Zoning and renting space

A comprehensive reference, The Law (in Plain English)® for Nonprofit Organizations, will help all nonprofit members to play their roles with authority and confidence.

Leonard DuBoff is the founder of the DuBoff Law Group, PC. He graduated magna cum laude from Hofstra University with a degree in engineering and summa cum laude from Brooklyn Law School, where he was the research editor of the Brooklyn Law Review. He was a professor of law for almost a quarter of a century, teaching first at Stanford Law School and then at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon. He resides in Portland, Oregon.

Amanda Bryan is a practicing lawyer representing clients from all over the world specializing in intellectual property including copyright, trademark and related subjects. She received her master’s degree in writing with an emphasis in book publishing from Portland State University. She graduated magna cum laude from Lewis and Clark Law School with a certificate in intellectual property law. She resides in Portland, Oregon.

“Highly practical, succinct, and articulate, this guide will be welcomed, and frequently consulted, by anyone responsible for the smooth, productive, and legal operation of a nonprofit organization.” —Booklist

“The Law (in Plain English)® for Nonprofit Organizations is a very good read for organizations that are about to start up or are in the emerging phase. Founders and senior managers will find that the information provided, though it deals with complex issues, avails the reader of the right questions and considerations to be thinking through before delving into or expanding operations. In easy to understand language, the book walks one through the many different foundational aspects of running a nonprofit—an important tool to have handy on one’s bookshelf!” —Michael Royce, executive director, New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

“We work with the boards and senior leadership of nonprofits at every life cycle stage, and there are always complex legal questions facing organizations as they grow, scale up, merge, rebuild, etc. I have yet to find a reference book as comprehensive, concise, and easy to digest as The Law (in Plain English)® for Nonprofit Organizations. It offers practical legal guidance for nonprofit leaders without any of the usual lawyer jargon that frustrates us laypeople. This will be a top recommendation for our clients, and I know I’ll be keeping a copy close at hand for my own purposes!” —Xander Subashi, director of programs, Support Center for Nonprofit Management
 
“The Law (in Plain English)® for Nonprofit Organizations is a wonderful resource for nonprofit leaders. Our organization has worked with Leonard and Mary Ann DuBoff for more than twenty-six years and have benefited from their wealth of knowledge—from copyright, trademark, and contracts to other areas of legal expertise. This book is a great reference no matter where your organization may be in its life cycle.” —Lori Pourier, president and CEO, First Peoples Fund

“An essential guide and wonderful resource, The Law (in Plain English)® for Non-profit Organizations is, as the title indicates, an easy-to-understand explanation of key issues faced by nonprofits. I recommend this comprehensive guide to all nonprofit executives, volunteers, and board members alike.” —Matthew Devore, CEO, Cascade Pacific Council of the Boy Scouts of America
 
“The Law (in Plain English)® for Non-profit Organizations is the best resource for the executive leadership of any nonprofit organization; it address the important issues all nonprofits face as they grow and expand to accomplish their stated missions. The authors have done an outstanding job of taking a very complex subject and making it engaging and easy to understand. As the executive director of a professional nonprofit association, I will encourage all of my board members to keep this excellent resource close to them so it can be readily referred to and guide their decision-making on many topics.” —Phillip Harris, executive director, Association for Educational Communications and Technology
 
“This is a magisterial and comprehensive overview of the variety and constant stream of legal issues faced by non-profit organizations. I highly recommend it.” —Susan Crawford, consultant to non-profits and author of Managing the Future: A Leader’s Guide

“An important resource for nonprofit managers, board members, advisers, and consultants. This book offers a wealth of information about legal issues affecting nonprofits, with especially important coverage of copyrights, trademarks, advertising, and the Internet.” —Cindy Cumfer, attorney and author of The Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Handbook