Practice areas
Six areas of counsel for large and growing churches.
Most engagements begin with a Legal Review, which shows where to focus.
Intellectual Property & Brand
For churches and pastors whose sermons, books, music, courses and media carry real value.
Typical matters
- Who owns sermons, books, music and media: the church, the pastor, or both
- Intellectual property assignment and license-back agreements
- Trademark clearance, registration and Office Action responses
- Enforcement and takedowns when your name or content is misused
- Licensing of music, curriculum and courses
- Publishing, podcast and broadcast agreements
- Brand standards across campuses and ministries
What you receive
- An ownership map of your intellectual property
- Applications filed and deadlines tracked
- Agreements that state who owns what
- An enforcement plan for your names and content
Governance & Boards
For churches whose bylaws and board were designed for a smaller church.
Typical matters
- Bylaws review and restatement
- Board composition, terms and independence
- Fiduciary duty training for board members
- Conflict-of-interest policy and annual disclosures
- Provisions on pastoral authority, discipline and removal
- Structure of campuses, schools, foundations and LLCs
- Minutes, resolutions and annual state filings
- Succession planning
What you receive
- Governing documents that match how you operate
- A decision-authority map for board and staff
- Resolution templates and a board calendar
- A succession framework
Pastor & Executive Agreements
For senior pastors and boards who want the relationship between the church and its leaders in writing.
In church-pastor agreements we typically represent the pastor. The church may want its own counsel.
Typical matters
- Pastoral and executive employment agreements
- Compensation approved by an independent body, with comparability data and minutes kept at the time (IRC §4958)
- Housing allowance designated in advance by board resolution, for the current and future years
- Intellectual property and outside income: books, speaking and media
- Confidentiality and conflict-of-interest terms
- Severance and transition terms
- Succession and emeritus arrangements
What you receive
- Signed agreements for senior leaders
- A board-ready compensation file
- An annual housing allowance resolution
- A transition plan
Transactions & Growth
For churches buying, building, launching or combining.
We coordinate with local real estate and tax counsel where a matter requires it.
Typical matters
- Campus and property acquisitions, leases and facility-use agreements
- Church mergers, adoptions and affiliations
- New campuses, schools and related entities
- Ministry, media and network launches
- Publishing, broadcast and distribution agreements
- Vendor, construction and master services agreements
- Due diligence before you sign
What you receive
- A deal structure and term sheet
- Negotiated agreements
- Due diligence findings
- A closing checklist
HR & Child Safety
For churches with large staffs and volunteer teams.
Typical matters
- Employee handbook and policies
- Employee and contractor classification
- Hiring, discipline and termination practices
- Severance and release agreements
- Harassment prevention policy and training
- Volunteer screening and onboarding
- Two-adult rule, supervision and reporting procedures
What you receive
- An updated handbook
- A staffing compliance checklist
- A child-safety policy and training plan
- An incident response protocol
Compliance & Risk
For leaders who want tax-exempt status, controls and insurance checked before something tests them.
Typical matters
- 501(c)(3) and state compliance
- Unrelated business income review
- Donor receipting and substantiation
- Accountable reimbursement plans
- Financial controls and segregation of duties
- Ordination, licensing and credentialing of ministers
- Insurance review, including sexual abuse and molestation coverage
- Crisis response protocol
What you receive
- A compliance calendar
- An insurance gap report for your broker
- Control recommendations
- A crisis protocol
Not sure where to start?
A Legal Review shows which of these areas need attention first.
