Starting Mill Law Center
When planning this firm, one of the first things I did was write a first draft of this blog post. I am finding that if you leave behind an established boutique firm to start your own firm from scratch, it can be helpful to journal.
To that end, I thought I would lead with some "frequently” (i.e not-yet) asked questions about Mill Law Center, what lies ahead, and what I hope to achieve here.
What is Mill Law Center?
A law firm. One with a unique specialty in that it only serves non-profits of all kinds (public charities, private foundations, trade associations, and political organizations) and those that pass through their orbit (donors, affiliated companies, social entrepreneurs).
Why use the name “Mill Law Center?”
Well, hopefully the “Mill” is self-explanatory — there are more aesthetically pleasing last names but it is what it is.
But why “Law Center” instead of “Law Firm”? A few reasons:
My hope is that Law Center connotes that this is a social enterprise. By that I mean that, while the initial and most basic function is to be a sustainable business through the provision of legal services in exchange for fees, there is a second, at-least-as-important goal of advancing the public good. Specifically, by being a resource center for non-profits and those with similar missions.
“Center” also refers to my ultimate goal for this business: non-profit law at the center with branches added over time in the form of additional areas of legal and non-legal services, each in some way connected to non-profits or progressive causes and performed by the right kind of experts.
Lastly, the term “Law Firm” does not exactly have the best ‘brand’, at least in terms of the values I am looking to promote. Of course, we will absolutely be as diligent and exacting as any other law firm when it comes to providing the services our clients need, when they need it. But there are a couple ways in which I want to distinguish MLC from a typical law firm:
Externally, we want to hold ourselves to the same standards of customer service as any other business, with maximum flexibility on billing and only delivering advice that is clearly understandable to non-lawyers. These are qualities that law firms may profess, but are not always known for in practice.
Internally, the organizational culture often associated with law firms is exactly what we want to avoid — this will be a law center that values all employees equally, gives all employees the opportunity to participate in the benefits of ownership, and allows people to establish their own work-life balance. We will prioritize diversity and inclusion in all decisions, whether hiring or operational.
Isn’t Non-Profit Law a Pretty Narrow Scope for a New Business?
You might think so, but the non-profit sector is vast. As a partner at Adler & Colvin and for years prior, I advised community foundations, scientific research organizations, investment funds and investors, tech start-ups, religious organizations of all kinds of faiths, grantmakers and grantees, donor-advised fund sponsors, political organizations, healthcare providers, and family foundations ranging from the married couple writing checks to leaders in international philanthropy. All of them had complicated legal needs that demanded years of expertise and a nuanced understanding of the tax and corporate codes And all were non-profits.
OK, So What Is Your Specialty?
In a sense, the specialty is to serve as outside general counsel to non-profits. Taking a non-profit’s situation, helping them identify the right questions to ask, and, based on the law, best practices, and years of experience, providing practical advice that ensure compliance and good governance, without sacrificing the organization’s goals. If that question requires expertise that we don’t have, it means helping the organization identify their best option and plan to move forward.
As far as the expertise we have, I am primarily a tax lawyer, specializing in federal tax law as it applies to exempt organizations (i.e., how to keep them exempt, how to comply with the various special sets of rules imposed on them through the tax code, and how to structure transactions where there are tax implications). I am also an experienced corporate lawyer for non-profits, advising on effective governance, different structures, and various transactions that non-profits face regularly. In short, if a question or transaction involves a situation unique to non-profits, there is a very good chance this firm offers a level of expertise that is hard to find.
Are There Services You Cannot Provide?
Yes, there are many services we do not provide, at least directly. There are many issues that come up for non-profits, many of which apply to for-profits and non-profits are alike. We specialize in the ones that are unique to non-profits and are equipped to answer many "general” business law questions, but there are many questions we can’t answer. While I would love to have hired every kind of expert, having every kind of lawyer under one letterhead and one engagement letter comes with a price (i.e., big firm rates).
BUT, just like the job of in-house counsel is to find people to answer the questions outside of their knowledge base, our job as outside general counsel is to (a) identify when you might have an issue that requires outside expertise and (b) connect you with the right expert. Sometimes we may be able to provide the support through partners we affiliate or contract with to provide a seamless delivery of services. Other times, we’ll rely on our network of lawyers in other firms and refer you out to the best partner.
So, while we do not provide every kind of legal service itself, we still endeavor to make sure your organization is covered across the board.
How Many Attorneys Work at Mill Law Center?
Today? One — myself (the “we” is the “royal we” for now). But soon? Almost certainly more. Without getting ahead of ourselves, the goal is to develop the capacity and breadth of expertise to apply our philosophy across the non-profit sector. I look forward to the time when there are many others on this team, if only to get “Mill” out of the name.
