Overview
When they don’t engage in advocacy, lobbying, and other civic engagement activities to advance their missions, nonprofits not only miss out on opportunities for more impactful collaboration, additional funding, and legislative reform in support of their missions, but their silence can cause them harm.
Lawyers are uniquely positioned to help identify and understand the detrimental impact of these threats and missed opportunities. Lawyers also have the skills to empower nonprofits so that they may fully exercise their lobbying rights and leverage their resources to advance their charitable purposes without running afoul of political activity and lobbying laws.
And yet, attorneys tend to be overly cautious when advising charities, warning them to tread lightly rather than showing them how far they can go. By understanding the laws governing these activities and by connecting nonprofits with the right resources, lawyers can change outcomes for the nonprofits they advise.
Whether you are serving a nonprofit organization as a board member or in a paid or pro bono capacity, this session can help you confidently support nonprofits’ advocacy and lobbying efforts to make their voices heard and to make a profound impact for the communities they serve.
Recorded in May 2026.
Part of the Nonprofit Law Series
For lawyers who want to learn more about how to help nonprofits meet the moment: check out the rest of our CLE series covering today’s hottest issues impacting nonprofits →
CREDIT HOURS
60-Minute States
Eligible for 1.5 hours
50-Minute States
Eligible for 1.8 hours
Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state’s approval and credit rounding rules.
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Faculty
Beth Dougherty, Esq.
Beth Dougherty is the Director of Legal Education Initiatives at Cheshire Law Group in Philadelphia. Beth has advised a wide range of nonprofit organizations on all aspects of their activities, including formation and tax-exempt status, board governance, federal and state laws and regulatory compliance, mergers, affiliations, and fundraising compliance. She has also served on the boards of grassroots nonprofit organizations and worked directly in the nonprofit sector, supporting public education initiatives through the City of Philadelphia’s Community Schools Program and child health as a Project Coordinator at Children First. An active volunteer in her community, Beth has been involved with the East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association since 2008. She is a graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D., and New York University, B.A.
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