When starting a nonprofit organisation, there are many challenges to face, including some legal hurdles that may require you to hire a nonprofit lawyer. While corporate lawyers who specialise in nonprofits aren’t a requirement when starting an organisation, it sure is a huge advantage. A lawyer can help you navigate the process and prevent you from going into any legal trouble. If you’re curious about starting your own nonprofit, here are some frequently asked questions and their answers about how lawyers can help your charitable organisation.
1. Where Can I Find a Nonprofit Lawyer?
The most reliable way to find a nonprofit lawyer is through referrals. You can ask for referrals from another nonprofit organisation, a local bar association, or maybe a local law school that might have a clinic that can provide free or low-cost representation. Of course, searching online is also an option, but referral could turn up with better results.
2. How Much Will a Nonprofit Lawyer Charge?
The total cost of hiring a nonprofit lawyer all depends on the kind of service you may require of them. Most lawyers charge in one of these ways:
- Hourly Fee – This is the most common way that lawyers charge for services. The fees themselves vary depending on the lawyer. A $150 hourly fee seems to be the average but can easily go much higher if they work in bigger cities.
- Flat Fee – Now, if you’ll be hiring a lawyer for a specific service and at a limited time, they usually charge a flat fee for their services. Some examples of lawyers services that commonly go with a flat fee are anything to do with contracts, business formation, intellectual property, and real estate transactions.
- Hybrid Fee – Some legal practitioners do a hybrid of both hourly and flat fees, depending on the situation. For example, a lawyer may charge a flat fee for preparing and filing a complaint or answer and then hourly fees for depositions and trial work.
3. How can My Organisation Afford a Nonprofit Attorney?
Perhaps one of the most pressing questions is, how can a nonprofit organisation afford to hire a lawyer? Since your organisation isn’t operating for a profit, you might expect that a lawyer would be willing to donate their time to your organisation. While it’s possible, that’s actually quite a long shot. Paying for their services is still the way to go. You can always negotiate with the lawyer and ask for a flat fee, or you can talk about limiting the scope of the representation to keep your costs down.
4. Will One Lawyer be Enough?
Nonprofits have a variety of legal needs, which means hiring one may not be enough. While this is more the case for larger and more established organisations, it can still happen to your nonprofit. If a solo lawyer is handling a contract, since that is their expertise, if you’re having a trademark dispute, then a different lawyer may be needed for that.
Conclusion
Starting your own nonprofit organisation will be a lot easier if you have a legal professional working with you to guide you on the complexities of corporate law. These questions should give you an idea of what to expect when hiring a lawyer.
GLG Legal is an ambitious and innovative law practice based in Brisbane. As commercial and property law specialists, we provide our clients with real-world solutions to help them overcome any legal troubles. If you need corporate and commercial lawyers, GLG Legal is the one to call. Contact us today to request a consultation.
