Director of Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs (Volunteer)

Director of Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs (Volunteer)

PromiseTrust | Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs Department

Organization: Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division: PromiseTrust — Legal Affairs & Organizational Protection

Department: Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs

Location: Fully Remote — United States, with NYC-based collaboration as needed

Type: Volunteer Leadership Role (Unpaid)

Commitment: Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Minimum Commitment: 6 months

Reports To: Senior Director of Legal Affairs

Supervises: Assigned attorneys, legal specialists, legal researchers, and department volunteers, subject to applicable professional-supervision requirements

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit organization supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, education, literacy, social-emotional learning, creative expression, advocacy, and community-centered opportunities.

As MAP expands its programs, partnerships, publishing initiatives, digital products, and organizational infrastructure, strong legal foundations are essential to responsible growth, institutional integrity, and long-term sustainability.

Department Overview

The Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs Department provides specialized legal guidance concerning MAP's nonprofit corporate structure, organizational legal obligations, tax-exempt status, corporate transactions, and institutional development.

Working closely with PromiseGovernance, PromiseFinance, PromiseOperations, and executive leadership, the department helps ensure that organizational decisions are informed by applicable nonprofit and corporate law.

Our guiding question is:

How do we protect MAP's legal foundation while enabling responsible organizational growth?

Role Overview

Mentor A Promise is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as Director of Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs.

Reporting directly to the Senior Director of Legal Affairs, this senior volunteer leadership position will help strengthen MAP's corporate legal infrastructure, coordinate legal research and advisory work, assess organizational legal risks, and support responsible institutional development.

The Director will provide or coordinate legal guidance concerning nonprofit corporate requirements, governance-related legal matters, organizational restructuring, tax-exempt organization issues, corporate transactions, and strategic initiatives.

This position requires sound legal judgment, practical problem-solving, collaborative leadership, and the ability to translate complex legal requirements into actionable recommendations.

The Director will lead assigned departmental workstreams while maintaining clear accountability to the Senior Director of Legal Affairs and respecting the responsibilities of other organizational divisions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Leadership

• Lead departmental priorities, assigned legal matters, and professional standards.
• Provide or coordinate legal guidance concerning nonprofit corporate law and organizational obligations.
• Advise on corporate structure, organizational authority, entity formation, restructuring, and corporate transactions.
• Support executive leadership in understanding legal considerations affecting organizational development.
• Identify emerging legal risks and recommend appropriate preventive measures.
• Coordinate significant legal questions and recommendations with the Senior Director of Legal Affairs.

1. Nonprofit Corporate Compliance

• Advise on applicable New York nonprofit corporation requirements and relevant federal nonprofit legal obligations.
• Support legal review of organizational filings, corporate records, governing instruments, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor developments in nonprofit law that may affect MAP.
• Coordinate with PromiseGovernance on governance-related legal questions while preserving the Board's governing authority.
• Collaborate with PromiseFinance and qualified tax professionals on matters affecting nonprofit tax-exempt status.
• Identify compliance gaps and recommend corrective actions for appropriate leadership approval.

1. Corporate Governance Legal Advisory

• Provide legal analysis concerning Board authority, fiduciary obligations, nonprofit governance, and corporate decision-making.
• Review proposed bylaws amendments, corporate resolutions, and organizational structural changes when legal analysis is required.
• Support PromiseGovernance with legal interpretation of applicable requirements.
• Identify matters requiring Board consideration, external counsel, or executive escalation.
• Ensure legal recommendations respect established organizational decision-making authority.

PromiseGovernance owns governance frameworks and processes. PromiseTrust provides the related legal interpretation and advice.

1. Tax-Exempt Status & Organizational Legal Protection

• Advise on legal requirements relevant to maintaining MAP's federal and state nonprofit status.
• Identify legal issues involving charitable purposes, private benefit, unrelated business activities, and organizational transactions.
• Collaborate with PromiseFinance and qualified tax professionals on tax-exempt organization matters.
• Support legal assessments of proposed revenue-generating initiatives, publishing activities, digital products, and social enterprises.
• Escalate complex tax questions requiring specialized legal or accounting expertise.
• Recommend safeguards that support MAP's charitable mission and institutional sustainability.

1. Organizational Growth & Strategic Initiatives

• Evaluate legal implications of proposed subsidiaries, affiliated entities, joint ventures, and organizational restructuring.
• Support legal feasibility assessments for future housing, educational, technology, publishing, and social enterprise initiatives.
• Advise on organizational expansion and changes to corporate structure.
• Identify legal considerations involving ownership, organizational authority, liability, and required approvals.
• Coordinate specialized legal reviews with other PromiseTrust departments.
• Help leadership understand the legal risks and requirements associated with major organizational initiatives.

1. Corporate Transactions & Institutional Agreements

• Provide legal support for corporate transactions and structural agreements.
• Collaborate with the Contracts & Commercial Legal Affairs Department on institutional arrangements and significant corporate obligations.
• Identify legal approval requirements, potential liabilities, and due diligence needs.
• Support coordination with external counsel when appropriate.
• Ensure proposed transactions receive necessary internal review before execution.

1. Legal Research, Advisory Services & Risk Management

• Direct legal research into nonprofit corporate law, charitable organizations, regulatory developments, and institutional legal questions.
• Prepare legal memoranda, advisory summaries, issue assessments, and recommendations.
• Translate complex legal requirements into clear guidance for organizational leaders.
• Develop legal risk assessments and recommend appropriate escalation procedures.
• Coordinate with Legal Operations & Knowledge Management on legal intake, matter tracking, and controlled documentation.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality, professional standards, and protections for privileged communications where applicable.

1. Department Leadership & Development

• Recruit, mentor, and support qualified legal volunteers and researchers in collaboration with PromisePeople.
• Establish departmental work plans, assignments, priorities, and achievable milestones.
• Supervise assigned work within applicable professional-responsibility requirements.
• Develop internal legal research resources and knowledge-sharing practices.
• Facilitate collaboration among attorneys, legal researchers, and other approved contributors.
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Director of Legal Affairs concerning departmental priorities, progress, risks, and outstanding matters.
• Support a culture of professional accountability, ethical judgment, and collaborative problem-solving.

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

The Director will work closely with:

• PromiseGovernance: Corporate governance legal advice, bylaws, fiduciary matters, and governance-related legal requirements.
• PromiseFinance: Tax-exempt organization matters, financial transactions, and fiscal legal questions.
• PromiseOperations: Administrative implementation, document coordination, and organizational processes.
• PromiseGiving: Legal considerations involving charitable fundraising, donations, and grant-related organizational obligations.
• PromiseInnovation: Legal feasibility of emerging ventures and approved strategic initiatives.
• PromiseBridge: Legal considerations involving strategic institutional relationships.
• Executive Team: Corporate structure, organizational development, and significant legal decisions.
• Other PromiseTrust Departments: Specialized legal review, contracts, intellectual property, compliance, and legal operations.

The Director provides legal guidance without assuming another division's operational or governance responsibilities.

Legal Advice, Representation & Professional Boundaries

The Director's responsibilities include authorized legal advice, legal research, risk assessment, and coordination of legal services.

The following professional boundaries apply:

• Legal advice must be provided only by attorneys appropriately authorized to perform the relevant work.
• Appointment to this volunteer position does not independently authorize court appearances, administrative representation, regulatory filings, or representation in legal proceedings.
• Any legal representation must be separately authorized by MAP and undertaken by counsel with the necessary jurisdictional authority.
• Attorneys must comply with applicable admission, registration, professional-responsibility, confidentiality, and conflict-of-interest requirements.
• The scope of legal services and any attorney-client engagement must be appropriately established.
• Non-attorney volunteers may support permissible research and administrative activities under appropriate supervision.
• Matters outside the department's qualifications, authority, or capacity must be escalated to the Senior Director of Legal Affairs and appropriately qualified counsel.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, in good standing.
• Demonstrated experience in nonprofit law, corporate law, tax-exempt organizations, or related legal practice.
• Strong understanding of corporate governance, nonprofit legal obligations, and organizational legal structures.
• Excellent legal research, analysis, drafting, and communication skills.
• Ability to exercise sound professional judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience advising organizational leaders or coordinating complex legal matters.
• Strong organizational, leadership, and collaborative skills.
• Commitment to professional ethics, public service, and MAP's mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with New York Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.
• Familiarity with federal tax-exempt organization requirements, including Section 501(c)(3).
• Experience advising nonprofit boards, charitable organizations, or mission-driven enterprises.
• Knowledge of corporate restructuring, nonprofit affiliations, social enterprises, or complex organizational transactions.
• Experience supervising attorneys, legal professionals, or multidisciplinary teams.
• Familiarity with nonprofit regulatory matters involving the New York Attorney General's Charities Bureau.

Leadership Expectations

The Director is expected to demonstrate:

• Legal Excellence: Deliver accurate, well-reasoned, professionally responsible legal guidance.
• Strategic Judgment: Understand how legal decisions affect MAP's development and long-term sustainability.
• Institutional Integrity: Protect organizational legal interests while respecting its charitable mission and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Collaboration: Work constructively across divisions while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Accountability: Communicate legal risks, recommendations, deadlines, and matters requiring escalation.
• Leadership: Develop departmental capacity, support volunteers, and maintain clear work priorities.
• Mission Alignment: Recognize that strong legal infrastructure ultimately helps MAP serve children, youth, and families more effectively.

First 90-Day Priorities

• Meet with the Senior Director of Legal Affairs to establish departmental priorities and expectations.
• Assess MAP's corporate and nonprofit legal needs.
• Review key corporate governance documents for legal issues.
• Identify material compliance requirements, regulatory deadlines, and potential legal risks.
• Establish a prioritized departmental work plan and legal matter tracker.
• Develop coordination procedures with PromiseGovernance, PromiseFinance, and other relevant divisions.
• Identify matters requiring specialized counsel or further legal review.
• Present recommendations for strengthening MAP's corporate legal infrastructure.

Measures of Success

• Clear, reliable corporate and nonprofit legal guidance for organizational leadership.
• Timely identification and escalation of significant legal risks.
• Improved legal readiness for organizational initiatives and expansion.
• Strong coordination between PromiseTrust, PromiseGovernance, PromiseFinance, and executive leadership.
• Organized legal research, documentation, and matter tracking.
• Effective departmental supervision and professional accountability.
• Sustainable legal processes that support MAP's long-term institutional development.

Volunteer Commitment & Expectations

• Commit approximately 5–10 hours per week for at least six months.
• Participate in relevant PromiseTrust leadership meetings.
• Maintain regular communication with the Senior Director of Legal Affairs.
• Provide timely progress updates and communicate significant legal risks promptly.
• Collaborate through MAP's approved systems and communication platforms.
• Follow applicable professional-responsibility requirements and MAP's confidentiality, privacy, safeguarding, and governance policies.
• Respect established reporting structures and organizational decision-making authority.
• Obtain required approvals before undertaking legal representation or making commitments on MAP's behalf.
• Provide at least two weeks' notice when ending volunteer service whenever possible.

Acknowledgment of Role

By accepting this position, the Director acknowledges the responsibilities, leadership expectations, professional standards, confidentiality obligations, reporting structure, and mission alignment associated with serving Mentor A Promise.

Why This Role Matters

A growing nonprofit needs more than ambition. It needs the legal foundation to pursue opportunities responsibly, protect its charitable purpose, and make informed decisions.

From corporate governance and tax-exempt status to organizational expansion, partnerships, and emerging initiatives, legal considerations influence an organization's ability to grow sustainably.

As Director of Corporate & Nonprofit Legal Affairs, you will help MAP navigate complex legal challenges, strengthen accountability, and establish the institutional protections needed to pursue its mission with confidence.

Your leadership will help ensure that organizational growth is supported by sound legal judgment, ethical practices, and responsible decision-making.

Strong legal foundations make lasting impact possible.

What You'll Gain

• Experience supporting corporate and nonprofit legal affairs within a growing nonprofit organization.
• Opportunities to collaborate with senior legal professionals, organizational leaders, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience addressing nonprofit corporate governance, tax-exempt organization matters, and institutional legal questions.
• Leadership experience coordinating legal workstreams and developing departmental processes.
• Opportunities to contribute to organizational growth and long-term legal sustainability.
• Potential professional references based on demonstrated contributions.
• The opportunity to apply legal expertise in support of children and families experiencing housing instability.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and submit a resume or CV and cover letter.

Please highlight relevant experience in nonprofit corporate law, tax-exempt organizations, corporate governance, organizational transactions, or legal leadership. Include your current bar admission jurisdiction or jurisdictions.

This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements.

Join Mentor A Promise and help build the legal foundation that protects our mission, supports responsible growth, and strengthens our ability to create lasting impact.

Because every child deserves a promise kept.