A nonprofit’s board members (e.g., its directors, trustees, elders, etc.) are legally responsible for everything the nonprofit does. State and federal laws controls how boards govern and set high standards for board member conduct. While failure to satisfy these legal standards (i.e., board members’ “fiduciary duties”) can result in personal liability to directors and other significant penalties. the law also provides protections for board members who act in an ethical and accountable manner.
At The Law Firm for Non-Profits, we strive to support board members in ensuring they always act in compliance with their fiduciary duties. We train them and give them the tools to excel. Among those tools are a nonprofit’s bylaws. Great bylaws help educate board members about their duties and serve as an instruction manual for board conduct. We have helped thousands of nonprofits understand and improve their bylaws.
We support and guide boards and their members in the full range of their legal duties and accountability issues, including:
- Understanding and complying with board member duty and liability;
- Addressing, as appropriate, potential self-dealing, conflicts of interest and nonprofit insider transactions;
- Updating and revising bylaws;
- Proper board procedures such as elections, notices of meetings and the preparation of meeting minutes;
- Establishing and complying with best practices;
- Implementing a full range of board and corporate policies and procedures;
- Addressing complaints filed against a board or individual directors;
- Meeting legally mandated public disclosure requirements; and
- Handling and resolving board disputes.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help your nonprofit thrive.