Mr. Glassie represents associations and nonprofit organizations on a wide range of legal matters, including antitrust, tax, certification, accreditation, contracts, employment, merger, intellectual property and corporate issues. He has concentrated in the field of nonprofit membership organizations for over 35 years.
He received his law degree from the George Washington University School of Law in 1985, with honors, and is admitted in the District of Columbia and Maryland.
Provides a broad range of legal advice to nonprofit and tax exempt organizations, and to trade, professional, and membership associations
Handle and advise on formation of many nonprofit nonstock tax exempt corporations, as well as limited liability companies, for-profit stock corporations; including providing advice on Articles of Incorporation, organizational matters, obtaining Employer Identification Numbers, organizational resolutions, and tax exemption applications, as well as state registration, doing business as/fictitious name applications, corporate registrations
Counsels on Board of Directors, Executive Committee, governance matters, including Bylaws, policies such as conflicts of interest, as well as officer and director nominations, elections, removals, and ethical and fiduciary duty matters
Advises on establishing and maintaining joint ventures such as for trade shows and publications, as well as partnerships, limited liability companies, and both nonprofit and for-profit subsidiaries, affiliates, foundations, and other related organizations
Provides advice on nonprofit organization and association employment matters, such as CEO employment agreements, employee hiring and termination, discrimination, Americans with Disabilities Act, and excess benefits safe harbor compensation issues
Advises certification and accreditation bodies on all aspects of credentialing, including due process, conflict of interest, examinations, trademark and copyrights, tax exemption, antitrust and related matters.
Counsels on legal aspects of all manner of association and nonprofit organization membership programs, including trade shows and conferences, scholarly journals, newsletters, e-publishing, affinity programs, educational programs, examination preparation courses, certification, accreditation, and certificate programs
Provides advice on services to members and the public offered by nonprofit organizations, including antitrust, contract, intellectual property, and tort liability
Advises on tax exemption issues, including applications, charitable contributions and grants, chapter and affiliate issues under group exemptions, including federal and state tax exemption
Counsels on UBIT issues, including advertising, corporate sponsorships, affinity programs, royalty and licensing agreements, non-dues revenue issues
Advises on wide range of nonprofit and association international issues, including opening offices in other countries, export controls, embargoes administered by Office of Foreign Assets Control, certification, copyrights, trademarks, affiliation agreements, taxation, etc.
Presenter: “Key International Legal Issues for Associations in the Post-Pandemic Era,” American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), August 23, 2022
Moderator: "Ask Us Anything! Antitrust – What Associations Need to Know," Webinar, December 2021
Panelist: "Ask Us Anything! Office Leasing and Renovation Issues," Webinar, May 2021
Host: "Associations Creating Community," Podcasts, 2019-present
Co-author: “What Do Marijuana Laws Mean for the Workplace?” Associations Now Plus, March 2017
Speaker: "HELP! I've been hacked!" ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition, 2015
Co-author: "Be on Guard for Cybersecurity Breaches." ICE Digest, March 2015
Co-Author: Intellectual Property for Nonprofit Organizations and Associations, American Society of Association Executives, 2012
Panelist: "Is Your Association Doing All It Can to Protect Its Intellectual Property (IP) in the Electronic Age," ASAE Law Symposium, September 16, 2011, Washington DC
Panelist: "Finding Your Pot of Gold: How to Identify New Revenue Sources," Institute for Credentialing Excellence, Annual Educational Conference - New Orleans, 2011
Author: International Legal Issues for Nonprofit Organizations, 2nd Edition, American Society of Association Executives, 2010
Author: Certification and Accreditation Law Handbook, 2nd Edition, American Society of Association Executives, 2004
Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Unexpected Tax Consequences of Remote Workers
Association Community in the Age of COVID
Legal Issues for Meetings: Lessons Learned and Planning Ahead
Meet the Team - Dorothy Deng
Can Your Association Adopt a COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement?
"Ask Us Anything!" Series - Upcoming Programs
ASAE, The Center for Association Leadership's DC Law: Association Law Symposium. www.asaecenter.org. Eileen Johnson, Jeff Glassie, Dorothy Deng and Keith Moulsdale will be speaking.
Join WTP for craft cocktails and drinks, local flavors and casual fun!
RSVP to events@wtplaw.com
Jeff Glassie will present a webinar, “Critical Communications to Applicants & Certificants: Legal Considerations,” through the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE).
For additional information, please contact events@wtplaw.com
Jeff Glassie and Dorothy Deng presented on “Top Legal Concerns in Publishing” at the Association Media & Publishing Annual Meeting.
Please contact events@wtplaw.com for additional information.
Your association will be hacked. Are you ready?
You often hear lawyers talking about risk -- potential legal and other problems that can arise for an association. Well, there is one new risk that isn’t just a possibility: Your association will suffer a cybersecurity breach at some point in the future, and you’d better be ready.
Associations have developed a false sense of security, thinking they are safe from hackers. The truth is, when it comes to keeping valuable information safe, associations are just as vulnerable as everyone else. Discuss how a cybersecurity breach can happen, the prevention and planning actions you need to take, and what to do if it happens to you.
Schedule has not yet been confirmed. For more information about the ASAE Annual Meeting & Expo, click here.
On March 24, 2015, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a published opinion in Professional Massage Training Center, Incorporated (PMTC) v. Accreditation Alliance of Career Schools and Colleges, d/b/a Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), in which PMTC filed a civil lawsuit against ACCSC for alleged violation of due process after ACCSC denied PMTC’s application to renew its accreditation. As further explained below, the Fourth Circuit’s ruling is significant for both accreditation and certification organizations, as it affirms judicial deference to decision making by credentialing bodies. The opinion is available online.
Jeff Glassie and Stacey Pine present, “Association legalese – An expert’s presentation on ways associations can stay compliant including maintaining tax status, applying for grants, and running a PAC” at the ASCA State Leaders Conference in DC.
For more information, please contact events@wtplaw.com.
Over the last few years, cyber attacks on businesses have become a regular occurrence. The banking, retail, gaming and health care industries have all fallen victim to cyber attacks. The news media has been replete with stories about for-profit businesses experiencing security lapses or breaches by hackers, but nonprofit certification programs can also be targeted.
On an almost daily basis, we hear about a high profile company falling victim to a cyber-attack. While the news media has been replete with stories about high profile, for-profit businesses falling victim to computer hackers, nonprofit associations are now also a prime target for cyber criminals.
Nonprofit organizations are becoming increasingly active in global activities, which are very complex because of cultural, linguistic, operational, and risk issues. Adding to the complexity are legal issues. When does United States law apply, and when does the law of the local country apply? And what exactly are local laws that nonprofits have to watch out for? It’s not possible to know the laws of all the countries around the world, so how does one manage some of the key legal risks?
Join us for the latest in the TRENDS LIVE Nonprofit Executive Breakfast Series to review the most current 2015 economic forecasts and risk analysis plans from industry experts.
Contact events@wtplaw.com for complimentary registration.
The 2014 Annual Association Law Symposium in Washington, DC is the definitive legal education event that addresses the most pressing issues in association and nonprofit law today. It is an exclusive learning and networking opportunity for association and nonprofit in-house counsel representing primarily Section 501(c)(6) and Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, as well as attorneys from firms with nonprofit or association practices.
The majority of Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) went into effect on July 1, 2014, and this has many U.S. associations and nonprofit organizations concerned. We are not Canadian lawyers, but we can tell you what we know about the new law.
The Supreme Court will hear a case this fall as to whether state licensing boards composed of regulated professionals are entitled to the ‘state action’ exception to the antitrust laws.
Association TRENDS presents a discussion of the findings from the TRENDS 2014 Finance & Operations Excellence Survey of association leaders.
In recent years, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the two federal agencies charged with antitrust enforcement, initiated very few enforcement actions involving associations. In 2009, however, the Obama Administration publically promised that the days of relaxed anti-trust enforcement were gone and that it would employ vigorous antitrust enforcement efforts as a necessary means of reviving the economy. Two key cases filed by the FTC against trade associations in 2013 show that the FTC is committed to upholding its enforcement promise and that associations are not exempt from enforcement action.
A new privacy code for apps tries to help consumers understand what is really happening with their data.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce announced a new Short Form Notice Code of Conduct to Promote Transparency in Mobile App Practices this summer, and industry groups are busy commenting on pros and cons. The code is voluntary, but would be applicable to apps that associations and nonprofits develop.
Co-Author: Jennifer Kirkpatrick Howard, a producer at Lockton Companies and a risk management consultant and insurance broker, jkhoward@lockton.com.
Choosing insurance coverage for a chapter or affiliate can be overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you get started in figuring out what coverage is right for your chapters.
Books, publications, websites, white papers, conference proceedings, magazines and newsletters constitute some of the most valuable property that associations have. These materials may be protected by the copyright laws, and it’s critical that associations maximize such protection. It’s important to make sure both that the organization owns or has adequate rights to use and publish any materials, and also that it has the ability to maintain control of them for purposes of ensuring their integrity and maximizing value to the organization.
Panelists Paula Goedert, Thomas R. Leavens, and Jefferson Glassie will discuss major legal issues in certification, how these may impact certification providers, and how they can best protect themselves, with case studies and examples.
This event is hosted by the Certification Networking Group.
ICE conference
This annual symposium on nonprofit law is targeted to association in-house counsel and their outside legal advisors, and will feature three sessions with WTP lawyers.
Association TRENDS
American Board of Nursing Specialties
Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, HSMAI Meet National
Institute for Credentialing Excellence Legal Webinar:
The New York State Legislature recently passed the Nonprofit Revitalization Act of 2013 (the “New Act”), which contains several amendments to the New York Not-For-Profit Corporation Law. If signed by Governor Cuomo, provisions of the New Act will become effective July 1, 2014 and will apply to nonprofit corporations that are incorporated in New York.1
Nonprofit Risk Management Center, 2013 Risk Summit
ASAE Annual Meeting
WTP's Jeff Glassie will be speaking on the topic of intellectual property and technology as these apply to nonprofit organizations and associations.
To register, please visit the ASAE web site, www.asaecenter.org.
An informative evening of industry insights with a distinguished panel, including the Hon.The internet, intellectual property and social media bring new legal challenges and the law is slow to catch up. Learn how your association can make the most of what new technology has to offer and avoid unintended legal entanglements. Better understand the difference between public domain and copyrighted works, and how to stake a claim on the intellectual property created by staff and contractors.
This panel discussion is part of the 2013 Association International Conference, being held in Washington DC from May 14 through May 16. In it, the panelists will address the decision faced by many professional societies on whether or not to expand their scope and activities on a global scale. This session will outline the research and analysis that needs to be conducted by associations before going global.
As part of the "Great Ideas Ignite & Reception" event at ASAE's Great Ideas Conference, six speakers will present fast, fun and inspiring ideas.
As part of the ASAE Great Ideas Conference, this case study will analyze how the Association of Corporate Travel Executives conceived its 'Angel Investor' program to help industry entrepreneurs turn their big ideas into new business ventures.
WTP is sponsoring the Reception and Session Presentation Manual after ASAE's annual law symposium for Association attorneys, CEOs and COOs.
Association TRENDS has collaborated with The Lehman Reports to review the 7th Annual Association Management System use and satisfaction study. This session will help nonprofit CEOs and CFOs get the best use out of technology tools ranging from social media to cloud computing to on-line fundraising.
As user-generated content becomes a growing source of information on the Internet, associations should be mindful of the potential legal problems that relate to using user-generated content. For example, if John Smith posts comments on an association’s website or social media page, can an association use John Smith’s comments in the association’s newsletter without contacting John Smith for permission?
“Intellectual property (IP), in the form of copyrights, trademarks, lists of members, attendees, exhibitors, and others are often an association’s most valuable property. And in this modern internet era, everything is electronic, so understanding and implementing the rules, best practices, and protections for IP of nonprofit organizations and associations is critical. We thought it was timely to help associations protect their IP by giving them a clear, concrete reference book to turn to,” says the co-author of the just published Intellectual Property for Nonprofit Organizations and Associations, Jefferson Glassie.
Jeff and his co-authors Eileen Johnson and Dana Lynch are attorneys with the boutique law firm, Whiteford, Taylor, and Preston, in Washington, DC.
Many nonprofit Section 501(c)(6) organizations set up separate foundations to carry on certain charitable or educational activities for the parent organization. We have helped many nonprofit organizations set up subsidiary foundations--this is very common and can enhance the activities and fundraising options for the parent organization. Provided below is background information on setting up a foundation.
Jeff Glassie, co-chair of the Nonprofit Organizations & Associations practice at WTP, will be presenting on the Legal Aspects of E-Publishing.
Many association executives have asked questions about the proper scope and content of board meetings. It’s important to keep minutes in accordance with legal and organizational governance best practices. Here are some thoughts about keeping board meeting minutes.
Two lawyers from WTP will join a panel discussion on how associations should protect their names, logos and trademarks, both inside and outside of the US. The panel will cover legal requirements and practical solutions for developing, protecting and preserving an association's brand internationally.
This session, sponsored by Association Media & Publishing, is targeted to executives of nonprofit associations, and will cover general contract principles using the WIPIT theory of contract analysis, particular terms in publishing-related contracts, and copyright law principles applicable to association publishing.
