• Contact

    • Karl E. Emerson

    Partner

    215-772-7314

    kemerson@mmwr.com

    Philadelphia

    Karl E. Emerson provides legal counsel and advice to nonprofit organizations, including advising charitable organizations and their fundraisers on compliance with state charitable solicitation statutes, conducting charitable organization compliance assessments, and conducting internal investigations for charitable and other tax-exempt organizations.

    Karl represents more than 100 charitable organizations and educational institutions that he registers each year to solicit contributions nationally in all states where required. He also represents charitable organizations when they are investigated by various state and federal agencies.

    Prior to joining Montgomery McCracken, Karl served as director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Charitable Organizations where he was responsible for administering and enforcing Pennsylvania's charitable solicitation law. Under his direction, the number of registered organizations increased from approximately 3,700 to more than 9,800. He streamlined and eliminated cumbersome registration procedures and policies, implemented the first electronic registration system in the country and set up a Special Investigation and Audit Unit that pursues fraud and other abuses in the nonprofit sector. He worked closely with state and federal law enforcement agencies as well as foreign law enforcement agencies on several terrorist financing cases.

    Previously, Karl held a variety of executive level positions in the Pennsylvania Office of Inspector General where he supervised and directed complex fraud, waste and abuse investigations. These investigations resulted in major monetary recoveries and savings for the Commonwealth, hundreds of employee disciplinary actions, several grand jury investigations, and numerous criminal prosecutions and civil and administrative actions. He worked closely with state and federal law enforcement agencies during his 10 years at the Office of Inspector General.

    From 1983 to 1985, Karl was a prosecuting attorney with the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs where he initiated and managed investigations of professional misconduct and represented the Commonwealth at formal disciplinary hearings.

    Karl received a J. D. degree from Temple University Law School in 1981. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1978 where he earned dual degrees, each magna cum laude, in Economics and Business Administration.

    RELATED Practices

    Nonprofit
    Higher Education

    Nonprofit

    Montgomery McCracken’s Nonprofit Industry Group has experience in representing nonprofits, foundations, public charities and educational organizations. Our active client base includes hundreds of organizations ranging in size from internationally known universities […]

    Learn more about our Nonprofit Industry

    Higher Education

    Montgomery McCracken’s Higher Education Industry Group has earned a reputation for broad experience in representing institutions of higher learning. Our group includes attorneys from many different practice areas who have […]

    Learn more about our Higher Education Industry

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    Credentials

    Selected Speaking Engagements
    Selected Publications
    Honors & Awards
    • Selected to the Best Lawyers in America© – Non-Profit/Charities Law list in 2018, 2022, and 2023. The Best Lawyers in America© list is issued by Best Lawyers and a description of the selection methodology can be found here.  No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
    • Selected to the Best Lawyers in America© : “Lawyer of the Year” – Non-Profit/Charities Law list in 2022. The Best Lawyers in America© list is issued by Best Lawyers and a description of the selection methodology can be found here.  No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
    • Named by The Nonprofit Times as one of the 50 most influential members of the nonprofit community in 2001, 2003 and 2006
    • Recognized as one of only three recipients of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Greater Philadelphia Chapter’s “Government Philanthropic Partner Award”

    No aspect of these advertisements has been approved by the highest court of any state.

    Community Involvement

    Karl has served as the president and vice president of the National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) and served on the NASCO Board for four years. He was one of six individuals selected to represent the nonprofit sector on the Internal Revenue Service’s first Tax-Exempt Advisory Committee. Karl is a former co-chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Charitable Organization Committee.

    Education

    Law School

    • Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law

    Undergraduate School

    • University of New Hampshire

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