Details: This training introduces participants to the Minnesota Nonprofit Legal Services Initiative. The Initiative is a robust response to the emergent legal needs of Minnesota nonprofits as they navigate a broad and shifting federal legal landscape. This partnership between the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and LegalCORPS helps to reduce the high-cost barriers of legal support and features a Nonprofit Legal Help Desk, a Legal Resource Library, and Compliance Support. Attendees will learn how and why the Initiative was created, how attorneys can engage with the Initiative, and the types of support provided to nonprofits. Presenters will share recent examples of nonprofits that have benefitted from the Initiative, as well as LegalCORPS' other programs. This training is ideal for legal professionals interested in engaging with nonprofits that are being impacted by increased scrutiny, evolving compliance requirements, contractual challenges, and the many executive actions that impact funding, operations, and advocacy work.
Presenters: Tom Triplett graduated from Grinnell College and Duke University law school. He practiced law briefly with Fredrickson and Faegre law firms. He then moved to state government for 25 years, serving as Counsel to the Minnesota Senate, Deputy Counsel to the Attorney General, and Commissioner of three state agencies: Planning, Revenue and lastly Finance. After state service, he served at various area nonprofits in legal, managerial, and finance consulting roles. For six years he taught nonprofit governance and finance in the Executive Education program at the St Thomas School of Business. Since 2018, he’s volunteered at LegalCORPS where his principal role has been to provide brief advice clinics to start-up nonprofits.
Jackie Craig is the Strategic Engagement Director at LegalCORPS, where she oversees the nonprofit program, leads agency marketing efforts, and provides strategic support across initiatives. She brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, consulting, and board service, with a career spanning employment counseling, project management, communications, marketing, operations, and strategy. Jackie is dedicated to strengthening organizations and advancing community impact through collaboration and innovation.
Marie Ellis serves the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits as a senior advisor for policy and impact. In this role, Marie supports MCN’s work to advance public policy initiatives that strengthen the nonprofit sector across the state. Marie is committed to continuing MCN’s work to review laws that impact nonprofits through lenses of equity and advocate for reform where needed. She wears the badge of “nonprofit nerd” with great pride.
Marie has been working in public policy for two decades, both in government and as an advocate through multiple nonprofits. Originally from Saint Cloud, Marie has a B.A. in Religion from Concordia College in Moorhead and a law degree from the University of Saint Thomas School of Law.
Location: Zoom
CLE: 1 hour of Standard CLE credit to be applied for