Our Story
In 2016, Elizabeth Dembrowsky founded Good Counsel Services.
Through her experience working full-time as the Executive Director at a small nonprofit, she identified a problem in the social impact sector: small nonprofits often lack the proper resources to maximize their impact.
Without support, many of these organizations risk losing tax exemption status. Having a vision is half of the battle, but it must be supplemented by legal, financial, and marketing expertise.
Dembrowsky founded Good Counsel Services as a holistic solution for nonprofits and for-profit businesses targeting social impact. Armed with her professional background and legal education from Brooklyn Law School, she has grown the organization with the support of volunteers and interns.
What We Do
Our approach is holistic. In addition to legal counsel, we provide social impact entrepreneurs and nonprofits with quality, affordable marketing and financial resource development support. We will be with you every step of the way.
We make expensive services accessible. In particular, high-caliber legal services in the US are pricey. According to the American Bar Association, 80% of low income individuals cannot afford legal assistance, and 40-60% of the middle class’s legal needs go unmet. We ensure that price is not an issue for nonprofits.
Testimonials
What our clients write about us
You have been so present and gracious, and have brought remarkable insight and clarity into what seemed like a daunting process. I feel seen, heard, held, and respected as your client, very safe in the container of your knowledge and expertise.
Thank you for making this process painless and bringing your energy and well wishes along with your guidance. Thank you for streamlining what could have taken too long. I am grateful for the remarkable outcome we had and look forward to working together in the future.
Good Counsel has expanded my range of opportunities and provided invaluable guidance to me and my indie publishing house.
I found Elizabeth attentive, thorough, fair, and empathic. She performs research to back up her answers and always makes carefully considered recommendations.
Her suggestion about some terms in my generic publishing contract saved me hours of work. I’ve appreciated her insights into the up and down-sides of my possible incorporation to a 501(c)(3).
Good Counsel acted as a trusted legal advisor and assisted #FutureMeetsPresent with its incorporation as a legal entity.
The team guided #FutureMeetsPresent through the process of filing the necessary forms and documents with the state to form their LLC.
#FutureMeetsPresent has been so satisfied with their experience with Good Counsel. ln the future, they anticipate utilizing the team at Good Counsel to guide them through the process of drafting a formal operating agreement.
Good Counsel acted as a trusted legal advisor while assisting DIDA with its application to incorporate in New York State. Also, Good Counsel assisted with the completion and filing for not for profit status with the IRS, including filing its 1023 form.
Throughout the process, Good Counsel demonstrated its expertise in the not-for-profit sector. As DIDA grows, we continue to seek the legal advice of Good Counsel.
Elizabeth is like a breath of fresh air—both in the way she approaches law, and the energy and enthusiasm that she exudes.
She sincerely expressed interest in the legal issue I am dealing with, put time and effort into researching it, and has invited me to work with her on this issue for the long haul, so this is definitely a relationship that I plan on maintaining.
Good Counsel was able to assist with: Incorporation of The Artist Co-op, form 1032 completion, 501C status, trademark questions, and membership agreements.
As a business owner, I feel protected and at ease because of Good Counsel. I am truly grateful for the clear-cut guidance and assistance provided by the staff.
Good Counsel helped me grow my business with the support and wealth of information given to me to thrive and succeed.