How does PBPA impact Georgia nonprofits?
I have a legal question, where do I go?
Do you offer assistance to organizations applying for 501(c)(3) status?
Can you give me an example of what legal matters PBPA advises their clients on?
How do I apply to be client of PBPA?
How long does the process to become a client take?
What are my obligations as a client of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta?
How much will it cost?
Why must I be a client to get an answer from an attorney?
How does PBPA impact Georgia nonprofits?
PBPA provides resources to guide Georgia nonprofit organizations on legal questions and compliance. Our curated content, all available for free, includes:
- Our Nonprofit Notes monthly email newsletter.
- On-demand, legal education through our Learning Center.
- Group services, including the Nonprofit Legal Bootcamp, that provide limited legal services to eligible organizations.
- Ongoing, direct legal services to PBPA clients. Note that to be eligible for direct services, a nonprofit must go through an extensive screening process. Criteria include: 1) be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; 2) serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals; 3) be located in or serve the greater Atlanta area; 4) employ at least one paid staff person; and 5) be unable to afford legal services. Please see below for more information about PBPA’s direct legal services for clients.
I have a legal question, where do I go?
PBPA is here to guide Georgia nonprofits with questions regarding business legal needs* and legal compliance. If you have a business legal question, please visit our Learning Center. With over 700 resources on a variety of topics relevant to Georgia nonprofits, you can find guidance on many common questions in the Learning Center. PBPA also serves as legal counsel for eligible organizations through our direct legal services. Please see “How do I apply to be a client of PBPA” below if your organization is looking for ongoing legal assistance as a client.
* This means we cannot help individuals and we cannot help with criminal or litigation matters.
Do you offer assistance to organizations applying for 501(c)(3) status?
PBPA does not currently assist organizations with the application for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. For resources on how to start a nonprofit organization in Georgia, click here.
Can you give me examples of what legal matters PBPA advises their clients on?
PBPA advises our clients on the legal concerns of their business organization. Typical matters include: updating corporate bylaws, reviewing employee handbooks, drafting board policies, advising on fundraising compliance, registering trademarks, advising on permitted lobbying and political activities as a 501(c)(3) and guidance on hiring or firing employees, just to name a few.
How do I apply to be client of PBPA?
In order to be a client of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, an organization must meet all of these criteria:
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
- Serve low-income or disadvantaged individuals.
- Be located in or serve the greater Atlanta area.
- Employ at least one paid staff person.
- Be unable to afford legal services without significant impairment of program resources.
The application process to become a client includes the following steps:
- Step 1: Complete a Legal Request form
- Step 2: Eligible organizations will be invited to complete a detailed application.
- Step 3: Eligible organizations will be invited to a pre-screening meeting with our Client Manager.
- Step 4: Eligible organizations will be invited to attend a screening meeting with one of our staff attorneys.
PBPA is a nonprofit itself and is limited in capacity, so we are only able to accept about 40 new nonprofit clients a year. When reviewing a client application, we do a holistic review of the organization, including looking for sustainable programming and diverse funding. Due to our limited capacity, we are unable to accept every interested nonprofit as a client.
How long does the process to become a client take?
That depends on multiple factors, including the responsiveness of the applicant. Submission of a complete application and timely responses to our Client Manager will expedite the process.
What are my obligations as a client of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta?
We share a list of expectations with new clients, but the most important one is to respond to communications in a timely fashion. In order for PBPA to strengthen our community and continue to serve as many nonprofits as possible, we can only serve responsive clients. Clients must be responsive to communications with PBPA and our volunteer attorneys. PBPA operates with limited resources and is dependent on our vast network of attorneys to provide services to nonprofits. These attorneys graciously volunteer their time and efforts to assist nonprofits with their legal needs, even when they are able to bill their time to paying clients at rates of at least several hundred dollars per hour. PBPA rarely terminates client relationships, but when we do, it is usually due to an organization’s lack of prompt communication.
How much do PBPA’s client services cost?
The legal services provided by Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta and the volunteer attorneys are free of charge. However, clients may have to pay fees to third parties depending on your matter. For example, to file for a trademark you must pay a filing fee to the US Patent and Trademark Office.
Why must I be a PBPA client to speak directly with an attorney?
You do not need to be a client to access the resources in our Learning Center, which are created by attorneys, have the answers to many legal questions and are available for free. Due to our limited capacity as a nonprofit, the ethical obligations of attorneys in client representation, and our commitment to excellence, we are unable to have an attorney provide direct legal services to every organization that contacts PBPA.