Holtzman Vogel Launches Faith-Based Organizations Practice, Offering Outside General Counsel Approach to Religious Institutions at a Pivotal Moment for Religious Liberty

July 13, 2026

New practice pairs regulatory, First Amendment and non-profit tax expertise with dedicated counsel grounded in an understanding of clients' religious missions

Holtzman Vogel, a national political law, regulatory, and litigation firm, today announced the formal launch of its Faith-Based Organizations Practice Group, a strategic team providing comprehensive legal counsel to religious institutions, churches, ministries, faith-based schools, and mission-driven nonprofits.

The launch comes at a consequential moment as faith-based organizations increasingly face complex legal challenges involving governance, employment law, regulatory compliance, and constitutional protections. The U.S. Supreme Court and lower federal courts continue to reshape the law governing religious liberty, institutional autonomy, and the rights of faith-based organizations. Religious institutions are also navigating heightened political and regulatory scrutiny from government enforcement actions and state attorney general inquiries to evolving federal rules governing nonprofit political activity.

The practice operates as an outside general counsel model, advising clients from formation through litigation on the full range of issues where law and deeply held religious beliefs intersect.

"This new practice exists as a long-term partner with faith-based institutions, putting sound governance and policies in place before problems arise, and standing ready to litigate when challenges come," said Jill Holtzman Vogel, managing partner of Holtzman Vogel. “Our team knows this area of the law as well as anyone in the country, and our attorneys share the deeply held beliefs that drive our clients' work.”

The practice is led by partners Palmer Williams and William M. Klimon and is supported by a deep bench of partners and associates with years of experience advising religious institutions. It extends from Holtzman Vogel's Non-Profit and Tax-Exempt Organizations Group, which includes one of the strongest nonprofit and IRS compliance teams in the country, and draws on the firm's core strength at the intersection of law, politics, and regulation. Behind that advisory work stands a nationally recognized First Amendment and religious liberty litigation team that has appeared at every level of the federal and state courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

The practice takes a deliberately proactive approach, helping clients identify and address vulnerabilities in policies, governance structures, and employment practices before they become disputes or enforcement actions.