Robert W. "Bob" Saunders

Bob Saunders is a tax and business lawyer with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector. He counsels primarily tax-exempt organizations, both charitable and non-charitable, on a multitude of federal and state tax controversy matters, estate planning, and tax-exempt financing.

Bob helps all types of exempt organizations, including charities, religious organizations, educational organizations, trade associations, social welfare organizations and social clubs, in matters ranging from formation and operation to merger and dissolution. He serves as general counsel for exempt organizations and advises on tax and governance issues including intermediate sanctions, unrelated business income, and the use of for-profit subsidiaries and single member limited liability companies. He is also a skilled advisor regarding regulatory compliance regarding charitable solicitation laws and regulatory review of assets transfers by nonprofit organizations. He represents senior retirement living nonprofits, including those involved with assisted living, skilled nursing and continuing community retirement centers.

Bob also represents exempt organizations in federal and state tax audits, and has significant experience as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, company counsel and authority counsel in tax-exempt financings. Recently he was certified as a nonprofit board governance consultant by Board Source.

Recent representative clients include:

• North Carolina Rural Center
• Pisgah Health Foundation
• The Recycling Partnership
• CEO Roundtable on Cancer
• miraclefeet
• Chapel Hill Carrboro Chamber of Commerce

Bob has an active estate planning practice with an emphasis on charitable giving with private foundations and donor advised funds. He has experience with the formation, merger, and dissolution of private foundations, and is experienced in the reclassification of private foundations as public charities. He has also advised and participated in seminars sponsored by various community foundations.

Bob advises companies that are seeking to operate as social enterprises in the Fourth Sector on a variety of governance and tax-related issues. He has participated in activities involving such organizations as the North Carolina Fourth Sector Cluster Initiative and has attended the national conferences for the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (“BALLE”). Bob has advised a wide variety of nonprofits involved in this area, from community development financial institutions to farmers markets on entity formation and tax-exempt status issues.

Recent representative Fourth Sector clients include:

• CommunityWorx
• Partnership for a Sustainable Community
• The North Carolina Business Law Council
• Greensboro Farmers Market

Bob represents the Firm's clients on national, state and local tax controversy issues. Having previously worked at the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Bob has an in-depth understanding of tax disputes and how to best serve clients’ needs throughout the complex legal process. He is the co-author for the North Carolina Chapter of the ABA Property Tax Handbook and the ABA Sales and Use Tax Handbook.