Bridget M. Weiss brings a mission-first approach to her representation of tax-exempt organizations and philanthropists. With deep experience across the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors, she provides strategic, solutions-oriented counsel to help clients align legal compliance with organizational goals and charitable impact.
She advises a wide range of tax-exempt organizations—including charities, private foundations, advocacy and political organizations, medical research institutions, and international NGOs—on formation, tax-exempt qualification, governance, operations, and regulatory compliance. Her experience includes designing complex international affiliate structures, advising on lobbying and political activity compliance, and supporting impact investment vehicles that advance charitable missions. She also works with for-profit companies on corporate philanthropy initiatives, employee engagement programs, and related partnerships with nonprofit organizations.
Bridget regularly counsels family offices and high-net-worth individuals on structuring and managing multi-entity philanthropic and impact platforms. This includes developing shared services arrangements among family offices, social enterprises, and affiliated nonprofits. She advises on charitable gift planning and helps clients select the most appropriate philanthropic or mission-driven vehicles to achieve long-term legacy and impact goals.
She has significant experience advising on the use of market-based strategies to further charitable purposes. Her work includes the formation of incubators and impact funds; structuring program-related and mission-related investments; and establishing joint ventures, subsidiaries, and affiliates across both nonprofit and for-profit entities. Bridget also supports clients in launching innovative vehicles—such as charitable LLCs, social welfare organizations, and taxable nonprofits—and in developing operational frameworks, partnership models, and policies that enable innovation while maintaining legal compliance.
In the federal funding space, she advises recipients of grants and contracts on regulatory requirements, including audit readiness, reporting obligations, and risk management. Bridget also represents nonprofit organizations in IRS audits, internal investigations, and examinations by federal and state enforcement agencies, including Congressional inquiries. She works closely with boards and executive leadership on governance issues, providing guidance on fiduciary duties, conflicts of interest, internal controls, and oversight in complex organizational contexts.
Bridget is a frequent speaker at conferences on tax-exempt organizations issues.
Experience
- Public charity and related advocacy organization on advocacy, lobbying and political activities, including compliance and training programs.
- Medical and scientific research organizations with respect to their formation and ongoing operations, including establishment of relationships with major research universities and structures for commercialization of intellectual property.
- High net-worth individuals in structuring major gifts to a variety of nonprofit organizations (including universities and medical research organizations), as well as in the establishment and operation of private foundations.
- Corporate donor in the establishment and operation of an innovative scientific research program with research implemented by national and international consortia of educational and research institutions.
- Former public officials and authors in donation of personal papers and other memorabilia to educational institutions and libraries.
- University Board of Directors Committee in internal investigation regarding misuse of university funds by its President.
- Trade association on tax rules regarding reporting of advocacy and political activities to members, the Internal Revenue Service and under the Lobbying Disclosure Act.
Perspectives
Recognition
US Taxes: Non-Contentious (2014, 2017, 2021-2022)
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Northwestern University School of Law, 2004, cum laude, Order of the Coif
- A.B., Brown University, 1998
Admissions
- California
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
Activities
- Chair, Charities Committee, Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section, American Bar Association
- Member, Tax-Exempt Organizations Committee, Tax Section, American Bar Association