Donald W. Kramer

Of Counsel

Donald W. Kramer has more than 45 years of experience dealing with the concerns of nonprofit organizations, not only as a lawyer, but also as a teacher, writer, publisher, and board member. He has worked with nonprofits of all types and sizes, helping structure startup situations and restructure multiorganizational health and educational systems. He counsels on a wide range of nonprofit corporate structure and governance, private and community foundations, continuing care retirement communities, exempt organization taxation, low-income housing tax credit transactions, real estate, charitable giving, and other nonprofit issues.

Don has represented The Philadelphia Foundation for more than 40 years and has worked with nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes.

Don serves as the editor and publisher of Don Kramer's Nonprofit Issues®, a national newsletter of "Nonprofit Law You Need to Know," which he founded in 1989.

Prior to joining Montgomery McCracken, Don served as deputy development coordinator and assistant to the mayor of Philadelphia.

A graduate of Princeton University, Don received an A.B. degree with honors in 1960. At Princeton, he was chairman of The Daily Princetonian. In 1964, he earned an LL.B. degree from Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Record.

RELATED Practices

Business

Montgomery McCracken’s Business Department works proactively and collaboratively with our clients to advise on the full array of corporate and business issues, ranging from finance and regulatory matters to mergers […]

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Nonprofit

Montgomery McCracken’s Nonprofit Industry Group has experience in representing nonprofits, foundations, public charities and educational organizations. Our active client base includes hundreds of organizations ranging in size from internationally known universities […]

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Healthcare

Montgomery McCracken’s Healthcare Industry Group brings clients the specialized knowledge and experience of attorneys with a wide range of expertise for challenges that health care providers face on a daily […]

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Higher Education

Montgomery McCracken’s Higher Education Industry Group has earned a reputation for broad experience in representing institutions of higher learning. Our group includes attorneys from many different practice areas who have […]

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Credentials

Selected Representations
  • Served as counsel to the Berwick Healthcare Corporation in the sale of a nonprofit hospital to the for-profit Community Health Systems as well as in the creation of the Berwick Health and Wellness Foundation, now known as the Community Giving Foundation
  • Assisted in the sale of the nonprofit Brandywine Hospital to Community Health Systems
  • Represented numerous nonprofit organizations in multiple matters of corporate restructuring to protect assets and centralize strategic planning and implementation
Selected Speaking Engagements
Selected Publications
Honors & Awards
  • Selected to The Best Lawyers in America© – Non-Profit/Charities Law list in 2012-2025 and the “Lawyer of the Year” – Non-Profit/Charities Law in 2025. These lists are issued by Best Lawyers and a description of the selection methodology can be found here.  No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
  • Selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Nonprofit Organizations list in 2019. This list is issued by Thomson Reuters and a description of the selection methodology can be found here. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey or the highest court of any other state.
Community Involvement
  • Founding Attorney and Board of Directors Member, Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations
  • Former Adjunct Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Eastern University, and School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania
  • Board Member, Philadelphia Fire Department Corporation
Education

Law School

  • Harvard Law School

Undergraduate School

  • Princeton University