How to raise money for a legal defense fund?

Apply for an EIN. Before you can start raising money for your legal defense fund, you must get an employee identification number from the IRS. The IRS requires you to have an EIN even if you don’t think the legal defense fund will ever hire any employees.

Can a charitable trust be a legal defense fund?

Although most legal defense funds are set up as charitable trusts, remember that you won’t have as much protection as you might if you formed a non-profit corporation.

Is there lack of funding for criminal defense?

Criminal and civil defense can be hampered by a lack of funding to pay for the best lawyers.

Can a legal defense fund be tax exempt?

Determine if you are eligible for tax-exempt status. Not every non-profit organization is necessarily eligible for federal tax-exempt status under section 501 (c) (3) of the tax code. Your legal defense fund must fall within one of the purposes recognized by the IRS under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

How does the time’s up legal defense fund work?

The TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund supports the brave individuals who have come forward, at great risk to themselves, to seek the justice they deserve and to protect others from similar behavior. This Fund helps workers connect with lawyers and bring cases of workplace sexual harassment and related retaliation — regardless of industry, rank or role.

Where did the Legal Defense Fund come from?

The exact origins of legal defense funds are unclear. In the mid-nineteenth-century United States, a number of minority groups pioneered the practice of amassing funds to cover legal costs associated with their battles for civil rights and civil liberties.

Who are some famous people with legal defense funds?

A legal defense fund allows third parties to donate monies, with an option for anonymity, to pay for such legal costs. Many American public figures have employed legal defense funds, including Bill Clinton and Sarah Palin.