Paul Winters

Paul Winters is a partner and provides legal services for the firm's wide array of nonprofit clients and other entities. Paul leads the firm's corporate practice group as well as the firm's technology and data privacy practice groups, assisting clients to understand and comply with these dynamic legal areas. His practice is devoted to helping nonprofits maximally achieve their exempt purposes.

Paul chairs the Religious Organizations subcommittee of the American Bar Association's Nonprofit Organizations Committee. Churches, denominations, and other religious organizations, trade associations, educational institutions, and large private foundations, number among the clients Paul serves. Paul advises organizations in the development of multi-entity corporate structures and improving nonprofits' risk profiles. He aids nonprofits in the development of joint ventures and leveraging commercial and taxable opportunities, while safeguarding parent nonprofits' valuable tax-exemption. Paul has provided advice and counsel to numerous nonprofits navigating federal and state grant agreements. He negotiates complex transactions on behalf of the firm's clients and develops strong contracts and other agreements to further diverse tax-exempt purposes. Paul has advised many nonprofit boards of directors to help them understand their fiduciary duties and has developed robust corporate Bylaws from which leaders can properly govern.

Paul enjoys teaching about the laws affecting nonprofits, both at the Northwestern University School of Professional Studies and the DePaul University College of Law, and he is a frequent speaker on such subjects. He has served as an expert witness in federal court on issues related to nonprofit qualifications. While in law school, Paul completed two judicial externships: one for the Honorable Sharon Johnson Coleman in the Northern District of Illinois federal court, and a second for the Honorable Matthias Delort in Cook County. Also during law school, Paul volunteered at a suburban legal aid clinic. Prior to working at Wagenmaker & Oberly, Paul spent one year working for the in-house counsel department of an international energy company.

Prior to his law school education, Paul served as the senior pastor of a Chicago-area suburban church for 16 years. During that time, Paul served in varying roles as Moderator of the Chicago Metro Presbytery, and Chairman of its Missions and Credentialing Committees. Paul's combination of educational, corporate, legal, and ecclesiastical experience gives him unusual insight into the challenges and dynamics facing volunteer organizations, faith-based groups, and various non-profit entities.

Paul's extensive experience and wisdom contribute substantially to our law firm's continued dedication and effectiveness in providing focused legal expertise to nonprofits.