Newsletters

Associations, Nonprofits and Political Organizations Report - Winter 2021

Date: February 16, 2021

President Biden Issues New Ethics Executive Order: More Restrictions for Lobbyists and Organizations that Interact with the Administration

By: Jim A. Kahl 

On his first day in office, President Biden signed an Executive Order that imposes ethics obligations on appointees to his Administration. While the Order has some similarities with the ethics Executive Orders issued by Presidents Trump and Obama, there are several new provisions of importance to individuals that go to work for the new Administration as well as to organizations that interact with Biden Administration appointees.

READ MORE

FEC Adjusts Political Contribution Limits for 2021-2022 Election Cycle

By: Jim A. Kahl 

The Federal Election Commission has adjusted some of the individual and PAC contribution limits for the 2021-2022 election cycle.  

The amount that individuals and non-multicandidate PACs can give to federal candidates has been increased by $100 to $2900 per election to each federal candidate. Since primary and general election contests are viewed as separate “elections,” an individual or a non-multicandidate PAC may now contribute a total of $5800 to a federal candidate.  

READ MORE

MAINTAINING COMMUNITY IN CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS DURING A PANDEMIC

Hosted by: Jeff Glassie and Mark Franco
Guest Appearances by: Bill Ellis and Sara Lake

Sara Lake, Executive Director of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners, and Bill Ellis, Executive Director of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, were interviewed by Whiteford attorneys Jefferson Glassie and Mark Franco. Both organizations worked diligently during the pandemic to re-schedule exams, disseminate information about changes and provided helpful information to the certification communities, while remaining flexible and learning to plan on the fly. Sara felt that the pandemic has made the IBCLC credential more valuable, and Bill noted that maintaining the integrity of a credential became even more important. Bill and Sara also said that they emphasized thanking volunteers, candidates and certificants for all they had done during the pandemic. Lastly, watch for a special guest appearance by Sara’s cat, Chloe!

WATCH VIDEO HERE

PRIVACY COMPLIANCE AND PERSONAL DATA PROCESSING 101—TIPS FOR BUSINESSES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Hosted by: Dorothy Deng
Guest Appearances by: Razvan Miutescu and Kristen Bertch

Whiteford attorneys Razvan Miutescu and Kristen Bertch from our Intellectual Property and Technology group were interviewed by Dorothy Deng in this presentation. Over the past few years, the general public has grown to be much more aware about data privacy issues. With the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and new U.S. privacy legislations being introduced to protect personal data, we discuss observations on business trends, privacy principles, legal compliance and more. The presenters also provide action items and practical suggestions to help businesses and nonprofit organizations navigate the evolving privacy law landscape.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH YOUR OFFICE LEASE IN THE ERA OF COVID

By: Tami P. Daniel

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the traditional workplace in significant ways and created countless concerns for commercial office tenants, including associations and other nonprofit organizations. This article will detail the extent to which tenants can address these concerns within the framework of existing lease terms and conditions, as well as possible solutions and strategies for dealing with property owners.

READ MORE

CAN YOUR ASSOCIATION ADOPT A COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENT? 

By: Peter D. Guattery as featured in Associations Now

In the coming months, association leaders will need to evaluate a range of legal questions and practical concerns as they consider establishing a COVID-19 vaccination policy for their workplace and events.
Vaccines approved for emergency use by the FDA are now providing a welcome doorway out of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, they are unlocking a range of legal issues for associations concerning vaccine mandates. May an association require employees to be vaccinated before they return to the office? And, more broadly, may it require vaccination for attendees at its meetings and conferences?

READ MORE

JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

On January 28, 2021, Kellie Newton co-presented, "Looking Ahead: Top Ten Legal Risks and Management Solutions for Associations in 2021," with Derek Symer of AHT Insurance.
Below is a high-level overview of the presentation and a link to view the video recording.

None of us were prepared for the disruption caused by the pandemic. Association leaders and association business models alike are facing both significant challenge and significant opportunity.  During this presentation, Kellie Newton and Derek Symer of AHT Insurance will explore the top ten legal risks that Associations could face in 2021 and offer risk management principles to address them.

WATCH VIDEO HERE

MEET THE TEAM

Jeff Glassie has been one of the co-chairs of our section since joining Whiteford in 2011.  He was an association executive for nearly ten years before going to law school way back when, and has represented associations, credentialing bodies, and other nonprofit organizations as legal counsel now for nearly four decades. Jeff has authored or co-authored several books on nonprofit organization law, has served on the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives and is currently an ASAE Fellow.            
 
Jeff has rather eclectic interests, having written several books on peace and other random topics, and is currently focused on music as his main passion.  He started playing harmonica twenty years ago and for the last six years has focused on guitar and songwriting/singing.  As a volunteer, he is the chief spiritual dude of the Planetary Gigs Society and hosts a podcast on the power of music, as well as other video music shows and virtual musical concerts during the pandemic.