Religious Institutions

Religious institutions confront a variety of unique legal issues and problems related to their religious missions. Holland & Knight assists religious institutions by integrating advice about compliance with the increasingly complex and specialized laws applicable to all tax-exempt organizations with counsel on how they may fulfill their distinctive faith-based commitments. These may involve, for example, appointing or employing adherents of the same faith; enforcing rigorous codes of conduct; supervising volunteers; broadcasting religious messages; and offering, from a religious perspective, a wide variety of educational, medical, and social services.

Religious institutions may also face special governance challenges pertaining to their religious affiliations. They commonly manage unusual liability risks arising from their service to the poor and needy. In addition, religious counseling may involve special privileges at odds with mandatory reporting and disclosure requirements. Moreover, fundraising practices and financing requirements may raise unique issues. Holland & Knight's religious institutions attorneys are specially trained to identify laws (whether federal, state, or local and constitutional, statutory, or otherwise) that exempt or specially burden religious institutions and persons.

Sensitive to the distinctive mission of religious institutions, Holland & Knight's lawyers serve a broad variety of organizations nationwide, including churches, synagogues, denominations, religious orders, schools, universities, broadcasters, health care providers, insurance companies, social service providers, credit unions, missionary organizations and philanthropic organizations. Our attorneys counsel religious institutions proactively about how best to achieve their objectives and to reduce risks and liabilities. We advocate on our clients' behalf before administrative bodies and in state and federal courts. We also assist with tax-exempt financings and handle IRS audits and other tax controversies.

Holland & Knight can assemble a team of lawyers and professionals from across the country with experience and knowledge that is tailored to meet each religious institution's needs from real estate and land use, intellectual property, and tax issues to employment law matters and litigation of controversies that cannot otherwise be resolved. We organize and participate in seminars and conferences, as well as publish articles concerning topics of interest to religious institutions. We even share the objectives of religious institutions to make communities better through Holland & Knight's widely recognized pro bono service initiatives and the Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation.