Cindy M. Lott, Esq., serves as Clinical Professor of Philanthropic Studies, Director of the Professional Doctorate in Philanthropic Leadership (PhilD), and Stead Policy Fellow at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. She earned her J.D. from Yale Law School in 1993 and her B.A. from Indiana University in 1989, and is admitted to practice law in the District of Columbia, Indiana, and Massachusetts. Her academic background includes clerking for the United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit. Lott’s research specializations encompass nonprofit management, ethics, governance, law, regulation, and policy, with particular emphasis on state and federal regulation of the charitable sector, regulatory capacity and enforcement at the state level, and charitable solicitations registration and fundraising performance. She develops and moderates national convenings on regulation of the charitable sector since 2006 and is a frequent speaker at national conferences on philanthropic and nonprofit regulation, compliance, ethics, management, and governance. Her career history features prior roles as Associate Professor of Professional Practice and Academic Director for Nonprofit Management Programs at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, where she developed the M.S. Nonprofit Management program and curriculum; Executive Director and Senior Counsel to the National State Attorneys General Program at Columbia Law School, leading the Charities Regulation and Oversight Project funded by the Ford and C.S. Mott Foundations; Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School; Visiting Clinical Associate Professor at Indiana University Maurer School of Law from 2007 to 2009, where she developed the Nonprofit Legal Clinic; and part-time lecturer in the Nonprofit Management Capstone course at Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Earlier positions include Chief Counsel to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Deputy Counsel to the 2000 Democratic National Convention, Chief Counsel to the Indiana State Attorney General in 1998, Section Chief for regulatory litigation, and attorney at large firms handling compliance, employment litigation, and transactional litigation.

Lott has received major fellowships and honors, including a fellowship at the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute, an inaugural Policy Fellowship at Independent Sector, and membership on the U.S. IRS Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt Entities from 2015 to 2018. She holds leadership roles such as chair of the Public Policy, Politics and Law section of ARNOVA, member of Independent Sector’s public policy committee, member of the Global Philanthropy Environment Index Advisory Council, and co-chair of the state sub-committee on state issues for exempt organizations within the American Bar Association. She previously served on the board of the Wise Giving Alliance and worked with major foundation leaders on behalf of the Council on Foundations. Key publications include “Passion plus knowledge: Educating for nonprofit stewardship” (2021), “Nonprofit Scholar’s Amicus Brief, Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Rob Bonta” (2021), “Bifurcation of State Regulation of Charities” (2018), “State Regulatory and Legal Framework” in Nonprofits and Government: Collaboration and Conflict (2017), “State Charitable Solicitations Registration Regulations and Fundraising Performance” (2017), annual reports on state laws regulating charitable solicitations (2016 and 2017), “The United States’ Regulatory Framework: Opportunities and Challenges” (2016), and “State Regulation and Enforcement in the Charitable Sector” (2016). Her contributions influence the academic field through policy advisory work, research reports, and national convenings shaping nonprofit regulation and governance practices.

Professional Email: cmlott@iu.edu