What is a Not for Profit Law Career?
A nonprofit law job is a career that enables you to work with one or more not-for-profit organizations. These charitable organizations do not make a profit and instead give back to communities or individuals in need. What they do make, however, are many available jobs for nonprofit lawyers. What these roles entail can vary greatly from one nonprofit organization to another. However, there are clearly defined duties and responsibilities that typically apply to nonprofit law jobs. For instance, a nonprofit lawyer must always remain aware of and adhere to ever-changing tax and regulatory laws . They have other duties as well, such as overseeing compliance in the way an organization functions, from its financial, governance and management activities to its advocacy and lobbying efforts. Nonprofit lawyers also help organizations such as themselves to develop and implement major policy decisions and identify legal issues. They may go further by helping groups with their fundraising efforts, although this is usually conducted in conjunction or under the supervision of the development department. According to Bloomberg, the average salary for nonprofit lawyers in Chicago is $89,380, while Houston pays its attorneys in this field an average of $78,000.
Skills and Requirements
The educational requirements for a career in nonprofit law are similar to that of other legal careers, with the obvious exception that some schools have programs specifically targeting nonprofit law. For a traditional legal career, a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited American Bar Association (ABA) school is preferred. And as with other legal specialties, courts often favor recent graduates. This preference can extend beyond a single scholarship, such as Equal Justice Works, which is a program active throughout the United States that helps new attorneys gain experience working with nonprofits to help low-income people.
Law school coursework also overlaps with other fields, in particular those linked to business practice. Because many nonprofits operate with the same structure as a traditional business—albeit with a different goal—students may benefit from obtaining expertise in subjects such as corporate law or securities regulation. Expertise in these areas is useful for both the attorney and client, as many nonprofits are similar in complexity and goals to traditional businesses.
Beyond their law school experiences, many nonprofit lawyers further their expertise with a postgraduate qualification in tax law, even though this field is not normally key to their employment. Some prefer an LLM degree, enhanced standing for international students. Some may also choose to get a master’s in business administration (MBA) or a doctorate in laws (SJD), but both are rare. Many nonprofit organizations do actually value a solid agency experience much higher than an additional postgraduate qualification.
Legal skills specific to nonprofits can include extensive knowledge of tax law, in particular 501(c)(3) exemptions. Nonprofits will benefit from having an attorney who has studied issues such as the Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) and allowed business concerns.
In addition to traditional legal skills, it is also possible to break into the nonprofit sector by having other qualifications. This could include fields such as human resources, finance, and marketing. Many lawyers are trained in these fields prior to going into nonprofit practice, and these skills are valuable to many NGOs.
There are also additional certifications in subjects such as immigration, environmental law, and civil rights and liberties.
Perks of Nonprofit Lawyers
For lawyers drawn to a cause, working for a nonprofit can be not just a job, but a calling. When you work for a nonprofit, you are providing services that change lives. You know that your work has meaning in an immediate and concrete way. In addition to deriving fulfillment from the work itself, there are other benefits to working in the nonprofit sector. You will often find an environment of empathy where your co-workers are supportive of your decisions or thorough in their decision making, and where they strive to address complex issues with compassion and respect. Working in a nonprofit also usually means securing a flexible work schedule. Many nonprofit organizations allow for flexibility that enables their employees to balance their lives outside of work, whether they are caregivers, have school aged children or just want to pursue interests outside of work. The nonprofit sector has a decentralized structure and a singular focus that allows attorneys to do substantive advanced work early on in their careers. Junior associates that work for a nonprofit and are flexible about taking assignments may have opportunities to work on high-stakes issues that affect the lives of many individuals.
Drawbacks of Practicing Not for Profit Law
After having discussed what it is like to work and progress as a student or attorney among the ranks of the nonprofit "bar," we must look at challenges and obstacles that are associated with working for a nonprofit.
Some in-house officials have expressed that there is little opportunity for internal advancement within large nonprofit organizations, while others express just the opposite. Due to budget constraints, job descriptions and responsibilities are often combined, making movement from department to department within a nonprofit organization more difficult. Lawyer-laypeople cannot move up the ladder due to the lack of suitable resources in the departments to where they are assigned, hence the numerous hats lawyers wear at a nonprofit organization.
Additionally, lawyers may only receive a raise in proportion to the respective increase in a nonprofit organization’s budget. Salary increases are based on what can be afforded to raise the wages of all respective employees across a board.
According to the Compensation Data Center, the average bonus received by an employee of a nonprofit organization is $327. Researchers for this organization have revealed that private sector legal salaries remain at least 60% higher than their nonprofit counterparts. In fact, approximately two-thirds of the 10 highest paying legal departments in America were private or public companies. Nonprofit organizations simply do not have the money necessary to keep pace with the salaries of their private sector brethren. Moreover, the data shows that nonprofit employees receive an average of 7% less than the bottom third of their comparably paid private sector colleagues. Similarly, salaries for associate general counsels at colleges and universities averaged slightly less than $143,000, as compared to the almost $200,000 received by their private sector colleagues. Senior vice presidents of law and public policy at nonprofits made approximately $189,000, as compared to the $247,000 paid at comparable private sector entities.
Common Employers and Opportunities
For those interested in government affairs or public interest law, nonprofits are also a natural career destination, and more specifically, public-interest law firms that represent clients who would otherwise not be able to afford decent legal representation, again largely including low-income individuals but also frequently neighborhoods or groups who are victims of discrimination.
Career options in this area exist with organizations that focus on disability issues, social justice, employment assistance and education, to name just a few. For instance, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, the Youth Law Center, the Legal Aid Society, the National Urban League, the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund have many legal opportunities for recent grads, offering a fascinating variety of issues to address ranging from problems in educational settings, medical treatment or housing to civil or political rights.
In addition to public interest nonprofits, there are many private non-profit organizations that provide legal services or advice . In fact, many such organizations, many of which are religiously based, may be considered small law firms or affiliations among smaller attorneys or legal service organizations such as the Catholic Archdiocese, Catholic Charities Legal Network, International Institute of San Francisco, Shanti Project or the United Farm Workers Foundation.
Finally, there is a considerable workforce needed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The Red Cross employs more than 12,500 professionals and volunteers who, with assistance from local workers, deliver humanitarian service across the world. Many humanitarian workers and mission staff members are hired for six months to one year terms and possess a mix of experience, skills, cultural understanding and languages in order to help ensure safe, effective, elegant, and efficient Red Cross and Red Crescent operations.
The IFRC seeks lawyers for a number of specific types of projects, such as registration and coordination, project management, child protection, environmental management, or international humanitarian law.
Lawyers ending up working in non-profits frequently come from large law firms. Nonprofits tend to recruit most heavily from large prestigious law schools, which are less likely to provide candidates for small or mid-sized firms.
How to Begin
Breaking into the nonprofit sector as a lawyer requires both do-it-yourself and networking from students. Typically it is easy for students to land summer law firm jobs, judicial internships, or government positions. However, applying to work at a nonprofit does not work the same way; there is no "NPO Consortium" and there are no "NGO on Campus" programs. This is also the reason why there are no formal career paths into nonprofit law practice. In effect, you have to create your own. The first step is to find out what you are interested in, then research opportunities in that area that would match your skill set. Internships are a great way to gain insight into the ways in which nonprofits function and discover how the machine works slowly crystallizes. Internships are not limited to just the summer; they can be part time during the academic year, or even full time for a short period of time. Finding opportunities can be tricky. Research the Internet for postings on organization websites, volunteer opportunities, or ask for contacts from professors who may have connections in the field, mentors, or organizations’ professional members. Once you have learned about an organization that interests you, draft a targeted cover letter and résumé. If you still have no luck, call them and ask to speak to the hiring manager. If there isn’t a position available, ask if they would be willing to bring you in for informational interviews. This will give you insight into how the organization operates, as well as the contacts you need to create future opportunities. If you are still attending law school, take advantage of the opportunities provided by your career office. They may have contacts and ideas to help you navigate this unique field. Networking is essential. Finding lawyers to meet who have worked for a range of organizations for a variety of lengths of time is a critical resource. By going to conferences, attending nonprofit law events, etc., you may be able to create another opportunity in a different organization. By meeting different lawyers you will be able to better determine which organization offers the best fit for you. Professional organizations offer great resource bases in addition to the networking opportunities. They often have job postings and other resources to assist individuals in the job search process. In addition, these organizations will sometimes create opportunities through collaborations with other organizations.
Future Trends for Nonprofit Law
One of the most exciting aspects about career paths in the law is that they are constantly in flux. Lawyers make their careers so that they can help the people they want to help. Changes in technology, policy, and the economy can all result in new or expanding areas of legal practice. What does the future hold for nonprofit attorneys in particular?
Technological Advancements and Nonprofit Law
The rise of digital communication has democratized the provision of legal assistance, raising the specter of "robo-lawyers" who provide legal aid to countless clients for less than the price of a latte. Continued investment in artificial intelligence will surely alter how legal service across the board functions, but nonprofit law will become even more critical in a technology-driven society.
The benefits of technology in the field of law are clear. Outside of a developing digital divide, the rise of prepackaged legal documents, consultations with "real-life" lawyers, and automated services have the potential to make legal representation accessible to impoverished clients. For many citizens in the world, however, access to the internet is a luxury. While limited to the online world, these services fail to provide aid to rural populations, homeless communities, and areas with no reliable internet connections. In many communities, these are the very people most in need of legal representation.
Policy Changes
State and federal government policies are in constant flux. Laws about immigration status, asylum applications, border security and human trafficking, just to name a few practice areas, are constantly expanding and changing. Even aspects of nonprofit law such as tax exemption and liability protections are the subject of ongoing discussion in Congress . Laws change at a rapid pace in the 21st century, and the future of nonprofit law will be in the hands of those agile enough to grapple with constant policy transformation.
A Growing Need for Human Rights Advocacy
We live in an age of increasing economic disparity. The gap between the rich and poor in America continues to grow, with the bottom 20% of American households experiencing negative income growth. Reform movements and advocacy organizations are more critical than ever before, from fighting for a sustainable planet to the protection of LGBTQ+ rights. Nonprofits and nonprofit law firms are frequently the only source of legal representation available to underprivileged groups both at home and abroad. Advocacy organizations, such as the ACLU, NAACP, and SPLC, have seen a significant increase in volunteer opportunities lately due to rising global tensions, and forward-thinking charitable organizations are already capitalizing on this by reevaluating their volunteer programs and career offerings.
Thanks to a boom in the health and science sectors, global populations are living longer than ever before. With the increase in senior populations in many countries has come an increase in the demand for geriatric medical expertise. Nonprofit firms concerned with longevity issues are likely to prosper in the coming years as they join forces with for-profit organizations to tackle issues such as accessible healthcare and retirement planning.
Budding nonprofit attorneys may wonder what trend they should follow. Will the future be bright for nonprofit lawyers? One thing is certain: opportunities for nonprofit attorneys will continue to expand as long as people continue to care about the needs of others.