Building Strong Foundations: Revising & Revisiting Your Nonprofit Bylaws
Friday, January 30, 2026
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
CLU Oxnard Campus
2201 Outlet Center Drive, Oxnard, CA 93036
Individual Members: $0
Organizational Members: $0
Non-Members: $55
About this event
Nonprofit bylaws are not only necessary under the California Nonprofit Law, but also essential to obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status. Aside from the legal and tax requirements, bylaws serve as an important roadmap to guide board governance, operations and decision-making. However, just mention the need to revisit or revise this important document, and most nonprofit board and staff members will shudder! Join us for this engaging discussion with Roy Schneider, Esq. and Jessica Villar, Esq., who will address bylaw basics, required provisions, and the process of taking on bylaw changes, then explore best practice approaches for streamline your governance practices.
Topics will include:
- Why Bylaws Matter!
- What is required by California law?
- Key components of effective bylaws -- what should (and shouldn’t) be in the bylaws
- The difference between bylaws and policies
- Best practices for revising, amending and/or restating your organization’s bylaws, whether you are a membership or non-membership organization
- Resources and checklists to help you navigate this process
Attendees are encouraged to bring a copy of their current bylaws and submit confidential questions for Roy to address during the workshop session.
Faculty
Roy Schneider
Attorney Roy Schneider brings more than 40 years of experience to practicing law in the areas of business planning, entity formation, employment law, contract law, estate planning, ethics, and non-profit law. Roy advises and represents companies and entrepreneurs with a broad range of business-related services. Roy established his own law firm in 2012, Schneiders & Associates, L.L.P, which employs 11 attorneys. Roy has published numerous articles and regularly speaks before business groups.
Roy’s expertise in business and corporate law, employment, real estate and estate planning combine to provide the most effective and efficient representation of his nonprofit clients. Roy advises and guides his nonprofit clients through the process of obtaining their tax exemption and with respect to all matters related to the management and operation of their organizations, including compliance with state and federal laws and regulations in order for the organization to maintain its state exempt status. He assists boards with employment issues, leasing of real and personal property; negotiating and drafting contracts, interpreting existing agreements, and enforcing them when the other contracting parties fail to abide by their terms. He has experience in alternative dispute resolution as well. Roy also represents nonprofits before the IRS, California Attorney General’s Office and other administrative agencies.
Roy is highly experienced in the field of ethics as it relates to nonprofits and for profit organizations and is called upon to assist companies in resolving ethical dilemmas. Roy is a nationally recognized attorney in non-profit law and speaks regularly before attorneys, accountants and nonprofit boards.
Jessica Villar
Jessica L. Villar focuses her practice on nonprofit law, estate planning, and business and corporate transactional matters. She began her legal career in 2017 as an entertainment attorney specializing in music law, later expanding her expertise into broader areas of business and corporate law. Jessica holds a degree in International Business and Marketing from Cal Poly Pomona and earned her J.D. from Southwestern Law School. Her background in both entertainment and corporate law offers clients a unique and valuable perspective.