Students in Notre Dame Law School’s Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic are providing invaluable legal support to religious nonprofit organizations through a section of the Clinic that specializes in transactional legal counseling. Offering assistance to a wide range of faith-based organizations, this dedicated section of the Religious Liberty Clinic allows students to gain hands-on experience while addressing critical legal needs for groups that often lack the financial resources to pay for such services.

Led by adjunct professor Brendan Wilson, the Clinic's transactional section provides second and third year law students the opportunity to work closely with nonprofit organizations across the country, offering guidance on matters such as tax compliance, corporate governance, strategic planning, employment, and more. This real-world experience helps students deepen their understanding of legal practice while supporting nonprofits in carrying out their religious missions.

“Through the dedicated work of our attorneys and students, we are able to support religious nonprofit organizations so that they can better carry out their ministries and serve the common good,” Wilson said. “It is a privilege for me to accompany our students as they become trusted advisors to the clients we serve.”

The Clinic works with a wide range of clients including houses of worship, religious governing bodies, seminaries, religious institutes, healthcare organizations, schools, and social welfare organizations. The legal services offered are diverse and tailored to each organization's unique needs, covering everything from drafting corporate policies to securing tax-exempt status and navigating complex regulatory landscapes.

“The transactional advising section is unique because there are not many other organizations providing similar pro bono services to religious nonprofit organizations,” said Brett Cavanaugh, transactional legal fellow for the Clinic. “Due to our students’ excellent work, our clients no longer need to navigate complex legal issues without a legal team, and the pro bono aspect of the Clinic means that clients can use more of their resources to support their religious mission.”

Students who work with the Clinic sense the level of trust and reliance that clients put in the students' legal expertise. “Meeting with clients has allowed me to more fully appreciate how much clients need and rely upon those with knowledge in the law,” said Emma Kate Read, a current third-year law student. “This has fueled me to become a good legal advocate for each of them.”

The Clinic's work includes helping form or secure tax-exempt status for faith-based organizations like Church Life Africa, a strategic initiative which engages young African Catholics in service to Africa and the global Catholic Church, and the PreachFor Foundation, an organization dedicated to training future servant leaders for to help Protestant churches reach their full potential and make a positive impact in their communities.

“It has been a rewarding experience working with the outstanding leadership at the Clinic, and with outstanding law students who undertook the legal analysis and assistance with enthusiasm, grace, and rigor,” said Donald Kanak, chairman of the PreachFor Foundation. “On the legal side, it was the Clinic’s thorough and conscientious approach in completing the application documents for submission to the IRS. Beyond that, the Clinic was instrumental in introducing us to other resources on campus outside of the legal domain which have given us great input for our organization. Based on my work with the Clinic, and my other encounters on campus, I can see why Notre Dame is a very special place. I have not encountered a better combination of intellect, kindness, and active faith willing to help others in support of Christ’s kingdom.”

The experience is also highly rewarding for the students involved. George Frattara, ‘24 J.D., noted that his time at the Clinic was among the most formative experiences of his law school career. Working with real clients under the mentorship of seasoned lawyers allowed him to gain practical skills while deepening his understanding of law as a form of service.

“I was drawn to the Clinic because it provided a unique opportunity to live out my Catholic faith through service to nonprofit religious organizations,” said Frattara. “The Clinic has profoundly influenced my approach to legal practice, and I look forward to applying these lessons in my future work.”

“The transactional section of our Clinic engages students in types of legal practice that they rarely see in law school,” said John Meiser, director of the Religious Liberty Clinic. “Often people think of lawyers defending religious freedom through litigation. But there is so much more that lawyers do to serve religious communities, and we are proud to offer students the opportunity to counsel religious organizations and help fill unmet legal needs that extend well beyond a courtroom.”

To learn more about the work of the Lindsay and Matt Moroun Religious Liberty Clinic and its faculty, staff, and students, please visit religiousliberty.nd.edu.

Originally published by Elyse Paul at religiousliberty.nd.edu on November 05, 2024.