For many lawyers who want to focus on making a difference in the world, foundation philanthropy is appealing. Here, Elizabeth Weston examines the various career options for lawyers in the nonprofit world.

1. E L I Z A B E T H W E S T O N :
L A W Y E R S I N P H I L A N T H R O P Y

2. I N T R O D U C T I O N
For many lawyers who want to focus on
making a difference in the world, foundation
philanthropy is appealing. Many law students
are interested in building and
maintaining public interest programs. Plus,
many lawyers and soon-to-be lawyers have a
creative streak that working in the nonprofit
sector can often engage.

3. L A W Y E R S L E A D I N G
N O N P R O F I T S
The Spring 2015 issue of Stanford Lawyer magazine
features Afam Onyema who launched and is now running a
nonprofit the GEANCO Foundation, aimed at giving
impoverished Nigerians life-changing medical care. Onyema
says that his law background is what enabled him to succeed in
the role, saying that he learned numerous transferrable skills,
including contract drafting, negotiation, and public speaking.
“Fundamentally what I do, when I walk into a potential donor’s
office or speak to a group, is make an argument just like any
lawyer,” he explained. “I have to be zealous and advocate as well
as possible because my client is that boy who can’t ride the bike
and help his family.”

4. C H A R I T Y S O L I C I T O R S
In the UK, there is a niche industry wherein lawyers advise charity or
social enterprise as they face a unique range of legal, regulatory and
commercial challenges.

5. L E G A L S E R V I C E S F O R
C H A R I T I E S
Creating the best legal structure to achieve your
goals
Understanding governance, and relationships
between trustees, management, and funders/donors
Achieving your charitable objectives while also
operating as a sustainable organization
Keeping up with the latest and most viable trends in
philanthropy and venture philanthropy in order to
bring together the right people with the right
expertise

6. “Doing nothing for
others is the
undoing of
ourselves.” Horace Mann

7. A P R E S E N T A T I O N B Y
E L I Z A B E T H W E S T O N
S O U R C E S :
J O H N S T O N , T H E R E S A . " L A W Y E R S L E A D I N G N O N P R O F I T S . " S T A N F O R D
L A W Y E R . S T A N F O R D L A W S C H O O L , S P R I N G 2 0 1 5 . W E B . 2 2 A U G . 2 0 1 6 .
< H T T P S : / / L A W . S T A N F O R D . E D U / S T A N F O R D - L A W Y E R / A R T I C L E S / L A W Y E R S -
L E A D I N G - N O N P R O F I T S / > .