Assignment: Legal Framework in the Nonprofit Sector

• Each question needs to be answer completely and thoroughly.
• Should be about a page each.

#1. If you wanted to start a nonprofit organization, do you need a lawyer? What is the process for starting a nonprofit organization in New York? (Note: this will require some leg-work on the web)

#2. You are the communications director for a local chapter of a national health related nonprofit organization. It also happens that you have a long-time family friend who is a member of the State Assembly. As luck would have it, the Assemblywoman is on a committee that is getting ready to vote on a piece of legislation that would increase the allotment of state aid to organizations like yours. The assemblywoman recently reached out to your office about a surprise party for her husband's birthday and would like to meet with you over lunch.

What are the potential ethical dilemmas? Do you talk about anything other than the surprise party? Can you pick up the tab? Should you even go to lunch? (Note: Please don't give us your opinion here, answers should reflect a logical argument grounded in either the law or ethics, or both).