State-by-State Legal Support for Nonprofit Organizations
To apply for an LPFM license, your group must be a nonprofit organization, incorporated and registered under the rules of your state. You don't need to have 501c(3) status, but incorporating your group as a 501c(3) can be helpful because this will mean that any donations you receive will be tax exempt.
Need help becoming a nonprofit organization or understanding the rules for nonprofit organizations in your state? Prometheus has collected some resources for you! The following list is by no means complete, but can help guide you in the right direction if you need pro bono (free) or low cost legal help.
There are two types of groups listed below. Some are law firms that offer pro bono help, though there may be an initial application fee to cover the cost of paperwork. The application process for help can take a few weeks, depending on the number of lawyers that are available at the firm. The applications vary from just a few simple questions, to more advanced questionnaires asking about your group's yearly budget and organization. While the legal help may be "free," any official filing fees to register with the state or federal government, as well as copying fees, are the responsibility of your group.
We've also listed some other organizations that offer general help to nonprofits in each state. These groups can offer legal help and discounts on insurance, as well as helpful guides to running a successful nonprofit. They often require a yearly paid membership, which is determined by your group's yearly budget.
Please note, this list is only intended to be a reference. Prometheus does not have a relationship with these organizations, so we cannot recommend them or endorse their services. However, if you do find a particular organization useful, drop us a note and let us know!
Jump to state:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Alabama
Alabama Association of Nonprofits
http://alabamanonprofits.org/
Legal Services Alabama
http://www.
Alaska
Alaska Bar Association
https://www.alaskabar.org/
Arizona
Arizona Community Legal Assistance
http://www.clsaz.org/site/
Arkansas
Arkansas Legal Services Partnership
http://www.arlegalservices.
California
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
www.lafla.org
Public Counsel Community Development Project
www.publiccounsel.org
Community Organization Representation Project (CORP)
http://www.sfbar.org/jdc/legal-services/legalprojects/corp/corp.aspx
California Association of Nonprofits
http://www.canonprofits.org/
California Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.
California ProBono
http://www.californiaprobono.
Colorado
Colorado NonProfit Association
http://coloradononprofits.org/
Colorado Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.
Connecticut
Pro Bono Partnership
www.probonopartnership.org
Delaware
Legal Services Corp of DE
http://www.lscd.com/
Community Legal Aid Society Inc
http://www.declasi.org/
Delaware Association of Nonprofit Agencies
http://www.delawarenonprofit.
District of Columbia
The District of Columbia Bar Pro Bono Program
Community Economic Development Pro Bono Project
www.dcbar.org/ced
District of Columbia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
918 Sixteenth St. NW
Washington, DC 20006
202/429-0229
Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts
http://waladc.org/
Florida
Bay Area Legal Services Community Counsel Program
www.bals.org
LegalArt
www.legalartmiami.org
Georgia
Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta
www.pbpatl.org
Georgia Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.glarts.org
Hawaii
Volunteer Legal Services
http://www.vlsh.org/home/
Idaho
Idaho Non Profit Center
http://www.idahononprofits.
Illinois
Community Economic Development Law Project
http://www.clccrul.org/
http://www.thelawproject.org/
Lawyers for the Creative Arts
http://www.law-arts.org
Indiana
Community Organization Legal Assistance Project
www.cdlawcenter.org
Iowa
Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center
http://inrc.continuetolearn.
http://inrc.continuetolearn.
Kansas
Kansas Legal Services
http://www.
Mid-America Arts Resources
Susan J. Whitfield-Lungren, Esq.
PO Box 363
Lindsborg, KS 67456
913 227-2321
Kansas City Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts
http://www.kcvlaa.org/apply.
Kentucky
Kentucky Nonprofit Network
https://kynonprofits.org/
Louisiana
Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations
http://www.lano.org/
Louisiana Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
(504) 523 1465
Arts Council of New Orleans
http://www.
Maine
Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.mainevla.org/
Maine Lawyer Referral & Information Service
Main State Bar Association
www.mainebar.org/
Maine Association of Nonprofits
http://www.nonprofitmaine.org/
Maryland
Community Law Center, Inc.
Baltimore, MD
www.communitylaw.org
Maryland Lawyers for the Arts
www.mdartslaw.org
Massachusetts
Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing & Homelessness
www.lawyersclearinghouse.org/
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, Inc.
http://www.
Michigan
Michigan Community Legal Resources
www.clronline.org
ArtServe Michigan
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts & Culture
www.artservemichigan.org
Minnesota
Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits
www.mapfornonprofits.org
Legal Corps
http://www.legalcorps.org/
Springboard for the Arts
Resources and Counseling for the Arts
www.springboardforthearts.org
Mississippi
Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project
http://www.mvlp.net/
Missouri
Missouri Bar Association
http://www.mobarprobono.net/
Kansas City Source Link
http://www.kcsourcelink.com/
St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts
www.vlaa.org
Kansas City Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts
www.kcvlaa.org
Montana
Montana Nonprofit Association
http://mtnonprofit.org/
Montana Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
PO Box 8687
Missoula, MT 59807
406/721-1835
Nevada
Washoe Legal Services
http://www.
Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada
http://www.lacsn.org/
Nevada Legal Services
http://www.nlslaw.net/
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits
http://www.nhnonprofits.org/
Lawyers for the Arts/New Hampshire
New Hampshire Business Committee for the Art (NHBCA)
www.nhbca.com/lawyersforarts.
New Jersey
Pro Bono Partnership
www.probonopartnership.org
The Center for Nonprofits
http://www.njnonprofits.org/
New Jersey Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
www.njvla.org
New Mexico
New Mexico Resources
http://www.newmexicoresources.
Holland & Hart
http://www.hollandhart.com/
New York
Pro Bono Partnership
www.probonopartnership.org
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.vlany.org/
Lawyers Alliance for New York
http://www.lawyersalliance.
North Carolina
North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
http://www.ncnonprofits.org/
North Carolina Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.ncvla.org/
North Dakota
Legal Services of North Dakota
http://www.legalassist.org/
Free Legal Aid for North Dakota
http://www.freelegalaid.com/
Ohio
Ohio Nonprofit Resources
http://www.nonprofitresources.
Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts-Cleveland
c/o The Cleveland Bar Association
www.clevelandbar.org
Toledo Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts
608 Madison, Ste. 1523
Toledo, OH 43604
419/255-3344
Oklahoma
Univ. of Tulsa College of Law Services
http://www.utulsa.edu/law/
Additional Oklahoma Resources:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-
Oklahoma Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts
c/o Eric King, Gable & Gotwals
http://www.gablelaw.com/
Oregon
Nonprofit Association of Oregon
http://www.nonprofitoregon.
Northwest Lawyers and Artists
Oregon Lawyers for the Arts
Kohel Haver, President
621 SW Morrison Street Suite 1417
Portland, OR 97205
503-295-2787
Artcop@aol.com
Pennsylvania
The Nonprofit Partnership
www.thenonprofitpartnership.
Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
http://www.pano.org/Nonprofit-
Law Works
http://www.phillyvip.org/
Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
www.artsandbusinessphila.org
Western Pennsylvania Professionals
PO Box 19388
Pittsburgh,PA 15213
(412) 268-8437
Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council - Pittsburgh Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
www.pittsburghartscouncil.org
Rhode Island
Ocean State Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.artslaw.org/
The Rhode Island Foundation
http://www.rifoundation.org/
Rhode Island Center for Law and Public Policy Inc.
http://www.riclapp.org/
South Carolina
South Carolina Legal Services
http://www.sclegal.org/
South Carolina Arts Commission
http://www.southcarolinaarts.
South Dakota
Dakota Plains Legal Services
http://dpls.org/
South Dakota Arts Council (SDAC)
800 Governers Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
605/773-3131
Tennessee
Knoxville Bar Association
http://www.knoxbar.org/
Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville
http://www.abcnashville.org/
Texas
Texas C-Bar
www.texascbar.org
Artists' Legal and Accounting Assistance
PO Box 2577
Austin, TX 78751
512/476-4458
mpolar@bga.com
Lawyers and Accountants of North Texas for the Arts (LANTA)
P.O. Box 2019
Cedar Hill, TX 75106
phone: 972/ 291-9010
Texas Accountants & Lawyers for the Arts
http://talarts.org/
Utah
Utah Nonprofits Association
http://www.utahnonprofits.org/
Utah Lawyers for the Arts
PO Box 652
Salt Lake City, UT 84110
801/482-5373
or
P.O. Box 4530
Salt Lake City, Utah 84145
adeiss@joneswaldo.com
Vermont
Vermont Legal Aid
http://www.vtlegalaid.org/our-
Law Line of Vermont
http://www.lawlinevt.org/
Virginia
Fairfax Bar Pro Bono Program
www.fairfaxbar.org
Fairfax Law Foundation
http://fairfaxlawfoundation.
Washington
Washington Attorneys Assisting Community Organizations
www.waaco.org
Washington Lawyers for the Arts
http://www.wa-artlaw.org/
Washington Lawyers for the Arts
www.thewla.org
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Nonprofits Association
http://wisconsinnonprofits.
Wisconsin Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
www.artswisconsin.org
Wyoming
Legal Aid Wyoming
http://www.lawyoming.org/
