Most organizations trying to gain legal nonprofit status don't have the money to pay a lawyer thousands of dollars for help. Fortunately, they don't have to.

James W. Martin is a Florida Bar Board Certified Real Estate Lawyer and Adjunct Professor of Law at Stetson University College of Law who, for over forty years, has practiced Florida real estate, wills, trusts, probate, corporations, nonprofits, and business law. The author has seen too many nonprofit corporations improperly formed and maintained. Some failed to file for tax-exempt status after incorporation; some failed to hold annual meetings and file annual reports; some failed to prepare meeting minutes and maintain records; and some failed to follow statutory procedures. Failure to comply with the basics of nonprofit corporation law can result in real estate title problems, litigation, taxes, penalties, and potential personal liability. This book provides a step-by-step process with forms and checklists for forming and maintaining Florida nonprofit corporations to avoid these problems. It is primarily directed to lawyers because Florida nonprofit corporations are legal entities created under the Florida Not For Profit Corpora­tion Act, so having a law degree really should be a prerequisite to forming and maintaining nonprofit corporations. However, the author realizes that we live in an age where nonlawyers freely access these materials on the Internet, so he has written this book in plain language that does not require a law degree to understand. But his message for nonlawyers reading this book is to be sure to engage a Florida-licensed lawyer on their behalf to review any document before it is signed or filed.

The ins and outs of law in the nonprofit sector--made easy! Written by renowned author Bruce R. Hopkins, Nonprofit Law Made Easy is a must-read guide for executives, board members, officers, accountants, fundraisers, and others who handle legal issues that affect the way nonprofit organizations are formed and operated. Nonprofit Law Made Easy presents in-depth discussions on such hot topics as acquiring and maintaining tax-exempt status, reporting requirements, charitable giving, disclosure requirements, unrelated business activities, fundraising, corporate governance principles, and board member liability. It also includes crucial information on avoiding nonprofit law traps and navigating governance and liability issues. Packed with practical tips and hard-to-find, authoritative advice, Nonprofit Law Made Easy demystifies complex legal issues with plain-language explanations of laws and regulations for non-legal professionals.