“They didn’t cover this in my seminary training.”
This is a comment we hear all the time from pastors and ministry leaders when it comes to reporting abuse. Many ministry leaders aren’t aware of Mandatory Reporting laws in their jurisdictions and how they apply to their ministry staff and volunteers. But there is another type of law that pastors and clergy need to understand: Clergy-Penitent Privilege. Some jurisdictions have special provisions and requirements for clergy when it comes to reporting suspected child abuse. So what do pastors, counselors, therapists, ministry leaders and others involved in shepherding need to know?
Join us for a webinar featuring attorney Sally Wagenmaker and retired attorney John Campbell, who will discuss common areas applicable to clergy communications as well as notable distinctions and related disclaimers regarding variations on state law on mandatory reporting and clergy communications. They will seek to answer questions on this topic, or at least give you the right questions to ask regarding the laws in your jurisdictions.
This event will be free for ECAP Members and $20 for non-members.
Sally Wagenmaker provides legal counsel in corporate, tax, employment, and real estate matters for nonprofit, tax-exempt clients, including public charities, private foundations, and trade associations operating on local, national, and international levels. Her clients include churches and other religious organizations, social service providers, and schools. Through her legal work, she strives to fulfill the firm’s values of trustworthiness, cost-efficiency, creative collaboration, mutual respect, and community engagement.
Sally’s corporate and tax work includes development of new tax-exempt entities, resolving IRS disputes, counseling clients on the responsibilities of board members, providing guidance for effective nonprofit governance within the current legal climate, and other operational legal issues. In addition, she represents clients in property tax exemption matters for charitable, religious, and educational purposes, shared occupancy arrangements, and property transfers. Sally also regularly advises and counsels the firm’s nonprofit clients on employment matters including contracts, termination, employment policies, tax, unemployment insurance, discrimination issues, and compliance with other employment laws, particularly as they relate to nonprofit issues such as volunteers and clergy. She is a partner at Wagenmaker & Oberly.
John Campbell is a seventh generation native Floridian, born in Homestead, Florida in 1951. He attended the University of Florida, graduating in 1973 with high honors. Then he attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law, graduating with honors in 1975. He joined the law firm McFarlane, Ferguson, Allison and Kelly, became a partner and remained until 1994. He formed the Tampa firm Malfitano and Campbell, which merged with several Jacksonville lawyers to become Malfitano, Campbell and Dickenson which merged with Constangy, Brooks & Smith, a nationwide firm with a focus on labor and employment law. He became a managing partner and headed the trial practice of the Tampa office, handling employment law, civil rights and free speech cases throughout Florida and the United States. He retired from the practice of law in 2017 but remains a member of the Florida Bar.
John joined Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa in 1988 and has served in many volunteer roles, including serving as legal counsel for Idlewild, taught adult Bible classes for over 25 years, many times chair of the Personnel Committee, Deacon chairman, member of the Idlewild Abuse Care Ministry, and since 2016 John has served as the Executive Director of The Idlewild Foundation, a charitable foundation with a focus on Godly stewardship. For years the Foundation has focused on supported neglected children and families serving children in foster care, helping support hundreds of children in Florida’s overwhelmed foster care system.
© 2024 Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention. All Rights Reserved
Click for more info and to register!