Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C.

Tax-exempt organizations must address an increasingly complex body of legal issues. Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella guides these organizations through the labyrinth of federal and state regulations by providing them with sophisticated, multidisciplinary legal advice.

We represent a wide range of tax-exempt organizations, including public charities, educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, social service organizations, churches and religious organizations, social clubs, pension funds, and varied government agencies, taxing districts, and authorities.

We represent tax-exempt organizations in all aspects of their operations and management, providing comprehensive guidance from corporate governance to tax advice and litigation assistance. Our attorneys assist clients in organizing, obtaining, and maintaining exempt status. We counsel our clients on tax compliance issues, including federal and state income taxation, unrelated business income tax, and private inurement and intermediate sanctions rules. We help our clients work through the complex federal rules related to legislative and political campaign activities, using for-profit subsidiaries, participating in partnerships and joint ventures, as well as obtaining relief from state and local sales tax and property tax. As a result, lawyers in every practice area of our firm have substantial experience advising tax-exempt organizations.

Our comprehensive knowledge and experience with a wide range of tax-exempt organizations and legal issues ensures that we can provide those organizations with high quality and efficient services. From organizing a tax-exempt organization to providing guidance to protect existing tax-exempt status or advising on business issues affecting an organization, our attorneys provide competent and effective advice and counsel.
 

At Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, P.C., we believe that diversity in the workplace enhances the quality of the legal services we provide and enables us to bring a broader perspective to the problems our clients face. Diversity also enriches the work atmosphere itself.

Diversity Committee

The BWM&S diversity committee, formed in 2006, is responsible for developing, monitoring, and evaluating Firm strategies and progress in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce. Chaired by the Firm's managing partner, Jeffrey D. Warren, the committee is comprised of male and female members with various backgrounds, including associates, partners and staff. Members share a commitment to increasing the Firm’s diversity. Each uses his or her unique experiences and background to support and further that goal.

Summer Associate Committee

The Firm seeks to recruit summer associates with strong legal skills and diverse backgrounds. The Summer Associate Committee, chaired by John Kobus, works with the Firm's Diversity Committee in the recruiting and evaluation of potential candidates. It is the expectation that Summer Associates will join the Firm upon graduation. The Summer Associate Committee is comprised of 80% women. Over the last three years, 75% of the Firm's summer associates have been women.

A Call to Action

In 2006, the Firm became a signatory on two Chicago Bar Association diversity initiatives. The first commits the Firm to increase the number of women in leadership positions. The second commits the Firm to increase the diversity in its hiring, retention and promotion of attorneys.

Success with gender diversity as of 2006

We believe that the quality and depth of women attorneys in particular at our Firm is an indication of our commitment to diversity:

• More than 25% of Firm attorneys are women;
• More than 50% of Firm associates are women;
• Over the last three years, 75% of Firm summer associates, the primary source of new attorney hires, have been women;
• Over the last three years, more than 40% of lateral hires have been women;
• Karen MacKay is one of the only female name partners among large and mid-sized Chicago law firms;
• Other women at the Firm have attained important leadership positions, including LeAnn Pope who chairs one of the Firm's most significant practice groups;
• The Firm has responded positively to every request received for more flexible hours and working arrangements. Currently over 25% of our female attorneys work flexible schedules to better allow for work/family balance.

A comparison of Firm results: January 2006 vs. Today

• Women partner representation has grown from 24% to 35% through promotions and lateral hires;
• The number of women participating in flexible work arrangements has doubled – the majority of whom are partners;
• The number of women associates at the Firm has grown from 50 to over 60%;
• African American representation has grown from zero to 10% of our associates;
• Asian American representation has grown from zero to 10% of our associates.