Lawyers Clearinghouse

Nonprofit Incorporation Workshop (Virtual)
2025-03-06 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-07-17 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-09-04 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: Click here. The event fee is $25 per organization, however if it’s difficult to pay you may still register and attend the workshop without it.
An essential overview of how to establish a nonprofit in Massachusetts and obtain a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption, with key points for maintaining tax-exempt status. Strongly recommended for anyone starting a nonprofit. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the presentation slides and additional reference materials. Topics include:

For-profit or nonprofit?
What is a nonprofit?
Incorporating & structuring a nonprofit
Fiscal sponsorship
State reporting & regulation
Federal tax exemption
Ongoing IRS reporting & regulation

Presenters: Sue Abbott, Goodwin; Luke Blackadar, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston

Free Legal Clinic (St. Francis House)
2025-03-07 08:30 - 23:00, 2025-06-06 08:30 - 11:00 | St. Francis House, 39 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02111, United States
Do you need assistance with a civil legal matter? Does your household make under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level? We may be able to connect you with free assistance from volunteer attorneys.

Common case types: Eviction; housing discrimination; housing conditions; Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income (SSI/SSDI) denials and appeals; Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC); credit and tax issues; unemployment; and wills/trusts/estates.
Walk-ins are welcome at in-person clinics. If you would like to sign up in advance or discuss your legal concern in more detail, please contact our Clinic Manager, Sean Thekkeparayil: sthekkeparayil@lawyersclearinghouse.org or 617-544-3434 ext. 110.
View the full 2024-2025 Clinic Schedule

Nonprofit Lobbying, Advocacy, and Political Activities: What’s OK and What’s Not? (Virtual)
2025-03-13 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: Click here. The event fee is $25 per organization, however if it’s difficult to pay you may still register and attend the workshop without it.
Join us for a 90-minute virtual workshop and Q&A covering the basics of nonprofit lobbying, advocacy, and political activities for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. Organizations focused on social, economic, and political issues may find it especially helpful. Attendees will learn:

What constitutes advocacy, lobbying, or political activity;
What rules apply, and what can happen if you break them;
How these rules apply to social media;
Sample language for voter education and “get out the vote” efforts; and
Tips to prevent potential issues.

Presenter: Teresa Santalucia, Klein Hornig

Nonprofit Conflicts of Interest: How to Identify Conflicts and Protect Your Nonprofit (Virtual)
2025-03-18 12:00 - 13:30 | Zoom Video Conferencing
*Please note: This event was originally scheduled for February 27, but has been rescheduled to March 18.*
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: Click here. The event fee is $25 per organization, however if it’s difficult to pay you may still register and attend the workshop without it.
Conflicts of interest, if not managed appropriately, could violate a nonprofit director’s or officer’s duty of loyalty, raise questions for donors, trigger IRS penalties against the nonprofit and individuals, or even cause an investigation by the MA Attorney General’s Office.
Join us for this helpful workshop, presented by Michael (Mike) McGrath, a partner at the law firm of Ropes & Gray, who represents nonprofit organizations on a variety of transactional, corporate governance, compliance and regulatory matters. Topics include:

What are conflicts of interest?
Should your nonprofit have a written conflict of interest policy?
How can you protect your nonprofit from conflicts of interest that could compromise its integrity and result in sanctions or an investigation?

This workshop will begin with a 1-hour presentation on conflicts of interest from 12-1 PM, followed by Q&A from 1-1:30 PM.
Presenter: Michael (Mike) McGrath, Ropes & Gray

Free CORI Sealing Clinic (Virtual)
2025-03-20 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-04-03 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-04-17 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-05-01 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-05-15 16:00 - 18:00, 2025-05-29 15:00 - 18:00, 2025-06-12 16:00 - 18:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Do you need your CORI (criminal record) sealed or expunged? You may be eligible for free assistance from a volunteer attorney, conducted via Zoom video conferencing. Please note, this service is only intended for people with Massachusetts-based criminal records.
How it Works:

To get started, sign up for the waitlist.
When you get to the top of the waitlist, Lawyers Clearinghouse will call you to schedule your clinic date and get your consent to pull a copy of your CORI. Note: It may take some time to receive a date depending on the length of the waitlist.
On your scheduled clinic date, you will meet with volunteer attorneys for 30-60 minutes over video conferencing or by phone. They will share your CORI with you and discuss the eligibility of your record for sealing and/or expungement.
If you are eligible, the attorneys will work with you on filing a petition to request sealing and/or expungement and discuss next steps. If you are not currently eligible, they will discuss your timeline for eligibility. Note: It will take a few months to receive a final sealing and/or expungement decision from Probation or the court.

View the full 2024-2025 Clinic Schedule
Questions? Contact Sean by email or at 617-544-3434 ext. 110.

Free Legal Clinic (Virtual)
2025-03-21 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-18 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-16 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Do you need assistance with a civil legal matter? Does your household make under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level? We may be able to connect you with free assistance from volunteer attorneys.

Common case types: Eviction; housing discrimination; housing conditions; Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income (SSI/SSDI) denials and appeals; Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC); credit and tax issues; unemployment; and wills/trusts/estates.
Appointments are required for virtual clinics. To sign up, please contact our Clinic Manager, Sean Thekkeparayil, to discuss your legal concerns in more detail:
sthekkeparayil@lawyersclearinghouse.org or 617-544-3434 ext. 110.
View the full 2024-2025 Clinic Schedule

Clinic in a Box®: Nonprofit Insurance & Risk Management (In Person)
2025-03-28 10:00 - 12:30 | Mintz, One Financial Center, Boston, MA, 02110, United States
Application: Click here. Applications due by March 7.
Apply to join us for this year’s in-person Clinic in a Box®: Nonprofit Insurance & Risk Management.
If your organization is selected for participation, volunteer attorneys will review your current insurance and risk mitigation policies with you or provide guidance for creating new ones. They will also address new developments in these areas, which nonprofits may find extremely valuable.
Please note: If your organization is selected to participate in the clinic, your executive director, board chair, or other senior staff or board member responsible for governing or managing your organization must be able to attend.
This event is co-sponsored by Corporate Pro Bono, Northeast ACC Chapter, Lawyers Clearinghouse, and Mintz.

Free Legal Clinic (BHCHP)
2025-04-04 08:30 - 11:00 | Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program (BHCHP), 780 Albany St., Boston, MA, 02118, United States

CORI: What Nonprofits Need to Know to Help Their Clients (Virtual)
2025-04-09 10:00 - 11:30, 2025-06-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom Video Conferencing
*Note: This training is not designed to help advise nonprofits on their hiring practices. It is solely focused on assisting clients with criminal records.*
Registration: Sign up here. You will receive a Zoom link upon registration.
This criminal records training is intended for nonprofits whose staff are involved with counseling or offering services in the community to individuals who may have criminal records. It will address the following:

What exactly is a criminal record in Massachusetts? Who has the data? Who gets access to the data?
How can a nonprofit help a client reduce the barriers posed by criminal records?
What is the process to seal a CORI? Can I refer my client to free legal resources for sealing?
What rights do individuals with a sealed CORI have when they are applying for a job? Housing?
What is the process to expunge a charge on a CORI? Are there free legal resources?
What are the concerns for an individual with a CORI who has an immigration issue?

Presenter: Crispin Birnbaum, Access to Justice Fellow

WISP Consultation (Virtual)
2025-04-24 12:00 - 15:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Massachusetts law requires any corporate entity operating in MA which handles personal information (PI) to develop and enforce a Written Information Security Program (WISP).
Apply to join us for a two-part WISP training and consultation, where you will receive assistance updating or creating a WISP tailored to your organization.
This consultation will start with a one-hour pre-recorded training covering cybersecurity at the operational level, followed by one-on-one breakout sessions staffed by volunteer attorneys who will review your current WISP and make recommendations as necessary, or discuss how to develop a new WISP for your nonprofit if needed.
Training Presenter: Ann Westerheim, Ekaru
Volunteer Attorneys: Morgan Lewis
Application/Registration: Apply or register here and someone will follow up with you soon. The training is open to all organizations, as well as waitlisted consultation applicants, while the consultations are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofits and organizations in the process of becoming 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Consultation attendees will be asked to provide a current copy of their organization’s WISP, if they have one.
Consultation fee: $25 per organization upon acceptance. This fee supports our pro bono programs, however it is not required if paying it would impose a difficulty.

Nonprofit Business Planning: A Roadmap for Your Organization (Virtual)
2025-04-30 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: Click here. The event fee is $25 per organization. This fee supports Lawyers Clearinghouse, however if it’s difficult to pay the fee, you may register for the workshop without it.
Do you have a vision for your nonprofit, but you aren’t sure how to make it happen? Is your organization ready to grow or change with a clear, actionable plan? Does your nonprofit want a dynamic way to present its programs and finances to potential funders?
Join us for this exciting workshop on Nonprofit Business Planning with Lu Valena, an artist and businessperson who founded a coffeehouse and gallery in Cambridge, co-founded a tech start-up, and recently founded a nonprofit art publication.
As a coach and consultant, Lu helps people write clear and compelling business plans—for profit and nonprofit—and put them into action. This Nonprofit Business Planning Workshop will include a presentation with plenty of time for Q&A.
Presenter: Lu Valena, Invisible Ink Coaching
*Note: This workshop will be recorded and distributed to registrants.*

Free Legal Clinic (Rosie's Place)
2025-05-02 08:30 - 11:00 | Rosie’s Place (Women-Only), 889 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA, 02118, United States
Please note: Rosie’s Place is a women-only shelter. If you are not eligible to attend, please view the calendar or the full 2024-2025 Clinic Schedule for additional clinics dates.
Do you need assistance with a civil legal matter? Does your household make under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level? We may be able to connect you with free assistance from volunteer attorneys.

Common case types: Eviction; housing discrimination; housing conditions; Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income (SSI/SSDI) denials and appeals; Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC); credit and tax issues; unemployment; and wills/trusts/estates.
Walk-ins are welcome at in-person clinics. If you would like to sign up in advance or discuss your legal concern in more detail, please contact our Clinic Manager, Sean Thekkeparayil: sthekkeparayil@lawyersclearinghouse.org or 617-544-3434 ext. 110.
View the full 2024-2025 Clinic Schedule
Need help with your Massachusetts-based criminal record (CORI)? Learn more about our virtual CORI Sealing & Expungement Clinic and sign up for the waitlist.

Nonprofit Incorporation Workshop (Virtual)
2025-05-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: Click here. The event fee is $25 per organization, however if it’s difficult to pay you may still register and attend the workshop without it.
An essential overview of how to establish a nonprofit in Massachusetts and obtain a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption, with key points for maintaining tax-exempt status. Strongly recommended for anyone starting a nonprofit. Workshop participants will receive a copy of the presentation slides and additional reference materials. Topics include:

For-profit or nonprofit?
What is a nonprofit?
Incorporating & structuring a nonprofit
Fiscal sponsorship
State reporting & regulation
Federal tax exemption
Ongoing IRS reporting & regulation

Presenters: Luke Blackadar, Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston; Alyssa Fitzgerald, Goodwin

Good Governance and Nonprofit Operations in Challenging Times (Virtual)
2025-06-12 12:00 - 14:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Apply or register here. Any Massachusetts nonprofit may register to attend the workshop. Officers, board members, executive directors, and senior managers of Massachusetts nonprofit corporations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) are welcome to register for both the workshop and private consultation.
Fee: $25 per organization upon acceptance. This fee supports Lawyers Clearinghouse, but you may attend even if you are unable to pay.
Good governance and operations are the foundation for a strong, effective organization—and can help nonprofits identify potential legal issues in challenging times. Join us at this Nonprofit Check-In for a one-hour workshop, followed by a private consultation with volunteer attorneys.
Topics will include:

State and Federal registration and reporting obligations
Corporate structure, organizational documents and policies
Board operations
Operational best practices
How to identify some potential legal issues and risks
Finances and fiscal management

This is a two-part program:

12-1 PM: One-hour workshop (open to all Massachusetts nonprofits)
1-2 PM: Private consultation with volunteer attorneys (501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits only)

During the consultation, volunteer attorneys from the Tax-Exempt Organizations Section of the Boston Bar Association will review key aspects of the organization’s governance and operations. Eligible organizations may request a referral through Lawyers Clearinghouse to follow up on legal issues.

Nonprofit Employment Law Basics (Virtual)
2025-06-24 09:30 - 11:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Payment: $25 per organization. This fee supports Lawyers Clearinghouse, but you may attend even if you are unable to pay.
9:30-10:30 AM: Presentation; 10:30-11 AM: Optional Q&A
This seminar will cover the basics of employment law for nonprofits and will answer questions such as:

What constitutes an employee?
What are the legal obligations of an employer?
How do you minimize potential liabilities to protect your organization and employees?

Presenter: Christopher Kaczmarek, Littler Mendelson P.C.

Check-In: Good Governance and Nonprofit Operations in Challenging Times (Virtual)
2025-07-22 13:00 - 16:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Good governance and operations are the foundation for a strong and effective organization! Join us at this Nonprofit Check-In for a one-hour workshop, followed by a private consultation with volunteer attorneys.
Topics will include:

State and Federal registration and reporting obligations
Corporate structure, organizational documents and policies
Board operations
Operational best practices
Finances and fiscal management

This is a two-part program:
1-2 PM: One-hour good governance workshop (open to all Massachusetts nonprofits)
2-4 PM: Private consultation with volunteer attorneys (501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits only)
During the consultation, volunteer attorneys from Goodwin will review key aspects of the organization’s current governance and operational practices. Eligible organizations may request a referral through Lawyers Clearinghouse to follow up on legal issues.
Registration: Join the waitlist or register here. Any Massachusetts nonprofit may register to attend the workshop only, while officers, board members, executive directors, and senior managers of Massachusetts nonprofit corporations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) are welcome to register for the workshop and private consultation.

Fee: $25 per organization upon acceptance. This fee supports Lawyers Clearinghouse, but you may still attend even if you are unable to pay.

Introduction to Fiscal Sponsorship (Virtual)
2025-07-30 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom Video Conferencing
Registration: Click here. You will receive a Zoom link upon sign up.
Fee: $25 per organization. This fee supports Lawyers Clearinghouse, but you may attend even if you are unable to pay.
Looking for a fiscal sponsor for a nonprofit project? Or managing a nonprofit that wants to be a fiscal sponsor? Join us for an overview of some key legal requirements and operations guidelines for fiscal sponsorship.
Fiscal sponsorship allows charitable projects to benefit from the tax-exempt status of the sponsor and provides opportunities for the sponsor to accomplish its charitable mission. There are benefits for both parties—and also risks.
Topics in this workshop include:

Basic structure of Model A and Model C fiscal sponsorships
Risks and benefits of fiscal sponsorship
Key points in fiscal sponsorship agreements
Key considerations for effective operations

Presenters:
Shifrah (Susan) Halevi is the Nonprofit Programs Manager at Lawyers Clearinghouse. As an attorney, she enjoys sharing information about the legal structures that make fiscal sponsorship work.
Lori Gordon is a nonprofit financial and operations leader who served as the Director of Fiscal Sponsorship at Third Sector New England for several years, after a long career in the nonprofit sector. She is committed to the success and long-term sustainability of small mission-based organizations, with and without their 501(c)(3) status. Lori is currently the interim CFO for a Boston- area nonprofit organization.
