NEW YORK, March 22, 2021: Morgan Lewis welcomes partners Tomer Inbar and Megan Bell, of counsel Lauren Simpson, and associate Casey Oetgen, all who focus on representing US and global philanthropic and not-for-profit organizations and the for-profit organizations that work with them. Tomer, who started his career at Morgan Lewis, and the team arrive from Patterson Belknap and are resident in New York.
“We know this team will quickly jump into our ongoing mission of helping our for-profit and not-for-profit clients alike expand their philanthropic endeavors in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “Since our founding nearly 150 years ago, Morgan Lewis has represented philanthropists and not-for-profit clients as they navigate every major legal development, and we are proud to be recognized leaders in this important area.”
Tomer represents clients including private foundations, public charities, social welfare organizations, and other entities in a broad range of structuring, compliance, and operating matters. He regularly advises corporates, funds, and foundations on issues relating to transactions and structures, including joint ventures and the establishment of for-profit (and not-for-profit) subsidiaries and affiliates, and innovative models for impact intervention. He has significant experience working with clients on issues, structures, and programs in the areas of economic development and poverty alleviation, capital aggregation, multi-funder initiatives and impact investing, education, arts and culture, environmental conservation and preservation, food security and food systems, health, and advocacy.
Megan advises public charities, private foundations, social welfare organizations, business leagues and trade associations, and agricultural organizations, among others. Her practice focuses on formation and restructuring, general compliance and structuring, corporate governance, fundraising, complex gifts and collaborative funding arrangements, internal and regulatory inquiries, domestic and international grantmaking, investment activities, lobbying and political campaign activities, and the structuring and ongoing maintenance of multi-vehicle initiatives. She also represents individuals and for-profit entities in structuring and managing their engagement with not-for-profit organizations.
“Over the past few years, the philanthropic sector has significantly expanded efforts to address some of the most intractable issues faced by this country and the world, often doing so in collaboration with for-profit partners,” said Celia Roady, leader of Morgan Lewis’s philanthropic and not-for-profit entities practice. “Having an experienced team committed to finding new and creative pathways to solving problems, which is further strengthened by Tomer, Megan, Lauren, and Casey, is something our clients frequently tell us is invaluable.”
The new team further expands Morgan Lewis’s robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) capabilities. The firm’s ESG practice, of which Megan will be a co-leader, advises foundations, funds, and both for-profit and not-for-profit entities on responsible social investing.