CDP provides general counsel and transactional assistance to new and established NYC community-based organizations in a range of subject matter areas that affect them.

Assistance offered new to organizations includes:

• Help with incorporation
• Drafting customized bylaws to develop democratic internal structures
• Obtaining 501(c)(3) status (tax exemption)
• Complying with non-profit, employment, and tax laws
• Drafting internal documents such as personnel and policy manuals
• Conducting education sessions for new board/staff members on their rights and responsibilities and the ins and outs of running nonprofit organizations

Assistance offered to established organizations includes:

• Development of income-generating projects, including worker-owned cooperative enterprises
• Purchases of property
• Lease negotiations
• Federal and state contract compliance
• Negotiations with administrative agencies
• Amending by-laws and certificates of incorporation
• Training new board members
• Legal research connected to advocacy and organizing strategies
• Transactional services connected to the creation of new programs serving neglected communities
• Economic development projects, such as the creation of community-based credit unions and the development of micro-enterprises

CDP's general counsel and transactional work focuses on a number of areas of importance to our client groups, including education, workers' rights, youth organizing and advocacy, tenants' rights, community health, civil rights and economic development. Below are examples of our recent general counsel and transactional work; please visit our get help page for information on how to contact us for assistance related to general counsel and transactional legal services.

COLORS: NYC's First Worker-Owned Cooperative Restaurant

CDP attorneys have worked extensively with the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC) to design the corporate structure and operating agreement and handle many other legal matters for New York City's first worker-owned cooperative restaurant. The restaurant, called COLORS, opened in January 2006 to much fanfare. Co-Counsel on this matter includes Fordham School of Law's Community Economic Development Clinic and the law firm of Cadwalader Wickersham and Taft.

Sustainable South Bronx

CDP assisted Sustainable South Bronx (SSB), an organization dedicated to sustainable, community-based and environmentally-friendly development in South Bronx neighborhoods, with its application to the IRS for tax exemption (aka 501(c)(3) status). Obtaining 501(c)(3) status strengthens and supports the work of SSB by allowing the organization to apply for foundation funding and making donations to SSB tax-deductible.

Pro Bono Co-Counsel

CDP would like to gratefully acknowledge the many law firms that have served as co-counsel and donated countless pro bono hours in support of our legal work, including:

• Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft
• Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton
• Debevoise & Plimpton
• Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
• Gibson Dunn & Crutcher
• Koob & Magoolaghan
• Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel
• Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
• Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy
• Outten & Golden
• Proskauer Rose
• Schulte Roth & Zabel
• Shearman & Sterling
• Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
• Weil, Gotschal & Manges