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John E. Christopher "Justice delayed is justice denied." – William E. Gladstone

John E. Christopher is a partner at Manley Burke, LPA. He primarily practices in the areas of nonprofit organizations, business organizations, tax, and estate planning.

John’s tax focused education and his years of experience in working with a broad variety of nonprofit organizations (both charities and non-charities) allow him to provide focused, relevant and usable legal advice to his nonprofit clients in all phases of their operations, from creation and start up through termination. More specifically, he represents operating and non-operating private foundations ranging from those affiliated with Fortune 100® listed companies to small family foundations. His public charity representation covers all varieties of public charities including hospitals and hospital-supporting organizations, national church foundations, college and university-affiliated organizations, museums, arts organizations, cultural organizations, community organizations, ministries, youth sports organizations and national fraternal organizations and their related foundations, among many other mission-driven organizations. John’s experience in representing nonprofit clients includes corporate governance and fund stewardship, domestic and foreign grant-making, maintaining the corporate integrity of affiliated organizations, policy and procedure drafting and review, self-dealing and excess benefits transactions review and guidance, and representation of organizations facing IRS audit. He is a frequent speaker and has presented at numerous seminars, institutes and client training programs.

John’s representation of for-profit enterprises is similarly broad-based and varied. He advises closely held for-profit companies, including corporations and limited liability companies, across a broad spectrum of issues including tax-efficient operations and transactions, corporate governance, corporate “best practices,” and mergers and acquisitions.

John works with individuals and families to help transition family businesses and assets during life and at death in a tax-efficient manner while keeping the client’s goals the priority. His estate planning clients range from new parents with relatively simple needs to large estates and those with sensitive or complex issues.

Before joining Manley Burke, John was a partner in the Cincinnati office of Dinsmore & Shohl LLP.

 

Quick Facts

Office:

 

225 West Court Street

Cincinnati, OH 45202

 

Practice Areas:

Corporate

Non-Profit Organizations

Tax

Real Estate

 

Admissions

Ohio

Kentucky

United States Tax Court

 

Education

1994, LL.M. (Taxation), University of Florida

1993, J.D., Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law (cum laude)

1990, B.A., University of Kentucky

 

Achievements

Recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Nonprofit & Charities Law since 2007

Friend of Distinction Award, Pi Beta Phi Fraternity (2017)

Community Affiliations

NIC Foundation

 

Board of Directors, 2013 – present

 

Old Main Holdings – Board of Directors, 2012 – present

 

Mariemont School System Lacrosse Program

 

Head Coach Mariemont Junior High School Boys Lacrosse Team

 

Former Assistant Coach Mariemont High School Girls Varsity Lacrosse Team

 

Former Assistant Coach Mariemont Junior High School Girls Lacrosse Team

 

Former Assistant Coach Mariemont and Terrace Park Youth Girls Lacrosse Team

 

Former Assistant Coach Mariemont and Terrace Park Youth Boys Lacrosse Team

 

Former Member of Foundation Advisory Network of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation

 

Former Board Member of Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati Foundation

 

Former Trustee of Hyde Park Community Methodist Church

 

Former Board Member of St. Aloysius Orphanage

 

Former Treasurer of Mariemont Pack 1 Cub Scouts and den leader

 

Former Board Member of Southern Ohio Youth Girls

 

Lacrosse Association

 

Ohio Bar Association Mentor, 2013 – present

 

Ohio State Bar Association

 

Kentucky Bar Association

 

Cincinnati Bar Association

 

Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity – Member

 

Publications & Publications

Legal Update, BKD Not-for-Profit Education Program – Cincinnati, OH, May 2018

 

Keynote Speaker, Fraternal Housing Association Annual Conference, September 2017

 

Legal Update, 2017 PFA Convention, September 2017

 

Deductible or Not? How to Maximize Your Giving, 2017 Greek Housing Conference, April 2017

 

IRS and House Corporations, 2017 Phi Delta Theta House Corporation Summit, February 2017