Cristina I. Vessels

Counsel
Vessels Cristina

Cristina Vessels focuses her practice on matters related to nonprofit organizations. Cristina counsels public charities, trade and professional associations, and other nonprofits on a range of legal topics, from initial formation and tax-exemption applications, to corporate governance and other transactional matters. She frequently advises her nonprofit clients on a variety of charitable solicitation and fundraising matters, including achieving state charitable solicitation registration, securing accreditation from charity rating organizations, structuring charitable raffles, drafting corporate sponsorship agreements, and collaborating with fundraising professionals to achieve her clients’ development objectives.

Cristina also advises a broad range of for-profit businesses with their corporate philanthropy and cause marketing efforts, including all aspects of commercial co-venture promotions and social media charitable giving campaigns.

Her work for leading trade associations and regulatory boards, including in the architecture and early childhood education industries, involves legislative and regulatory drafting, litigation concerning challenges to board authority, contract negotiation, and general counseling on organizational and operational matters.

Cristina gives practical, efficient, clear, and, when appropriate, creative advice to meet her clients’ legal obligations and the realities of putting their plans into action.

Cristina graduated with honors from the George Washington University Law School, where she was an associate on The George Washington Law Review. She holds a B.S. in agricultural and resource economics, with a double major in government and politics from the University of Maryland.

Insights

Credentials
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Education

  • J.D. with honors The George Washington University Law School 2015
    • Associate, The George Washington Law Review
  • B.S. Agricultural and Resource Economics, and Government and Politics University of Maryland 2010

Bar Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • Maryland

Languages

  • Spanish

Recognition
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  • The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2024 – 2025