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Julie B. Kulovits
- Overview
- Professional Affiliations
- Honors and Awards
- Experience
- Publications
- Speaking Engagements
- In the Media
Overview
Prior to joining the Tenenbaum Law Group, Julie served as in-house general counsel of the North American Spine Society for six years, an internationally recognized association for medical professionals in the spine care field. In this role, she not only provided legal advice on all aspects of the Society’s operations, but also served as a member of the association’s executive management team. Julie understands the legal, operational, and governance challenges facing nonprofit organizations and is very experienced in providing practical, understandable, usable legal advice to address all of these considerations.
Julie handled all day-to-day legal aspects of the Society, such as vendor, meeting, and other contracts and related issues; bylaws, conflicts of interest, and other governance and nonprofit corporate law issues; employment matters; publications; intellectual property; federal tax exemption, and overall risk management, among other areas of nonprofit law. In addition, she oversaw the association’s ethics and compliance program, a key legal and reputational safeguard. Through this program, Julie managed the organization’s peer review disciplinary proceedings and ensured that the organization had rules and processes in place to maintain the high scientific integrity of its work. Finally, she has a fairly nuanced understanding of key issues impacting healthcare-focused associations.
Prior to working at the North American Spine Society, Julie spent nearly ten years in private practice as a commercial litigator. Representing associations, businesses, and individuals in this role, she worked on complex cases from a variety of backgrounds, including contract, employment, copyright, class action, and premises liability cases. This experience has helped her to assess a client’s risk profile and offer advice on how to avoid, or if necessary, navigate this complex arena.
Julie received her juris doctorate degree in 2006 from Northern Illinois University College of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude and was the recipient of the Academic Excellence Award for graduating first in her class. During law school, Julie also served as the Lead Articles Editor for the Northern Illinois University Law Review.
Julie is based in the Chicagoland area and is an active and involved member of the nonprofit and association community. She currently sits on the Legal Advisory Council of the American Society of Association Executives and is also involved in the Council of Medical Specialty Societies through one of its legal-focused work groups.
Education
- J.D., Northern Illinois University College of Law, 2006, summa cum laude
- B.A., Business Administration, Augustana College, 2002, cum laude
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- District of Columbia
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Professional Affiliations
- 2021-Present, Member, American Society of Association Executives’ Finance and Business Operations Professionals Advisory Council
- 2018-21, Member, American Society of Association Executives’ Legal Advisory Council
- 2019-Present, Member, Council of Medical Specialty Societies’ General Counsel Professional Peer Group
- 2018-Present, Member, Illinois State Bar Association
- 2018-21, Member, Association of Corporate Counsel (Member of the Compliance and Ethics Network, Health Law Network, and Nonprofit Organizations Network)
- 2018-21, Member, Association of Corporate Counsel – Chicago Chapter
- 2016-17, Member, American Society of Association Executives’ Healthcare Community Committee
- 2014-15, Member, American Society of Medical Association Counsel.
Honors and Awards
- 2014-21, Illinois Emerging Lawyer, Association & Non-Profit Law
- 2014-21, Illinois Emerging Lawyer, Commercial Litigation
- 2012, The National Trial Lawyers, Top 40 Under 40 – Illinois
- 2011, Illinois Rising Star.
Experience
- 2015-21, General Counsel, North American Spine Society, Burr Ridge, IL
- 2006-15, Attorney, The Collins Law Firm, P.C., Naperville, IL
- 2004, Intern, United States Army Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, Fort Knox, KY
- 2004-06, Academic Support Program Tutor, Northern Illinois University College of Law, DeKalb, IL
- 2002-03, Research Assistant, Legislative Research Unit, Springfield, IL.
Publications
Click on Title to View the Publication
November 15, 2021
Navigating Vaccine Mandates in the Association Workplace (Article), American Society of Association Executives’ Associations Now
May/June 2020
The Opioid Epidemic: Lessons to Learn on Conflicts of Interest (Article), SpineLine (Co-Author)
June 17, 2019
Protect Your Conference Housing from Unauthorized Providers (Article), American Society of Association Executives’ Associations Now (Co-Author)
January/February 2014
Physician-Owned Distributorships: What Is the Risk? (Article), SpineLine (Co-Author)
2007
Federal MCL Regulatory Standards and Common Law Causes of Action: A Discussion on Why the MCL has No Place in Common Law Causes of Action, Vermont Journal of Environmental Law 8: 2006-07 (Co-Author)
2006
Sotelo v. Directrevenue LLC: Paving the Way for Spyware-Free Internet, 22 Santa Clara High Tech L.J. 841 (Co-Author)
Speaking Engagements
Click on Title to View the Presentation or Ancillary Material
April 30, 2019
Identifying and Navigating Conflict of Interests in Associations, American Bar Association and Association Forum’s Associations and the Law Conference, Chicago, IL
In the Media
Click on Title to View or Listen to the Story
Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC has been “ranked” by the prestigious U.S. Legal 500 for 2022 in the national Not-for-Profit category. One of only 19 law firms ranked nationwide and the only boutique firm, this is a highly coveted, distinguished honor. TLG Managing Partner Jeff Tenenbaum is also one of only five members of the U.S. Legal 500 Not-for-Profit Hall of Fame. Details can be found here and here.
Here are excerpts from the published client testimonials:
“This is the most responsive legal firm that I have worked with in my career. They are quick to respond and quick to provide work product. Some firms tend to ramble, but not the Tenenbaum Law Group. They listen to our concerns and provide clear, concise responses.”
“Jeff and Nisha are an incredible team – they get how their work impacts their clients – not just legally, but operationally and financially as well.”
“Jeff Tenenbaum is a leading expert in non-profit law. He is extremely knowledgeable and responsive to client questions and concerns.”
“Jeff Tenenbaum and his team are exceptional partners for associations in their legal and governance needs. Tenenbaum is smart, practical, and easy to work with.”
“TLG is extremely responsive and gets work done quickly. Jeff Tenenbaum has a very practical, real-world approach to solving problems, which makes him a pleasure to work with.”
“Tenenbaum Law Group didn’t miss a beat during COVID-19, despite an increased workload with event cancellation negotiations, PPP loan questions, and Employee Retention Tax credit questions. They provide expertise in the not-for-profit industry and during the last year have provided informed advice regarding a range of issues including COVID-19 specific issues, bylaws, and board governance, filing an Amicus Curiae Brief, and hotel negotiations.”
In addition to other honors and recognitions, in its first year of existence, TLG was awarded the (top) Tier 1 designation in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for Nonprofit/Charities Law for 2021 by Best Law Firms/U.S. News & World Report®, and then again for 2022. The firm is one of only six law firms in the region to have been granted this distinguished Tier 1 honor in 2021 and 2022, and the only boutique firm among them. The unsolicited testimonials received by Best Law Firms/U.S. News & World Report® from the firm’s clients can be read here.
Tenenbaum Law Group Welcomes Addition of Counsel Susan Hamsher
February 3, 2022
The Tenenbaum Law Group (TLG) is pleased to announce the addition of Counsel Susan Hamsher to the firm. Resident in the firm’s Washington, DC office, Susan is an attorney with significant experience providing a broad range of legal advice to nonprofit organizations in private practice and in-house at The Nature Conservancy, one of the world’s largest charities. She excels at incorporating complex legal requirements into effective and practical solutions to advance the strategic business objectives of her clients. Susan brings 13 years of law practice to TLG, where she will help to service the firm’s client base of over 500 nonprofit organizations, as well as companies and executives that work with or provide services to nonprofits. Founded on January 1, 2020 by Managing Partner Jeff Tenenbaum and Partner Nisha Thakker – and now with four attorneys, including Counsels Julie Kulovits and Susan Hamsher – TLG is a nationally recognized, Washington, DC-based boutique law firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector, with clients across the United States.
Tenenbaum Law Group Promotes Nisha Thakker to Partner
January 4, 2022
The Tenenbaum Law Group (TLG) is pleased to announce the promotion of Nisha Thakker to Partner, effective January 1, 2022. A co-founder of the firm two years ago with Managing Partner Jeff Tenenbaum, Nisha has been an integral part of TLG since its inception and is an extremely accomplished nonprofit attorney on whom so many of the firm’s clients rely for regular legal advice and counsel. Founded on January 1, 2020 by Jeff and Nisha, TLG is a nationally recognized, Washington, DC-based, three-attorney boutique law firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector, with approximately 500 clients across the United States. The firm’s client base is composed principally of nonprofit organizations – such as trade and professional associations, charities, international NGOs, arts and cultural institutions, think tanks, health care entities, foundations, and the like – as well as select companies and executives that work with or provide services to nonprofits.
Tenenbaum Law Group is very proud to have once again been awarded – in its second year of existence – the (top) Tier 1 designation in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for Nonprofit/Charities Law for 2022 by Best Law Firms/U.S. News & World Report. The firm is one of only six law firms in the region to have been granted this distinguished 2022 honor in Tier 1 (there were 11 total firms in the three tiers combined) – and the only boutique firm among the six. In addition, TLG’s Managing Partner Jeff Tenenbaum was, once again, awarded the Best Lawyers designation for 2022 for Nonprofit/Charities Law nationally by Best Law Firms/U.S. News & World Report, an honor he has received every year since 2012. Comments from a number of the firm’s clients can be found here.
The Tenenbaum Law Group (TLG) is pleased to announce the addition of Counsel Julie Kulovits to the firm. Based in the Chicagoland area and most recently the general counsel of the North American Spine Society for the last six years – an internationally recognized association for medical professionals in the spine care field – Julie has broad-based experience with association and nonprofit legal issues. Prior to her in-house role, Julie spent a decade in private practice as a civil litigator in Illinois. Julie brings 15 years of law practice to TLG, where she will help to service the firm’s client base of over 350 associations and nonprofit organizations, as well as companies and executives that work with or provide services to nonprofits. Founded on January 1, 2020 by Managing Partner Jeff Tenenbaum and Counsel Nisha Thakker, TLG is a nationally recognized, Washington, DC-based boutique law firm focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector, with clients across the United States.
