Jonathan Hwang

Partner

Jonathan Hwang is a partner serving the law firm's broad spectrum of nonprofit organizations and other clients. Focusing on W&O's startups, international, and intellectual property practice groups, Jonathan's work includes assisting clients with nonprofit development and governance and tax and regulatory compliance. He also enjoys helping clients develop organizational structures and systems to achieve client goals in effective and efficient ways. Throughout his legal services, Jonathan strives to help nonprofit organizations fulfill their missions to build, improve, and transform civil society.

Jonathan's rich and varied background equips him well to understand and effectively promote our clients' best interests, including active engagement with the nonprofit sector, rigorous academic training, and litigation experience in the trenches of the criminal justice system. Jonathan also has a passion for advancing legal project management through technology and continuous improvement, and building and implementing enhanced practice management and workflow systems as our law firm continues to grow. His varied volunteer experience includes collaborating with the regional chapter of a national nonprofit project management professional organization and leading several different church ministries. Jonathan has also spoken numerous times for churches and nonprofit organizations on issues surrounding organizations' operations, faith in the workplace, and interdisciplinary and ecumenical cooperation for the sake of human flourishing.

Prior to joining Wagenmaker & Oberly, Jonathan worked as a criminal prosecutor for the State's Attorney's Office of Cook County, Illinois, practicing at both trial and appellate levels. He is also an Alliance Defending Freedom Blackstone Fellow, and has worked for research centers and as a project manager for a religious organization. Jonathan currently lives in Charleston with his wife and four children.

Professional Involvement
Arrow pointing right
  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • South Carolina Bar Association
  • Christian Legal Society
  • The Federalist Society
Publications
Arrow pointing right
  • "The California Consumer Privacy Act What Nonprofits Need to Know," Co-author with Paul Winters, Taxation of Exempts (July 2019)
  • "Gifts from Afar: The Deductibility of Charitable Contributions to U.S. Organizations from Foreign Donors," Taxation of Exempts (January 2018)
Community Involvement
Arrow pointing right
Selected Speaking Engagements
Arrow pointing right
  • Unique Expressions of Churches under Sections 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1), and 170(b)(1)(A)(i), with Meaghan Falkanger; American Bar Association Business Law Section Nonprofit Organizations Committee (September 2024)
  • The Business of Christian Law, Christian Legal Society National Conference 2023, with Sally Wagenmaker, H. Robert Showers, and Forrest Norman (October 2023)
  • Starting a Nonprofit: Corporate Development, IRS Tax-Exemption Applications, and Other Important Steps for Nonprofit Flourishing, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2023)
  • "On Discipleship and Vocation in the Law", Christian Legal Society, De Paul College of Law Chapter (April 2018)
Speaking Engagements
Arrow pointing right
  • Unique Expressions of Churches under Sections 501(c)(3), 509(a)(1), and 170(b)(1)(A)(i), with Meaghan Falkanger; American Bar Association Business Law Section Nonprofit Organizations Committee (September 2024)
  • The Business of Christian Law, Christian Legal Society National Conference 2023, with Sally Wagenmaker, H. Robert Showers, and Forrest Norman (October 2023)
  • Starting a Nonprofit: Corporate Development, IRS Tax-Exemption Applications, and Other Important Steps for Nonprofit Flourishing, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2023)
  • "On Discipleship and Vocation in the Law", Christian Legal Society, De Paul College of Law Chapter (April 2018)
Adjunct teaching engagements
Arrow pointing right

Education

J.D., Notre Dame Law School, cum laude
A.B., Princeton University

Bar Admissions

South Carolina
Illinois
Professional Involvement
Speaking Engagements
Publications
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.