Ryan Oberly

Ryan Oberly advises a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including all forms of public charities, private foundations, social welfare organizations, trade associations, and social clubs.

As head of the firm’s federal tax and international practice group, Ryan helps nonprofits understand the rules governing their tax-exempt status and develops tax structuring and compliance strategies to address unrelated business income compliance, private benefit and inurement, political campaign and lobbying, private foundation excise taxes, joint ventures, grantmaking, program related investments, and other federal tax issues. Ryan regularly represents clients in all stages of IRS audits and serves as tax counsel on litigation matters involving tax issues for nonprofits. On the international side, he navigates clients through the diverse tax, sanctions, and other legal and practical challenges in advancing philanthropic activities and projects in foreign countries.

Ryan is a passionate advocate for philanthropy and for the importance of a robust, pluralistic nonprofit sector in sustaining a healthy civil society. He has taught the Law of Nonprofit Organizations as an adjunct law professor at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago and Charleston School of Law. He currently co-chairs the Religious Organizations Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Exempt Organizations Committee and regularly speaks and writes on legal developments affecting nonprofit organizations. He serves on the boards of religious and international humanitarian organizations.

Prior to starting Wagenmaker & Oberly, Ryan worked at Mosher & Wagenmaker, a law firm dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations.

Outside of work, Ryan enjoys surfing, skiing, and spending time with family and friends in Charleston's Daniel Island community, where he lives with his wife and three children.