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Edward B. Spinella

Member

espinella@harrisbeachmurtha.com
D: (860) 240-6059  
- Hartford, CT Office
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Partner Edward Spinella
Profile
Representative Matters
Resources
Distinctions

Ed serves as general counsel to a diverse array of tax-exempt organizations including start-up public charities, social service providers, other health care organizations, private foundations, social clubs and trade associations.

Recently, he has counseled clients in connection with cutting-edge projects such as the creation of integrated affiliated systems containing tax-exempt and for-profit organizations, as well as the conversions of tax-exempt entities into for-profit entities and vice versa.

Ed regularly advises his clients regarding mergers, including mergers of religious institutions such as synagogues and churches, affiliations, joint ventures and other collaborations. He has familiarized himself with the tax-exempt sector generally by speaking to executives, volunteer fiduciaries and advisors.

In addition to his tax-exempt organizations practice, Ed regularly provides general counsel services to various for-profit entities with an emphasis on closely-held businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups.

Ed is an active member of the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) working group developing amendments to the Connecticut Model Entity Transactions Act regarding the inclusion of nonstock corporations.  He was a member of the CBA’s LLC Act subcommittee in connection with its overhaul of the LLC Act. 

  • Helping tax-exempt organizations navigate the various opportunities and risks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic including: (1) applying for Paycheck Protection Program assistance and procuring loan forgiveness, (2) steering through other aspects of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), (3) facilitating direct assistance to individuals impacted by COVID-19, (4) analyzing the use of endowment and other donor restricted assets to weather significant operational disruptions, (5) assisting directors and management with prudently utilizing remote meetings and other technological means to effectively govern and satisfy their respective related fiduciary duties, and (6) responsibly exploring new revenue generating activities including structuring joint ventures between tax-exempt organizations and/or for-profit organizations and/or spinning-off for-profit subsidiaries.
  • Representation of Qualidigm in connection with a two-step collaboration with Maine Quality Counts beginning with a corporate affiliation and ending with a statutory merger.
  • Representation of District Innovation and Venture Center, Inc. in connection with its contractual collaboration with Holberton School.
  • Representation of Arc New London County in connection with its merger with Arc Quinebaug Valley.
  • Representation of three separate religious institutions in connection with statutory mergers.
  • Representation of private foundations regarding formation, governance, ongoing IRS compliance, and IRS approval of various grantmaking policies including equivalency determinations relating to international activities.
  • Representation of public charities regarding expenditure responsibility grant arrangements with for-profit socially conscious organizations.
Insights
September 9, 2026

IRS Proposes Ending 501(c)(3) Status for Private Schools Engaging in Race-Based Discrimination: A DEI Inflection Point?

This development presents a profound opportunity for all tax-exempt organizations to reflect on their DEI activities.
April 24, 2020

April 24, 2020 – Summary of CARES Act Alerts

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“the CARES Act”) into law. The sweeping
April 16, 2020

Tax-Exempt Organizations Group – Capturing Opportunities and Avoiding Risks As We Adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 1, 2020

Tax-Exempt Organizations Group News: CARES Act Relief for Tax-Exempt Organizations

News
August 20, 2026

123 Harris Beach Murtha Lawyers Recognized as 2027 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients; 10 Earn “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition

Best Lawyers honorees are selected through a peer-review process evaluating professional excellence within specific practice areas and geogr
August 21, 2025

More Than 100 Harris Beach Murtha Lawyers Recognized as 2026 Best Lawyers® Award Recipients; 11 Earn “Lawyer of the Year” Recognition

Best Lawyers provides trusted, peer-reviewed recognition of top legal professionals, helping clients find credible, experienced counsel.
August 15, 2024

41 Murtha Cullina Attorneys Receive Best Lawyers in America® Recognitions

Forty-one attorneys from Murtha Cullina LLP have been selected for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and five at
January 2, 2024

Robert E. Kaelin Elected to Murtha Cullina’s Executive Committee

Partner Robert E. Kaelin has been elected to Murtha Cullina’s Executive Committee, the firm’s governing body. Bob serves as co-chair of the
June 20, 2023

Ed Spinella and Alexis Brooks Attend B Local Connecticut Event

Last week, partner Ed Spinella and counsel Alexis Brooks attended a B Local Connecticut event highlighting Athletic Brewing, a B-corporation
December 7, 2022

Ed Spinella Quoted in the Hartford Business Journal on How Nonprofits are Diversifying Their Revenue Streams

Tax Exempt Organizations Chair Ed Spinella was recently quoted in a Hartford Business Journal article on how nonprofits are facing
February 25, 2021

Tax-Exempt Organizations News: The Financial intersection of COVID expenses and the (inflated) Stock Market

October 14, 2020

October 14, 2020 – Edward B. Spinella Elected to Murtha Cullina LLP Executive Committee

Events

Three Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys Speaking at TANGO’s 2026 Building Bridges Nonprofit Conference 

October 14, 2026
Julia Boisvert, Ed Spinella and Tim Plunkett will speak at the TANGO 2026 Building Bridges Annual Nonprofit Conference.

Ed Spinella to Present Seminar on New Administration and the Nonprofit Landscape

March 25, 2025
Ed Spinella to join TANGO for special non-profit event in Albany.

Ed Spinella and Julia Boisvert to Speak at TANGO 2024 Building Bridges Annual Nonprofit Conference

September 26, 2024
Ed Spinella and Julia Boisvert will speak at the TANGO 2024 Building Bridges Annual Nonprofit Conference.

Ed Spinella and Julia Boisvert to Attend The Alliance’s Annual Nonprofit Conference

December 6, 2023
External Publications
November 30, 2023

Co-Presenter, "From Mission to Margin: A Nonprofit's Journey into Social Enterprise," TANGO 2023 Building Bridges Nonprofit Conference

December 1, 2021

"A Nonprofit Lawyer’s Perspective: Cultivating a Culture of Professionalism, Integrity and Accountability," CT Nonprofit Alliance Annual Conference

October 1, 2021

"Legal Tales from the Tax-Exempt Trenches," TANGO Building Bridges 2021 Nonprofit Week

November 1, 2020

"Prepare for 2021’s Challenges and Opportunities: Tips from the Legal Field," CT Nonprofit Alliance Annual Conference

August 1, 2020

"Connecticut UPMIFA Rules and Accounting for Restricted Gifts," TANGO Webinar

April 1, 2020

"Capturing Opportunities and Avoiding Risks as We Adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic,” TANGO Partners Perspective (April 2020)

March 1, 2020

"Navigating the Legal Landscape of Advocacy and Election Activities for Tax-Exempt Entities," TANGO Workshop

January 1, 2020

"Collaboration Spectrum for Nonprofit Organizations," Connecticut Society of CPAs

October 1, 2019

"'Social Enterprise’ Enters the Nonprofit Mainstream: Tips from the Legal Field,” TANGO Partners Perspective (October 2019)

June 1, 2019

"Best Practices and Practical Tips," The Independent School HR Forum on Internal Investigations

June 1, 2019

"Charitable  Property Tax-Exemption in Connecticut: What is It and Will it Survive?," The Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants Annual Not-for-Profit Organizations Conference

September 1, 2018

"Compensating Directors: Navigating the Legal Landscape,"  2018 TANGO Annual Conference

June 1, 2018

"Nonprofit Real Estate Exemptions," CTCPA Not-For-Profit Organizations Conference

May 1, 2018

"Ethics in Fundraising," Planned Giving Group of Connecticut

April 1, 2018

"Collaboration Spectrum for Nonprofit Organizations," TANGO Workshop

March 1, 2018

"Fundraising 101," Connecticut Small Independent School Business and Human Resource Forum

December 1, 2017

"Advocacy and Lobbying: Navigating Connecticut’s Legal Landscape," CT Council for Philanthropy

October 1, 2017

"Nonprofits Moving Forward," 2017 TANGO Annual Conference

August 1, 2017

”Property Tax Exemption: What is it and Should it Survive?,” TANGO Partners Perspective (August 2017)

June 1, 2017

"Connecticut Non-profit Mergers, Acquisitions and Affiliations," The Not-For-Profit Organizations Conference

June 1, 2017

"Nonprofit Tax Exempt Organizations," Connecticut Association of Assessing Officer’s Annual Assessors School

Prev ...123... Next

Professional and Civic

  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association
  • HARC, Inc., Board of Directors
  • Connecticut Explored, Inc., Board of Directors
  • Northwest Catholic High School, Board of Directors Former Member

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers, Nonprofit/Charities Law, since 2025
  • Hartford Business Journal, 40 Under Forty, 2019
  • Super Lawyers Connecticut Rising Star®, Nonprofit Organizations, 2018
Admissions
Connecticut
Education

University of Connecticut Law School

JD 
  • JD, with honors

College of the Holy Cross

BA 
summa cum laude

Capabilities

Legal Practices

Member of:

Corporate
Government Compliance and Investigations
Tax

Industry Teams

Co-Leader for:

Tax-Exempt Organizations & Nonprofits

Member of:

Long-Term Care
Tax-Exempt Organizations & Nonprofits
Health Care
Higher Education
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Partner Edward Spinella

Edward B. Spinella

Member

espinella@harrisbeachmurtha.com
Capabilities
People
Harris Beach Murtha Attorneys at Law
Partner Edward Spinella

Edward B. Spinella

espinella@harrisbeachmurtha.com
D: (860) 240-6059
Hartford, CT Office

Profile

Ed serves as general counsel to a diverse array of tax-exempt organizations including start-up public charities, social service providers, other health care organizations, private foundations, social clubs and trade associations.

Recently, he has counseled clients in connection with cutting-edge projects such as the creation of integrated affiliated systems containing tax-exempt and for-profit organizations, as well as the conversions of tax-exempt entities into for-profit entities and vice versa.

Ed regularly advises his clients regarding mergers, including mergers of religious institutions such as synagogues and churches, affiliations, joint ventures and other collaborations. He has familiarized himself with the tax-exempt sector generally by speaking to executives, volunteer fiduciaries and advisors.

In addition to his tax-exempt organizations practice, Ed regularly provides general counsel services to various for-profit entities with an emphasis on closely-held businesses and entrepreneurial start-ups.

Ed is an active member of the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) working group developing amendments to the Connecticut Model Entity Transactions Act regarding the inclusion of nonstock corporations.  He was a member of the CBA’s LLC Act subcommittee in connection with its overhaul of the LLC Act. 

Areas of Expertise

Legal Practices

Member of:

Corporate
Government Compliance and Investigations
Tax

Industry Teams

Co-Leader for:

Tax-Exempt Organizations & Nonprofits

Member of:

Long-Term Care
Tax-Exempt Organizations & Nonprofits
Health Care
Higher Education
Please select listing to show.

Admissions

Connecticut

Representative Matters

  • Helping tax-exempt organizations navigate the various opportunities and risks presented by the COVID-19 pandemic including: (1) applying for Paycheck Protection Program assistance and procuring loan forgiveness, (2) steering through other aspects of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), (3) facilitating direct assistance to individuals impacted by COVID-19, (4) analyzing the use of endowment and other donor restricted assets to weather significant operational disruptions, (5) assisting directors and management with prudently utilizing remote meetings and other technological means to effectively govern and satisfy their respective related fiduciary duties, and (6) responsibly exploring new revenue generating activities including structuring joint ventures between tax-exempt organizations and/or for-profit organizations and/or spinning-off for-profit subsidiaries.
  • Representation of Qualidigm in connection with a two-step collaboration with Maine Quality Counts beginning with a corporate affiliation and ending with a statutory merger.
  • Representation of District Innovation and Venture Center, Inc. in connection with its contractual collaboration with Holberton School.
  • Representation of Arc New London County in connection with its merger with Arc Quinebaug Valley.
  • Representation of three separate religious institutions in connection with statutory mergers.
  • Representation of private foundations regarding formation, governance, ongoing IRS compliance, and IRS approval of various grantmaking policies including equivalency determinations relating to international activities.
  • Representation of public charities regarding expenditure responsibility grant arrangements with for-profit socially conscious organizations.

Distinctions

Professional and Civic

  • American Bar Association
  • Connecticut Bar Association
  • HARC, Inc., Board of Directors
  • Connecticut Explored, Inc., Board of Directors
  • Northwest Catholic High School, Board of Directors Former Member

Recognition

  • Best Lawyers, Nonprofit/Charities Law, since 2025
  • Hartford Business Journal, 40 Under Forty, 2019
  • Super Lawyers Connecticut Rising Star®, Nonprofit Organizations, 2018
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. © 2026 Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC
Content current as of October 13, 2026 2:29 am