Queens Religious Corporation and Not-for-Profit Litigation Attorney

Respected Queens, NY, Religious Corporation and Not-for-Profit Litigation Lawyer

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the religious freedom of people in the United States. This means that no laws can prohibit or restrict the free exercise of religion. However, religious organizations need to operate within our community, so there are certain laws and rules they must follow. In the state of New York, the Religious Corporations Law provides a framework for how churches, temples, mosques, or other religious bodies are organized, as well as how disputes involving these organizations may be settled. By working with an attorney who understands the laws involving non-profit organizations, a church, its board, and its members can address and resolve these disputes properly.

At The Charrington Firm, we understand the importance of addressing disputes within religious organizations in a way that protects the rights of everyone involved, as well as the institution itself. Attorney Karen Charrington is a litigator with over 20 years of experience, and she has provided legal help in a wide variety of cases involving the control and/or management of churches and other organizations. She will work with you to understand how the law applies to your situation while helping you determine the best way to reach a positive outcome to your disputes.

Religious Corporation Governance

Under New York's Religious Corporations Law, religious organizations can organize themselves as not-for-profit corporations. While this will provide certain benefits, such as tax-exempt status, it also requires an organization to follow specific rules, including for how the organization is governed. The Religious Corporations Law includes sections for many different types of religions, ranging from the Roman Catholic Church, to different Christian denominations, to the Islamic, Hindu, and Sikh faiths, and the governance requirements are based on how officials operate within different faiths.

The by-laws of a church, temple, mosque, or other organization will define how the religious corporation will be controlled and managed. If disputes arise involving an organization's officers, board of trustees, clergy, or members of the congregation, determining how to resolve these matters can often be very complex. For example, if a church's board of trustees wish to remove a pastor from service, but the members of the church object, who has the authority to make the final decision? If there are disagreements regarding how members of a church's board of trustees are elected, what steps can be taken to ensure that elections proceed properly without causing disagreements about the results? If a congregation has concerns about how their organization's board has handled real estate investments owned by the organization, what are their options?

Determining how to resolve these issues or other disputes may require the assistance of a lawyer who can help the parties understand how the organization's by-laws, the Religious Corporations Law, or other applicable state and local laws apply to their situation. At The Charrington Firm, we have assisted religious organizations in resolving multiple different types of disputes, and we will work with you to ensure these matters are handled properly and effectively. While we will do everything we can to help the parties in these disputes reach an agreement on how to proceed, we can also help you determine when it may be necessary to go to court to litigate these types of cases.

Contact Us to Handle Your Corporate Disputes

No matter the nature of the dispute you need to address in your church, mosque, or temple, The Charrington Firm can make sure you understand the applicable laws, and we can work with you to determine the best way to reach a peaceful resolution to your conflicts. To set up a free consultation and learn more about the legal services we can provide to your organization, contact our office at 718-528-4422.