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Shira M. Helstrom

Associate

Shira M. Helstrom advises nonprofit organizations on tax and governance issues, helping them to achieve their programmatic goals while navigating their legal and regulatory requirements. She works regularly with private foundations, public charities, medical and scientific research organizations, educational organizations, trade associations, and social welfare organizations. Shira advises clients on obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status, including issues such as intermediate sanctions, private foundation excise taxes, unrelated business activities, lobbying, and political campaign intervention.

Extended Profile

Clients rely on Shira for advice on operational and programmatic matters, including corporate governance, charitable solicitation and fundraising, complex grants and impact investments, collaborations and joint ventures, and major corporate transactions such as mergers and corporate restructurings.

Prior to earning her LL.M. in taxation from New York University School of Law, Shira served as a law clerk to Judge J. Curtis Joyner at the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She subsequently joined a large international law firm in New York where she represented for-profit clients during disputes with the IRS. She continues this work with her nonprofit clients, representing them in front of the IRS and during attorney general investigations.

Shira is a member of the Advisory Board of the Children’s Law Center in Washington, DC.         

Education

  • New York University School of Law, 2010, LL.M., Taxation
  • Temple University, Beasley School of Law, 2008, J.D., Summa Cum Laude
  • Muhlenberg College, 2000, B.A., Cum Laude

Admissions

  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • US Tax Court

Clerkships

  • Clerkship to Judge J. Curtis Joyner of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Awards and Affiliations

Member, Practice Group of the Year, Tax, Law360 (2017)

Member, Exempt Organizations Committee, Section of Taxation, American Bar Association

Member, Exempt Organizations Committee, Taxation Section, District of Columbia Bar

Publications

1/8/2019 - DC Requires Nonprofits to Renew District Tax Exemptions

9/10/2018 - A Look at New IRS Guidance for Nonprofits Calculating UBTI, Law360

9/6/2018 - IRS Issues Guidance on Calculating UBTI Under New Section 512(a)(6)

7/26/2018 - IRS Will No Longer Require Most Types of Tax-Exempt Organizations to Disclose Donor Names, Addresses

6/27/2018 - IRS Simplifies Tools For Donors To Tax-Exempt Organizations

6/21/2018 - IRS Consolidates Guidance on Deductibility, Reliance Issues for Grantors and Contributors

3/16/2018 - Tax-Exempt Organization Restructurings Made Easier, Law360

3/9/2018 - Tax-Exempt Organization Restructurings Made Easier

2/8/2016 - New Legislation Makes Important Changes to Social Welfare Organizations

10/5/2015 - IRS Publishes Final Regulations for Equivalency Determinations

9/29/2015 - IRS Provides Guidance on Mission-Related Investments by Private Foundations

View more...

Events

4/24/2019 - Georgetown Law CLE: 36th Annual Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations