Introduction to Not-for-Profit Law

September 4-8, 2000

Vytautas Magnus University Law School

Kaunas, Lithuania

 

Catherine M. Shea, Instructor

 

Course Materials

 

Open Society Institute, Guidelines for Laws Affecting Civic Organizations (1997) (in PDF Format)

 

Course Package (Word Document)

 

Practical Exercise:  Registration of a Non-profit Entity (Word Document)

 

 

Syllabus

Monday, September 4, 2000

 

Session 1:            Introduction to NGO Law

 

The Role and Purpose of the Nongovernmental Sector

The Relation of NGO Law to Other Laws

            International Law (e.g., U.N. Declaration)

            Regional Law (e.g., European Convention on Human Rights)

Decisions by the European Court of Human Rights Relating to the Freedom of Association (e.g.,  Sidiropoulos and other v. Greece)

 

Session 2:            Legal Existence of NGOs; Registration

 

Benefits of Legal Entity Status

Registration requirements

Public Benefit Organizations and Mutual Benefit Organizations

 

Assignment:                Guidelines, Chapters 1 , 2, and 3

                                    Cases: Sidiropoulos and Others v. Greece

                                                United Communist Party v. Turkey

                                                Freedom and Democracy Party (OZDËP) v. Turkey

 

Discussion Examples:  Registration, Public Benefit Status Chart on the NGO Legal Framework

Optional Reading:            Paper on Public Benefit Status and Non-Governmental Organizations

 

Tuesday, September 5, 2000

Session 1:  Registration (cont’d)

 

Session 2:  Prohibitions on Direct and Indirect Private Benefit

 

Assignment:                Guidelines, Chapter 5

                                    Discussion Examples:  Nondistribution Constraint

Chart on NGO Registration Practices

                                    Practical Exercise:  Registration of a Nonprofit Entity

 

 

Wednesday, September 6, 2000

 

Session 1:            Structure and Governance of NGOs

                                    Internal governance

                                    Duties of Governing Bodies and Management

                                    Conflicts of Interest

                                    Self-dealing

 

Session 2:            Reporting and Supervision

 

Assignment:                Guidelines, Chapters 4, 8, 6.4

Discussion Examples:  Internal Governance, Reporting Requirements

 

 

Thursday, September 7, 2000

 

Session 1:            Activities of NGOs/Political Activities

                                   

Session 2:       Fundraising/ Foreign Funds/Government Entities

 

 

Assignment:                Guidelines, Chapters 6, 7, 10, 11, and 12

Discussion Examples:  Political Activities of NGOs

 

Optional Reading:             Paper on Public Policy Activities by NGOs

 

Friday, September 8, 2000

 

Session 1:              Taxation, Economic Activities of NGOs

 

Session 2:              Taxation, Economic Activities of NGOs, cont’d

                        Course Review

 

Assignment:                Guidelines, Chapters 6, 9

                                    Discussion Examples:  Economic Activities

Optional Reading:            Papers on Economic Activities by NGOs, Hungarian 1% Law