June 26, 2003 | Read Time: 1 minute
Ready in Defense: a Liability, Litigation, and Legal Guide for Nonprofits
by Melanie L. Herman
This book surveys the broad legal landscape faced by nonprofit managers. Melanie L. Herman, executive director of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, an organization in Washington that advises charities on such areas as liability and insurance, explains that nonprofit groups need a firm understanding of the law to comply with myriad rules and regulations, to deliver services without excessive fear of a lawsuit, and to withstand legal challenges.
The book offers tips on writing contracts, developing employment policies, avoiding defamation claims, and protecting the privacy of clients and employees.
Ms. Herman also discusses what happens when an organization faces a lawsuit and when a group should seek legal advice.
When designing services, she suggests, a group should consider whether the risks it takes are “reasonable.” If harm is a possibility, the likelihood and severity of the harm should be weighed against the services’ benefits. An organization that leads youths on outdoor trips, for example, should make sure leaders are adequately trained and that an emergency plan is put in place in case an individual is injured. It should consider postponing a trip altogether if bad weather might make the outing more dangerous.
Publisher: Nonprofit Risk Management Center, 1001 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 410, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 785-3891; fax (202) 296-0349; info@nonprofitrisk.org; http://www.nonprofitrisk.org; 109 pages; $20; I.S.B.N. 1-893210-13-8.
