Jeffrey M. Hurwit
Jeffrey M. Hurwit is founder of the law firm Hurwit & Associates of Newton, Massachusetts, which provides comprehensive legal counsel exclusively to tax-exempt organizations, foundations and charitable donors. Clients include educational, health, human service, environmental, arts, advocacy, and professional organizations throughout the US and abroad. He is Of Counsel to the Boston-based law firm of Burns & Levinson LLP.
Mr. Hurwit served four years as an Assistant Attorney General in the Public Charities Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, which oversees nonprofit organizations in the Commonwealth, was a staff attorney for WGBH Educational Foundation, concentrating in the areas of contract and intellectual property law, and was Chairman of the Nonprofit Organization Committee of the Massachusetts Bar Association.
As an Assistant Attorney General, one of Mr. Hurwit's main responsibilities was the legal and financial oversight of charitable trusts. He oversaw Cy Pres proceedings (the re-dedication of charitable funds) of approximately $75 million held in charitable trust and oversaw the review of $300 million held in municipal charitable trust funds.
Currently emphasized areas of counsel include nonprofit mergers and collaborations, nonprofit/for-profit structures and conversions, the taxation of unrelated business income, and governing board structure and responsibilities. Mr. Hurwit speaks frequently on nonprofit legal and organizational issues including most recently: Nonprofit Governance, Commercial Activities for Tax-Exempt Organizations, Effective Endowment Stewardship, and Emerging Nonprofit Business Models.
In 1978, Mr. Hurwit received a B.A. magna cum laude from Duke University in Middle East Studies. He received a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and became a member of the Massachusetts Bar in 1982.
Articles and News Quotes
- Starting Up: Nonprofits Launch Social Sidelines, June 23, 2008, by Diana Ransom, smSmallBiz.com.
- Nonprofits Strive To Eliminate Potential For Conflicts, June 5, 2008, by Nick Lioudis, Nonprofit News.
- Jeffrey Hurwit was quoted by Aleksandra Todorova of SmartMoney.com in Raising Money for a Sick Child" on July 13, 2005.
- Jeffrey Hurwit was quoted in the Association of Small Foundations' Spring 2005 Essentials newsletter (membership and login required) in the article "Contemplating Trustee Compensation." The article discusses the increased scrutiny foundations are facing regarding trustee compensation and conflict of interest policies.
- Jeffrey Hurwit was quoted in the article, "Five Tips for Keeping a Small Charity out of Legal Hot Water" by Rebecca Gardyn on August 12, 2004 in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
- Jeffrey Hurwit was quoted in the article, "Ficano probes no-bid deals" by Paul Egan in The Detroit News on June 22, 2003.
- "Unrelated Business Income Taxation: A Food and Facilities Tax Primer", The Complete Guide to Foodservice in Cultural Institutions, John Wiley & Sons, 2002
- Jeffrey Hurwit is quoted in, "Cooke's Son Challenges Executors' Price Tag" by Ian Shapira in the Washington Post on Saturday September 14, 2002
- Jeffrey Hurwit was quoted in "Advice on Foundation Program-Officer Jobs" by Alison Stein Wellner in The Chronicle of Philanthropy on July 25, 2002
- "Giving Yawkey funds wisely likely harder than buying team" (February 22-28, 2002) Op. Ed., Boston Business Journal
Speaking and Teaching Engagements
- "Thriving in a Changing Landscape: Finance and Regulations, in Boston, MA on Friday, September 26, 2008. Hosted by Associated Grant Makers.
- "Getting Engaged in Social Entrepreneurship, in Boston, MA on November 2, 2007. Hosted by Boston University School of Management.
- "Starting a Nonprofit Organization, in Great Barrington, MA on May 24, 2007. Hosted by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
- "The Nonprofit Entrepreneur: Commercial Ventures for Nonprofits, in Waltham, MA on July 12, 2006. Hosted by Massachusetts Service Alliance.
- "Starting a Nonprofit Organization, in Great Barrington, MA on March 23, 2006. Hosted by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
- "Nonprofit Law: Governance and the Critical Concept of "Stewardship" for Boards of Directors, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on November 18, 2005. Hosted by the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO).
- "Nonprofit Governance: An Introduction to Current Legal and Ethical Issues, in Burlington, MA on November 16, 2005. The event was sponsored by New England Museum Association.
- "Legal Issues for Private Foundations, in Boston, MA on September 29, 2005. Hosted by the Association of Small Foundations.
- "A Common Sense Approach to Conflict of Interest Policies, in Boston, MA on June 14, 2005. Hosted by Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts.
- "Nonprofit Law: Current Legal and Governance Issues," on May 17, 2005 at the Hyatt Regency in Cambridge. Hosted by the Third Sector New England.
- "Nonprofit Law: Critical Issues and Common Questions, on April 5, 2005. Hosted by Technical Development Corporation.
- "The Nonprofit Entrepreneur: Current Legal and Organizational Issues, on March 31, 2005. Hosted by the Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers.
- "Starting a Nonprofit: Legal Process and Practical Considerations, on March 9, 2005. Hosted by the Service-Learning Center at Bentley College.
- "Nonprofit Law: Current Legal and Governance Issues, on March 8, 2005. Hosted by the Massachusetts Service Alliance.
- "Nonprofit Law: Current Legal and Governance Issues, on February 9, 2005. Hosted by the Maine Association of Nonprofits.
- "Nonprofit Law: Current & Legal Governance Issues seminar on December 7, 2004. Hosted by the Maine Association of Nonprofits: Skill Builders Series.
- "Tax, Legal and Ethical Issues for Foundation Trustees, on November 18, 2004. Hosted by the Associated Grant Makers.
- "Starting a Nonprofit Organization," May 12, 2004, hosted by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
- "Nonprofit Law: Current Legal and Governance Issues," March 31, 2004, hosted by the Technical Development Corporation.
- "Tax, Legal, and Ethical Concerns for Private Foundations," October 23, 2003, a trustee leadership conference of the Association of Small Foundations. The conference was attended by trustees of 85 foundations.
- "Nonprofit Law: Critical Issues and Common Questions," November 13, 2002, 9:30-12:30, sponsored by the Training Institute of the Technical Development Corporation, 31 Milk Street, Boston, Massachusetts, www.tdcorp.org, (617) 728-9151
- "Starting a Nonprofit Organization" July 10, 2002, Technical Development Corporation
- "Essential Legal Issues for Nonprofit Organizations," April 26, 2002, Technical Development Corporation
- "Trends in Charitable Giving and Emerging Philanthropic Vehicles," April 12, 2002, Lexington Advisors Investment Forum
- "Emerging Nonprofit Business Models" and "A Practical Approach to Liability Prevention," Tax-Exempt Organizations in Massachusetts, February 7, 2002, a Lorman Education Services Seminar
