The firm’s nonprofit, tax and political law group provides clients with the full spectrum of legal services, such as specialized insights on tax, campaign finance and lobbying law, defense against trademark infringement, and contract negotiation.  The firm’s attorneys include some of the nation’s leading practitioners in nonprofit and political law.  From small family foundations and local nonprofits, to the country’s largest advocacy organizations, labor unions and charities, clients choose Lichtman, Trister & Ross for our experience with complex nonprofit, tax and political legal issues and our commitment to addressing the full spectrum of our clients’ legal needs. 

Our practitioners have:

• Secured tax exemptions for hundreds of nonprofits.
• Represented organizations under investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Election Commission and other federal and state agencies.
• Argued the most important campaign-finance case in a generation, McConnell v. FEC, before the U.S. Supreme Court.  
• Litigated cases in federal and state courts in every region of the nation.
• Obtained favorable advisory opinions for clients from the Federal Election Commission.
• Testified and submitted comments to the FEC to help shape federal campaign-finance law.
• Helped organizations navigate campaign finance, lobbying, corporate or voter registration laws in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
• Served in positions at the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. House and Senate, and at various nonprofit organizations.

See a list of representative clients.

Because we have served as managers, officers and employees at nonprofit organizations, we understand and value the qualities that make nonprofits unique institutions.  Our backgrounds give us strategic insights to help clients achieve their policy goals.  In doing so, we routinely advise clients not only on campaign finance, tax and lobbying laws, but also on other matters, including intellectual property, labor and employment law and contract negotiation.  When timely, accurate advice and strategic thinking matter most, organizations, grant-makers and political services providers turn to Lichtman, Trister & Ross, PLLC. 

Nonprofit Tax Law

We help nonprofits steer their way through the Internal Revenue Service’s tangle of tax laws, regulations and rulings.  No nonprofit today can afford to ignore these legal obligations.  Our services range from obtaining tax exemptions for new organizations to advising on Form 990 reporting requirements to solving nonprofits’ most complicated tax problems.  We have represented nonprofits in audits and at all levels of IRS proceedings.  A firm partner, Holly Schadler, argued the precedent-setting Sierra Club v. Commissioner, Internal Revenue Service, 86 F.3d 1526 (9th Cir. 1996), which determined the royalty treatment of affinity credit cards under the unrelated business income tax.

Campaign Finance Law

With campaign finance laws undergoing sweeping changes, organizations that want to participate in the political process need lawyers intimately familiar with the latest developments.  Our attorneys not only keep abreast of the changes, we have also helped shape the law, through our advocacy before regulatory bodies, by working for a Federal Election Commission chair, and by arguing for clients in precedent-setting court cases. 

We help clients maximize their ability to influence elections within the strictures imposed by federal and state law.  Advocacy groups, labor organizations, political committees, candidates and political services providers seek our advice on structuring their advocacy and political operations, shaping their overall electoral strategy and reviewing specific ventures and initiatives, from dealing with political candidates and parties to broadcasting independent advertisements. 

Lobbying Law

Nonprofits and labor organizations aiming to influence Congress and state legislatures rely on our lawyers to navigate the labyrinth of lobbying rules.  We ease the frustration organizations often encounter when they attempt to advocate on issues they hold dear.  We routinely counsel clients on lobbying by section 501(c)(3) public charities, unions, other nonprofit organizations and lobbying firms; on compliance with federal law, including the Lobbying Disclosure Act and Foreign Agents Registration Act; on congressional and executive branch ethics rules; and on state lobbying laws.  

General Legal Advice

We provide clients with a broad range of general legal advice, from incorporating organizations in various states to negotiating mergers to spending down foundation endowments.  Often serving as groups’ outside general counsel, we have helped clients with the full range of issues nonprofits typically face, such as developing employment policies, defending copyrights and trademarks, structuring corporate boards and advisory committees, negotiating leases and other contracts, complying with state reporting requirements, troubleshooting new projects and programs, and resolving ethical dilemmas.