Richard L. Sevcik
- Firmwide Chair, Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice
Rick's areas of counsel encompass entity ongoing operations, governance and management, tax, and transactional matters involving tax-exempt organizations.
A seasoned tax and transactional partner with decades of experience, Richard L. Sevcik represents numerous nonprofit organizations, private foundations, cultural institutions, social service agencies, advocacy organizations, and healthcare providers, as well as colleges, universities, and educational organizations.
Rick is a frequent author and speaker on issues facing nonprofits, and his presentations have included higher education tax compliance, lobbying and political activity restrictions, corporate governance and transactions, and the rules affecting private foundations. His nonprofit experience also extends to his civic commitments. Rick is a board of trustees member of both the Ravinia Festival Association and Chicago Shakespeare Theater and is a former member of the Board of the Lincoln Park Zoological Society.
Rick served as the office managing partner for the firm’s Chicago office from 2013 to 2018 and currently serves as the secretary of the Perkins Coie Foundation.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1985
- The University of Iowa, B.A., Political Science and Economics with highest distinction, 1982
Bar and Court Admissions
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Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Professional Recognition
Listed as a "Super Lawyer" by Illinois Law & Politics
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Non-Profit / Charities Law - Charitable Gift Planning; Education; Health Care; Private Foundations; Tax-Exempt Organizations
Leading Lawyer in Illinois in the area of Non-Profit Organizations
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.
Impact
Professional Leadership
- American Bar Association, Section of Taxation, Exempt Organizations
- American Health Lawyers Association
- Great Lakes Area TE/GE Council
- Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys
Community Involvement
- Ravinia Festival Association, Board of Trustees; Planned Giving Advisory Council
- Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Board of Directors
- Lincoln Park Zoological Society, Board of Trustees, 2006 – 2015; Planned Giving Advisory Council, Former Chair, 2004-2015
- National Merit Scholarship Corporation, Secretary
- Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Professional Council for Philanthropy
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Board of Advisors; Children, Youth and Family Services Committee; Strategic Planning Committee
- Illinois Attorney General's Charitable Advisory Council, Legislative Committee, Chair
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Healthcare and Exempt Organization Transactions and Joint Ventures
- Representation of hospitals, health care organizations and other exempt organizations in merger, acquisitions, joint ventures and other transactions.
- Represented several healthcare systems in connection with their establishment of joint ventures with physicians for ambulatory care and other services.
- Represented several healthcare systems in connection with their acquisition of physician practices.
- Represented a community healthcare system in connection with its sale to a for-profit healthcare system, and the establishment of a joint venture partnership to operate the hospital facility on a going forward basis.
- Represented a community healthcare system in connection with its affiliation and combination of with another community healthcare system.
- Represented a community healthcare system in connection with its affiliation with an academic medical center.
- Representing a for-profit university in connection with its conversion to tax-exempt status.
- Represented a religious-sponsored healthcare system in connection with its affiliation with a religious organization to co-sponsor multiple healthcare hospitals and facilities.
- Represented a healthcare system in connection with its acquisition of multiple long-term care facilities.
- Represented several healthcare systems in connection with their establishment of and participation in an accountable care network, including the tax implications of such participation.
- Represented an academic medical center in connection with its affiliation with community based hospitals throughout its service area.
Corporate and Tax Experience
Corporate Governance for Exempt Organizations
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with corporate governance, including the establishment of conflicts of interest policies, committee charters, document retention policies and other policies and procedures.
Private Foundation Investments
Representation of private foundations in connection with a variety of their investments, including alternative investments and program-related investments.
Scholarship and Hardship Funds
Representation of tax exempt organizations in connection with the establishment and operation of economic hardship funds, disaster relief funds and scholarship programs, particularly organizations affiliated with corporations.
Foreign Organizations
Representation of foreign organizations in connection with their U.S. based activities and the establishment of “American friends of” organizations.
Private Foundation Grant-Making Programs
Representation of private foundations in connection with their grant-making programs, including grants requiring expenditure responsibility and equivalency determinations.
Exemption Classification Issues
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with exemption classification issues. Represented an affiliate of a university in connection with a conversion to functionally integrated Type III supporting organization status.
IRS Examinations of Exempt Organizations
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with IRS examinations. Representation of a private operating foundation in an IRS compensation examination and a private foundation in connection with an IRS tax audit.
Entrepreneurship
Representation of a variety of organizations in connection with programs that promote entrepreneurship.
Fundraising and Endowments
Representation of organizations in connection with the restructuring of their fundraising operations and their holding of investment assets, including the establishment of endowment funds.
Gifts and Bequests, and Pledge Agreements
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with gifts and bequests, and pledge agreements.
Social Welfare 501(C)(4) Organizations
Representation of social welfare 501(c)(4) organizations in connection with their formation and compliance with those rules governing their lobbying and political activities.
Lobbying and Political Activities of Exempt Organizations
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with their lobbying and political activities, including grant making by private foundations to other organizations that may engage in lobbying activities.
Joint Ventures or Transactions for Exempt Organizations
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with their joint ventures or transactions with other exempt organizations or business enterprises.
Transactions with Insiders
Representation of exempt organizations in connection with their compensation arrangements of transactions with officers, directors and key employees, including the self-dealing and intermediate sanctions prohibitions.
Collections and Donations
Representation of museums in connection with collection-related issues, including collection management policies and donations of art and other personal property.
Hybrid Organizations
Representation of hybrid organizations, social enterprise funds and single-member limited liability companies.
Technology Transfer Operations of Colleges and Universities
Representation of colleges and universities in connection with their technology transfer operations and commercialization activities.