Practice Areas
Howe & Hutton Ltd. in Chicago and Washington, DC
Since 1985, Howe & Hutton, Ltd. has been The Law Firm for Associations® and The Law Firm for Meeting Professionals®. Contact our firm to arrange your consultation regarding any of the following matters.
- Trade Associations, Professional Societies and Other Nonprofit Organizations: Howe & Hutton, Ltd. provides complete legal services to professional societies, trade associations, educational organizations, foundations and public charities. We meet the daily legal demands of nonprofits in areas that include intellectual property, employment, risk management, tax law, antitrust, bylaws, contract negotiation and real estate leases.
- Meetings, Events, Trade Shows, Conventions and Conventions: Our firm has emerged as a leader in the hospitality industry. We regularly handle all matters involving meetings, events, conventions, the trade show industry, the hotel industry, the travel industry and incentive programs. We meet legal needs that involve contracts and liability and frequently speak on subjects such as contracts and risk management.
- Intellectual Property: We protect our clients’ intellectual property through trademark searches and applications, copyrights, preparation of license and royalty agreements, risk management regarding challenges to intellectual property ownership, Internet issues such as domain name infringement and cease and desist letters.
- Employment Law and Human Resources: Our attorneys advise nonprofit organizations and trade show coordinators in personnel and employment matters. These matters include discrimination claims, hiring and termination, employment contracts, severance packages, staff handbooks, IRS and regulatory issues and pension plans.
- Litigation and Risk Management: We focus on preventive strategies that mitigate potential problems for our clients. However, should the need for litigation arise, our experienced trial lawyers strategize for the best possible outcome. We handle disputes such as administrative law issues, antitrust litigation, employment discrimination claims, breach of contract claims, trademark defense and liability issues.
- Administrative Law Matters: Our firm represents nonprofits and hospitality industry members before government and non government agencies that include CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission), the Department of Labor, FTC (Federal Trade Commission), the IRS, OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC).
- Exempt Organizations Tax Matters: Generally, our clients are exempt from federal income taxes under Sections 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. We advise nonprofits on obtaining IRS tax-exempt status and maintaining that status.
- Antitrust Counseling: We provide experienced antitrust guidance to nonprofits and those in the hospitality industry. Howe & Hutton, Ltd. handles antitrust matters that include standards and certifications, codes of ethics, conduct at meetings, membership admission and membership termination policies.
- Governance Issues: Our lawyers help nonprofits adhere to governance best practices while furthering the organization’s mission.