The ELCA’s general counsel and associate general counsel are the corporate attorneys for the ELCA Churchwide office. They are not able to offer legal advice to ELCA members, congregations, pastors or synods. This site, however, provides general legal resources, not advice, to individuals and organizations affiliated with the ELCA.
Individuals requiring legal assistance should engage a qualified attorney, licensed to practice law in the particular state or jurisdiction where the legal issues have arisen. Members of the ELCA, pastors, congregations, synods, and others affiliated with this church should always consult their own attorneys, accountants, or similar professionals whenever legal issues or problems arise.
While copyright issues usually fall under the Mission Advancement unit, the legal department has available some basic information about using copyrighted material: