Service Areas
- Businesses
- Corporate + Securities
- Nonprofit + Charitable Organizations
- Real Estate
- Governments + Nonprofits
- Nonprofit + Charitable Organizations
- Real Estate
- Individuals + Families
- Nonprofit + Charitable Organizations
Education
- Wayne State University Law School, J.D.
- University of Michigan, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Michigan
Languages
- French
Leo P. Goddeyne handles all areas of general corporate and commercial law including liquidations, reorganizations, creation of corporations and LLCs, professional corporations, the purchase and sale of corporate assets or stock, mergers, consolidation, reorganization, seller-financed sales of property, shareholder disputes, health care and secured transactions. In particular, he specializes in counseling nonprofits and charitable organizations on obtaining and maintaining their tax-exempt status and complying with state registration and charitable solicitation laws. In addition, Leo handles such real estate matters as land divisions, farm sales and purchases, leasing, and environmental due diligence and works with wholesale and retail automotive parts manufacturers.
“I want to add value to my client's projects, whether it is an incorporation or a large transaction. My goal is to devise a plan so the client can reach its objective, and then carry out this plan efficiently so that any problems are easily overcome.”
Leo P. Goddeyne
Experience
Leo represented a nonprofit arts organization that had been told by other attorneys that it would not qualify for a 501(c)(3) tax exemption. Without this exemption, the nonprofit faced losing the grants it had been promised and would have to cease operations. After doing research, Leo determined that the nonprofit should indeed qualify for a tax exemption, then prepared an application and submitted it to the IRS. Not only did the IRS approve the tax exemption, it “fast tracked” the application for approval and granted the exemption within 60 days.
“I helped my client succeed where it thought it had no chance. It was also able to obtain grants that it thought it would lose.This nonprofit is now a successful and growing organization.”
Professional Activities
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Michigan, Venture Capital Subcommittee
- Kalamazoo County Bar Association, Real Estate Committee, Pro Bono Committee
- Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association
Honors + Awards
- Wayne State University Law School, Note and Comment Editor, Wayne Law Review
- John N. Vlachos Award for Pro Bono Service