Running a nonprofit takes passion, structure, and legal foresight. Stratagem Law Group gives mission-driven organizations a Washington nonprofit attorney who has served as a nonprofit CEO and board chair. Therefore, we understand governance from the boardroom, not only from the statute book.
Legal Foundations for Resilient Nonprofits
Whether you are forming a new organization, seeking tax-exempt status, or maintaining compliance, we handle the details so you can lead with purpose. In addition, we help boards understand the line between governance and management, which is where most nonprofit problems begin. Most directors are well-meaning volunteers. However, good intentions do not satisfy fiduciary duties, and clear structure protects both the mission and the people who serve it.
What a Washington Nonprofit Attorney Handles
We serve as outside general counsel to nonprofits of every size. For example, our work includes:
- 501(c)(3) formation and IRS exemption applications
- Bylaws, board policies, and governance structures
- Director and officer duties, conflicts of interest, and board disputes
- Washington Nonprofit Corporation Act and charitable solicitation compliance
- Contracts, grants, and vendor agreements
- Employment, volunteer, and independent contractor issues
- Mergers, affiliations, fiscal sponsorship, and dissolution
- Internal investigations and operational risk assessments
Matthew T. Macklin, JD, MBA
Managing Attorney. Former nonprofit CEO and a sitting board chair, with two decades of executive experience before practicing law. He advises boards and executive directors across Washington.
Governance Training and Board Education
Boards make better decisions when they understand their role. For that reason, we offer board orientation and governance training tailored to your organization, covering fiduciary duties, meeting practice, financial oversight, executive evaluation, and succession. Similarly, we help executive directors build the reporting and documentation that keeps boards informed without micromanagement.
When Challenges Arise
Leadership transitions, funding disputes, allegations of misconduct, and regulatory inquiries all test a nonprofit’s structure. When they do, you need calm, clear, and fearless guidance. We step in quickly, protect the organization, and resolve the matter with as little disruption to the mission as possible. Moreover, our litigation experience means we are ready if a dispute cannot be settled.
Talk with a Washington Nonprofit Attorney
Call 253-313-2284 or contact us online to set up a consultation. If your organization solicits donations in Washington, you can confirm its registration status through the Secretary of State’s Charities Program.
Let Us Handle the Legal Side. You Focus on the Mission.
Serving nonprofits throughout Washington State, in person and virtually.
