Overview of Industry

We understand religious leaders’ passion is to serve their communities and grow their ministries. VF&N’s team of Virginia’s churches and religious institutions lawyers are committed to helping congregations remain focused on their mission by managing their church, or other religious institutions’, legal risk and preventing common pitfalls.

Religious Institutions as a Corporation

If your religious institution is considering or reviewing its corporation status, you may want to retain an experienced churches and religious institutions attorneys in Virginia to aid you in the process. VF&N attorneys have the experience to navigate the nuances of designing a document that is both in accordance with Virginia Corporation laws and sensitive to the original mission of faith. We can assist in:

• Creation, maintenance, and compliance of bylaws, governing documents, and other books of order
• Articles of incorporation
• Contracts, insurance policies, and employment matters

Real Estate: Construction, Expansion, Purchase or Sale, Loans and Leasing

After years of collecting for the building fund, your church is finally ready to make the leap of faith to purchase land or a new building. Bringing in a skilled attorney at this point can save thousands of dollars caused by permit delays, poorly negotiated loan terms, or post-closing encumbrances. We can assist with:

• Purchase agreements
• Negotiating terms of a loan with lenders
• Filing for land use and zoning permits
• Compiling due diligence and lender requirements reports
• Outreach and coordination with experts like architects and surveyors
• Reviewing construction contracts and delay provisions
• Facilitating BOD/ member approval and opinion letters
• Land use tax assessments

If you are years into a large purchase or expansion project, your focus has shifted from building to thriving. Often land and space is a church’s largest asset and potential revenue earner. If you are considering selling land or leasing your space, you should round out your real estate team with a trusted real estate attorney to support the following transactions:

• Review of or drafting of leases that protect the institution
• Unrelated business income and tax implications
• Sale Agreements
• Loan term review and audits