Partner
Ravi Sundara assists mainly tax-exempt organizations with corporate and tax matters, regulatory compliance, deferred and direct charitable giving, and employee benefits.
With regard to corporate and tax matters, Ravi assists clients in structuring transactions so they can achieve their goals within legal parameters. Ravi represents his clients in corporate formations, reorganizations, mergers, asset sales and acquisitions, and other corporate transactions. His experience includes the formation of tax-exempt, nonprofit charitable and religious corporations and advising clients as to matters related to tax-exempt status and the unrelated business income tax. He also assists officers and boards with corporate governance issues.
Ravi regularly advises clients regarding the application of federal and state laws applicable to their operations including securities, insurance, charitable solicitation, and information privacy laws. He also regularly counsels clients with respect to the establishment and ongoing maintenance of direct and deferred giving programs involving charitable remainder unitrusts and annuity trusts, pooled income funds and charitable gift annuities, endowments and donor advised funds.
Ravi assists clients in implementing tax-advantaged employee retirement benefit plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, and employee health and welfare benefit plans. He has particular experience representing religious organizations in the establishment and administration of ERISA-exempt “church plans” providing employee retirement and welfare benefits. In addition, Ravi assists for-profit clients with implementing executive compensation plans including stock option plans and agreements, director stock plans, restricted stock plans and IRC 62(m)-qualified cash incentive bonus programs.
Highlights of Ravi Sundara’s experience include:
- Formed and obtained a 501(c)(3) federal tax exemption for an affordable senior living community and a 501(c)(6) federal tax exemption for an association of educators in the zoological field.
- Represented eight different church extension funds that issue taxable bonds to raise capital to provide mortgage financing for construction and renovation of facilities of churches and church-related organizations. Provided advice to these clients concerning compliance with state securities laws (50 states and DC) and concerning the operation of their mortgage lending programs.
- Assisted a client affiliated with two church denominations in obtaining ERISA-exempt “church plan” status for the client’s employee retirement benefit plans.
Memberships
- The Missouri Bar
- The State Bar of California
Distinctions
- Best Lawyers in America, 2014-2023
- Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year, Corporate Governance Law, 2017 and Securities/Capital Markets Law, 2020
- Rated “AV-Preeminent” from Martindale-Hubbell
Contact Ravi Sundara at 313.333.3912 or rsundara@spencerfane.com.