A partner in Venable's Nonprofit Organizations Practice, Lindsay Nathan brings a unique blend of government, political campaigns, and in-house nonprofit experience to her work. In this second Q&A in our series featuring members of Venable's esteemed nonprofit team, Lindsay reflects on her path from public service to private practice, how her in-house perspective shapes her client relationships, and why staying true to mission is at the heart of effective nonprofit leadership.
Q: You had a career in government and at a nonprofit before Venable. Why did you decide to move into private practice?
Lindsay: When I graduated from law school, I knew my calling was in public service. So, after briefly working at a small firm, I went to work at the New York governor's office. It was an amazing experience—very intense and fast-paced, but not something I could do forever. Then I found the opportunity working at a gun safety nonprofit. I loved that experience and learned so much, but I realized I wanted to work on different issues—not just one cause. Venable was outside counsel at that nonprofit, and the lawyers I was working with convinced me that joining the firm would be a great way to use my in-house and government experience to help a lot of different clients. That appealed to me, even though entering big law wasn't something I ever expected to do.
Q: How has your prior experience shaped your approach to advising clients?
Lindsay: Being in high-pressure situations, especially in government, has taught me that there's no such thing as a flat "no," because the stakes are so high—sometimes affecting millions of people. That experience pushed me to develop creativity and thoughtfulness, and to really put myself in my clients' shoes. My time in house reinforced the lesson that there's almost always a way to get to "yes." Of course, legal advice has to take into account an organization's mission, funding considerations, donor expectations, reputational concerns, and broader business needs. It's about understanding what the client wants to accomplish and helping them get there in a way that makes sense.
Q: Tell me a little bit about the kinds of clients you work with and what you enjoy about your practice.
Lindsay: I work with nonprofits of all shapes and sizes. Some are very large, with several in-house lawyers, and others are much smaller, with no in-house counsel at all. Many of my clients support causes I really care about, and it feels good to play a small part in advancing their work—whether that's helping them understand compliance obligations or thinking through ways to expand their operations and reach.
Q: Do you focus on a particular area of nonprofit law, or do you consider yourself more of a generalist?
Lindsay: At this point, there aren't many nonprofit issues I haven't seen, since the challenges tend to be similar across organizations. What I bring to the table—my niche, if you will—comes from my in-house experience. I'm good at spotting issues and helping organizations find practical solutions. I'm not the lawyer who's going to recite the details of the tax code unless that's what the client wants. Instead, I focus on communicating clearly and simply: here are your options, and here's the relative level of risk with each.
Q: What developments have you seen in the nonprofit world that stand out to you?
Lindsay: I think one of the biggest changes has been how central advocacy has become to nonprofit work. Nonprofits that want to accomplish their mission should use all the tools available to them. The understanding of how advocacy can fit within a charitable mission—and how it can be done effectively—has really evolved, and I think that's been a very positive development.
Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you see nonprofits facing right now?
Lindsay: Any time there's a significant change in government policy or in the political environment, nonprofits feel the effects in different ways. Funding is a big one. The economy is complicated right now, and that means nonprofits are having to think about how to do more with less. Some of my clients who relied heavily on U.S. government funding have seen much of it disappear. Helping them figure out how to regroup and continue their charitable work with fewer resources has been a major part of my practice over the past year.
Q: Finally, what's the most important piece of advice you'd give to nonprofits?
Lindsay: Stay true to your mission. That has to be the guiding principle in everything you do. There are so many external challenges nonprofits face right now. At some point, you have to step back and ask: What are we doing? What are our goals? There's always a way to accomplish your mission; it really comes down to keeping it at the center of every decision.
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