Susan Vignola is Counsel in the Firm's Tax-Exempt Organizations department where she represents a range of private foundations and public charities, including educational and cultural institutions, human needs, women’s rights and civil liberties organizations, animal rights and conservation groups, and religious organizations, many of which are active internationally.  Ms. Vignola also works with other 501(c) organizations including social welfare organizations and trade associations.  Ms. Vignola advises clients on a variety of matters including obtaining and maintaining tax exemption, corporate governance, restructuring and other corporate transactions, charitable solicitation, grantmaking, endowment related issues, impact and charitable investing, lobbying, tax rules applicable to private foundations and donor-advised funds, and other matters of state and federal regulatory compliance.  Prior to joining Patterson Belknap, Ms. Vignola practiced at a New York-based law firm.  Prior to becoming a lawyer, Ms. Vignola spent over a decade working for non-profit institutions in the U.S. and overseas.

Bar Admissions

• New York

Education

• New York University School of Law (J.D.)
  • Root-Tilden-Kern D'Agostino Scholar
  • Robert McKay Scholar
  • Notes Editor, Journal of Legislation and Public Policy
• George Washington University (M.A.)
  • J.B. and Maurice C. Shapiro Scholar
• University of North Carolina (B.A.)
  • Phi Beta Kappa

MEMBERSHIPS: Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Committee on Nonprofit Organizations, 2015-2018); New York Bar Association; American Bar Association

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS: 40th Annual Nonprofit Organizations Institute (January 2023); Legal Considerations in Starting a Nonprofit, Nonprofit Formation Fundamentals Series, New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, Candid and Support Center (April 2019); Primer on Charitable Giving, Georgetown Law Continuing Legal Education, Representing and Managing Tax-Exempt Organizations (April 2016).

• "Economic and Other Benefits Associated with the Provision of Civil Legal Aid," Seattle Journal for Social Justice (Fall/Winter 2010)