Skip to main content

Nixon Peabody LLP

  • People
  • Capabilities
  • Insights
  • About
Trending Topics
    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    Practices

    View All

    • Affordable Housing
    • Community Development Finance
    • Corporate & Finance
    • Cybersecurity & Privacy
    • Entertainment & Media
    • Environmental
    • Franchising & Distribution
    • Government Investigations & White Collar Defense
    • Healthcare
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Services
    • Labor, Employment, and Benefits
    • Litigation
    • Private Wealth & Advisory
    • Project Finance
    • Public Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Regulatory & Government Relations
    Industries

    View All

    • Aviation
    • Cannabis
    • Consumer
    • Energy
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Education
    • Infrastructure
    • Manufacturing
    • Nonprofit Organizations
    • Real Estate
    • Sports & Stadiums
    • Technology
    Value-Added Services

    View All

    • Alternative Fee Arrangements

      Developing innovative pricing structures and alternative fee agreement models that deliver additional value for our clients.

    • Continuing Education

      Advancing professional knowledge and offering credits for attorneys, staff and other professionals.

    • Crisis Advisory

      Helping clients respond correctly when a crisis occurs.

    • DEI Strategic Services

      Providing our clients with legal, strategic, and practical advice to make transformational changes in their organizations.

    • eDiscovery

      Leveraging law and technology to deliver sound solutions.

    • Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)

      We help clients create positive return on investments in people, products, and the planet.

    • Global Services

      Delivering seamless service through partnerships across the globe.

    • Innovation

      Leveraging leading-edge technology to guide change and create seamless, collaborative experiences for clients and attorneys.

    • IPED

      Industry-leading conferences focused on affordable housing, tax credits, and more.

    • Legal Project Management

      Providing actionable information to support strategic decision-making.

    • Legally Green

      Teaming with clients to advance sustainable projects, mitigate the effects of climate change, and protect our planet.

    • Nixon Peabody Trust Company

      Offering a range of investment management and fiduciary services.

    • NP Capital Connector

      Bringing together companies and investors for tomorrow’s new deals.

    • NP Second Opinion

      Offering fresh insights on cases that are delayed, over budget, or off-target from the desired resolution.

    • NP Trial

      Courtroom-ready lawyers who can resolve disputes early on clients’ terms or prevail at trial before a judge or jury.

    • Social Impact

      Creating positive impact in our communities through increasing equity, access, and opportunity.

    • Women in Dealmaking

      We provide strategic counsel on complex corporate transactions and unite dynamic women in the dealmaking arena.

    1. Home
    2. Insights
    3. Alerts
    4. Nonprofits must register before lobbying Chicago officials starting July 1, 2024

      Alerts

    Alert / Nonprofit Organizations

    Nonprofits must register before lobbying Chicago officials starting July 1, 2024

    March 27, 2024

    LinkedInX (Twitter)EmailCopy URL

    By Charles Bernardini

    Employers are urged to comply, as the Chicago Board of Ethics has a history of fining violators and publishing such fines.

    What’s the impact?

    • Any nonprofit employee or consultant who engages in twenty (20) or more hours of lobbying (as defined) in a calendar quarter or who is compensated or spends $1,250 for lobbying in a calendar quarter must register with the Board of Ethics within five (5) days of first engaging in lobbying activity.
    • Failure to comply subjects the unregistered lobbyist to a fine of up to $1,000 per day or up to $20,000 for their client. The City can cancel any contract entered into based on unregistered lobbying.

    DOWNLOAD

    Nonprofits must register before lobbying Chicago officials

    In recent years, the City of Chicago passed a number of ethics reform measures to promote transparency and accountability in government activities. As part of this reform package, the city council passed regulations governing lobbying activities by nonprofit organizations. The City’s mandate requiring nonprofits engaged in lobbying activities to register with appropriate authorities goes into effect July 1, 2024.

    With this ordinance, Chicago joins other major U.S. cities (e.g., New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston) that also have ordinances regarding nonprofits lobbying city officials.

    Who must register as a lobbyist in Chicago?

    Under this ordinance, a lobbyist is any individual who attempts to influence a City decision on behalf of another regarding City administrative or legislative action or legislation.

    Expressing support or opposition to the enactment of or attempting to influence the interpretation of any federal or state legislation, rule, or regulation to a City official, employee, or agency also may require registration as a City lobbyist.

    Registration is required only by nonprofits that have total expenses or net assets exceeding $5M.

    What activities are exempt from registration?

    Testifying at a public meeting, applying for grants, volunteering, and contacting city officials or employees for the purchase of goods and services in the normal course of business do not require registration.

    Issuing or participating in grassroots (as defined) events or communications or “self-defense” communications (as defined) do not require registration.

    If you need assistance in interpreting your obligations under this ordinance or ones on the same subject in other cities, please contact your Nixon Peabody attorney.

    Locations

    Chicago

    Practices

    Regulatory & Government Relations

    Industries

    Nonprofit Organizations

    Insights And Happenings

    • Article

      501(c)(3) tax exemption application filing requirements

      April 25, 2024
    • Press Release

      Former senior DHS official strengthens Nixon Peabody’s National Security and Resilience practice

      April 4, 2024
    • Article

      Nonprofit annual federal and state filing requirements

      March 19, 2024
    The foregoing has been prepared for the general information of clients and friends of the firm. It is not meant to provide legal advice with respect to any specific matter and should not be acted upon without professional counsel. If you have any questions or require any further information regarding these or other related matters, please contact your regular Nixon Peabody LLP representative. This material may be considered advertising under certain rules of professional conduct.

    Subscribe to stay informed of the latest legal news, alerts, and business trends.Subscribe

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    • Cookie Preferences
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Statement of Client Rights
    • Purchase Order Terms & Conditions
    • Nixon Peabody International LLC
    • PAL
    © 2025 Nixon Peabody. All rights reserved