Fast Facts
Andre Wang has served as North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) General Counsel since 2015.
Wang is an alumnus of Portland Adventist Elementary and Auburn Adventist Academy and is principal second violinist for the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra in Portland, Oregon.
He is an adjunct instructor of business law at Mount Hood Community College and ran for the Oregon State legislature in 2010.
Mission
To provide effective and ongoing access to legal counsel to church leadership at the NPUC, conference and local church/school levels and to minimize legal risks and distractions in order to permit the church to actively focus on fulfilling its mission.
Summary
The NPUC Office of General Counsel provides guidance and advice to the NPUC as well as the six conferences in the territory for compliance with federal, state and local laws as well as denominational policy. It supplies a unique and valuable perspective because of its close association and understanding of the structure and operation of the church in areas such as contracts, corporate nonprofit issues, disability accommodation, employment, constitutional matters and real estate/property law.
What's Been Accomplished
LEGAL ASSISTANCE — Provided legal counsel and advice to conference, church and school leadership.
ESTATE PLANNING — Prepared documents and provided counsel to conference trust departments and church members where such service was requested and ethically permissible.
LIABILITY ASSESSMENT — Assisted conferences and churches in finding the balance between legal protection and pastoral concerns.
The Challenges Ahead
REFINE ATTORNEY ROLES — As church estate planning activities grow, we will assist conferences in locating and using independent attorneys to join with conference trust departments in providing quality estate planning to the client.
EMERGING LEGAL ISSUES — We will stay current of developing laws and issues in the areas of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), faculty/student and student/student supervision in schools, and LGBTQ areas of concern.
Andre Wang, legal counsel
Sharon Pierson, administrative assistant
