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About
The Religious Institutions Group
Religious
institutions regularly confront a variety of legal issues--
similar to other nonprofit organizations. Religious organizations
face legal problems arising from their employees and their
reliance on volunteers. Legal problems frequently arise
from buying, selling, renting, exchanging, zoning, and developing
property. Legal issues also regularly arise in conjunction
with fund raising, borrowing money, and in determining tax
obligations.
Religious organizations,
however, are unique in several regards. They are called
by faith to advance a religious mission. Their inspired
callings result in unique polities and governance and, often,
in values and practices that may be contrary to the dominant
secular culture and the civil laws reflecting that culture.
Religious institutions are called to serve the vulnerable
and the broken which carries special liability risks. Pastors,
rabbis, pastoral counselors, and others deal daily with
highly confidential information involving their parishioners.
Because churches, synagogues, and religious schools teach
and preach particular beliefs and high ethical standards,
departure from those teachings may give rise to scandal
and more potent civil claims. In addition, the government
routinely treats religious organizations differently from
their secular counterparts by application of statutory exemptions,
the First Amendment, state constitutional provisions, the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Religious Land Use
and Institutionalized Persons Act, privilege statutes, and
similar laws.
Attorneys in
the RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group serve religious organizations
with sensitivity to their distinctive characteristics and
with knowledge and experience regarding their unique legal
status. Our lawyers routinely advocate on behalf of religious
entities in administrative settings and in state and federal
trial and appellate courts from coast to coast. On matters
of common interest, our attorneys frequently organize ecumenical
coalitions to address legislative concerns and to prepare
amicus briefs regarding cases of general concern pending
in appellate courts. Our attorneys also consult with and
advise general counsel serving a variety of religious institutions.
Our Religious
Institutions Group also publishes The First Freedom, a free
report on legal issues affecting churches, denominations,
religious schools, and parachurches. If you would like to
receive The First Freedom, please contact us.
The Religious
Institutions Group provides experienced legal representation
in the following areas:
- Alternative
Dispute Resolution
- Amicus
Advocacy
- Appellate
Advocacy
- Child
Abuse Reporting
- Child
Care Regulation
- Child
Placement Agencies
- Compensation,
fringe benefits and benefits plans
- Condemnation
- Construction
- Consulting
Services
- Contracts
- Corporations
- Estate
and Gift Planning
- Federal
Tax Issues
- Financing
- First
Amendment
- Handbooks
and Policy Manuals
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- Human
Resources
- Investigations
- Land
Use, Zoning, and Permitting
- Litigation
- Lobbying
- Minister
Misconduct
- Political
Activities
- Real
Property—Sales, Leases, Exchanges
- Releases
- Schools
- Sexual
Misconduct Policies
- Tax
Exemptions
- Tax-Exempt
Financing
- Unrelated
Business Income Tax
- Volunteer
Liability
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Rothgerber
Johnson & Lyons LLP serves or has served as general counsel or litigation counsel
for a wide variety of religious institutions, including:
- The Archdiocese
of Denver
- Diocese of
Colorado (Episcopal)
- The Archdiocese
of Los Angeles
- The Archdiocese
of Portland
- Association
of Christian Schools International
- Catholic
Charities of Colorado Springs
- Catholic
Charities of Denver
- Centennial
Community Church
- The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Colorado
Christian University
- Colorado
Springs Christian School
- Diocese
of Cheyenne
- Diocese of
Colorado Springs
- Diocese
of Fargo, North Dakota
- Diocese of
Massachusetts (Episcopal)
- Diocese of
West Texas (Episcopal) Diocese of Wyoming (Episcopal)
- Evangelical
Christian Credit Union
- First United
Methodist Church (Colorado Springs)
- The Lutheran
Church, Missouri Synod
- National
Association of Evangelicals
- New Life
Church
- Sisters of
St. Francis of Colorado Springs
- St. Benedicts
Monastery
- Woodmen Valley
Chapel
- Yeshiva University
The following
attorneys practice in this area:
Charles
Goldberg
L.
Martin Nussbaum
H.
William Mahaffey
Bruce
N. Warren
James
R. Walker
Susan
Strebel Sperber
Scott
M. Browning
Constance D. Smith
Eric V. Hall
Thomas
J. Dougherty II
Joy
Allen Woller
Douglas
B. Tumminello
Adam
L Weitzel
Edward
T. Schroeder
Courntey
L. Tawresey
Alex
C. Myers
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