Nonprofit Associate Attorney

Sheppard; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Sheppard is seeking a Tax‑Exempt Organizations/Nonprofit Associate Attorney (3–6 years of experience) to join our Tax Practice Group in Los Angeles. The ideal candidate should have significant experience with tax-exempt organization laws and nonprofit governance matters. Responsibilities include advising on client work related to nonprofits and philanthropic organizations. Candidates must have a Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and be admitted to the bar in the jurisdiction they apply to.

Qualifications

• 3–6 years of relevant tax‑exempt organizations/nonprofit law experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent matters.

Responsibilities

• Support nonprofit and philanthropic client work.
• Provide significant experience with tax-exempt organization laws.
• Advise on nonprofit governance matters.

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school

Job description

Sheppard is seeking a Tax‑Exempt Organizations/Nonprofit Associate Attorney (3–6 years of experience) to join our Tax Practice Group and support our nationally recognized nonprofit and philanthropic client work. The position is open to any U.S. office.

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP is a global Am Law 50 full‑service law firm with over 1,200 attorneys across 16 offices worldwide, advising clients on high‑stakes litigation, complex transactions, and cutting‑edge regulatory matters across key industries—including energy, real estate and development, financial services, healthcare, and technology.

Responsibilities

• Significant experience with both of the following is necessary:
  • Tax‑Exempt organization laws (e.g., obtaining/maintaining tax‑exempt status, private inurement benefit, excess benefit transactions, private foundation rules, UBIT, Form 990 reporting; structuring relationships and affiliations between tax‑exempt and for‑profit organizations).
  • Nonprofit Governance matters and best practices (formation, policies, conflicts of interest, executive compensation).
• Significant experience with any of the following would be a plus:
  • Hospitals, health plans and healthcare organizations.
  • Transactions and restructurings involving nonprofits (e.g., mergers, reorganizations, dissolutions) and related strategic counseling.
  • Advising high‑net‑worth individuals or businesses on philanthropy.
  • Transactional work.
  • International activity and grantmaking.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• 3–6 years of relevant tax‑exempt organizations/nonprofit law experience.
• Excellent writing skills, strong legal research and analytical ability, and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent matters.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work somewhat independently.
• Team‑oriented mindset and eagerness to collaborate across practice groups.
• Professional maturity, solid judgment and high ethical standards.

Application Requirements

Resumes, cover letters, writing samples, and law school transcripts are required to apply. Candidates must be admitted to and a member in good standing of the bar in the jurisdiction of the office to which they apply.