Dear Pastor and Church Leader,
In times like these, with many Churches having to confront difficult legal issues, it may be time to consider establishing a relationship with a law firm you can trust; a law firm that's uniquely qualified to represent the legal interests of a Church; a law firm whose founders understand Church organization and the legal issues confronting Churches today.
Thompson & Thompson (the "Firm") is a transactional law firm,* whose members have served the Church community in various capacities for many years, including serving as a member of the Board of Directors of a seminary, as a member of the faculty of two religious universities, and serving as General Counsel of Campus Crusade for Christ for over five years.
The Firm's clientele has included a Seminary, a world-wide Christian outreach ministry, a religious television network, a major short-term missions organization, a Lutheran denomination, a Catholic charity and many churches and other non-church religious organizations.
The Firm is experienced in a wide range of transactional legal issues, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) Church
- Identifying steps which must be taken to legally authorize a housing allowance
- Recommending policies to protect churches from third party law suits and excess benefit transactions.
- Providing expert assistance to insurance-company- provided legal defense counsel in the event of litigation.
- Negotiating and drafting building construction contracts and agreements of all kinds.
- Organizing and qualifying a church-school with the state and the IRS
- Drafting bylaws to minimize the risk of a church Member's suit.
- Representing the church in IRS disputes
- Merging two or more churches
If you'd like to establish a relationship with Thompson & Thompson, and would like to speak with one of the firms founders, call us at the phone number listed above. We'll be pleased to speak with you and explain how our firm can help you, no matter where your church is located.
*A transactional law firm is one which specializes in organizational transactions, including, e.g., the negotiation and drafting of contracts, licenses, and agreements; organizing corporate structures, representing clients in IRS disputes, dealing with regulatory agencies, et al.
