Victoria Bejarano Muirhead

Victoria Bejarano Muirhead advises nonprofit organizations on a range of matters, including formation and tax exemption, governance and related corporate matters, charitable giving, and regulatory compliance. 

Prior to becoming an attorney, Victoria worked in academic medical fundraising at Stanford University and later Oregon Health and Science University Foundation.  Victoria was also the inaugural Director of Development (later Director of Strategic Initiatives) at Innovation Law Lab, a national nonprofit organization engaged in advocacy and litigation around immigrants’ rights.  Victoria draws on her significant experience in nonprofit development and administration to effectively serve clients and tackle challenging legal matters.  

Education

Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D., summa cum laude, Editor in Chief, Lewis & Clark Law Review; Business Law Certificate; Cornelius Honor Society

Stanford University, B.A., English with University Distinction; Stanford Debate Society

Admissions

Oregon

Languages

• Advises charitable and social welfare organizations on all stages in the lifecycle, from incorporation under state law to obtaining tax-exempt status from the IRS, to ongoing compliance with state and federal law, to dissolution.
• Partners with board directors, trustees, and officers on governance matters, including bylaws and policy development.
• Counsels private foundations on statutory and regulatory requirements, including grantmaking and excise taxes on prohibited activities such as self-dealing.
• Represents clients in gift planning and administration matters, including modification of restricted funds and charitable trusts.
• Advises nonprofit organizations, particularly higher education institutions, on risk and compliance following the Supreme Court’s race-based admissions decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
• Works with individuals to execute complex charitable giving strategies, including the creation of charitable trusts and charitable remainder trusts.
• Assists companies in transition to purpose-driven ownership model through creation of noncharitable perpetual purpose (stewardship) trusts.

Insights & Presentations

• “Purpose Trusts: A Noncharitable Trust That Can Champion Charitable Causes” (presenter), Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable Annual Conference, September 19, 2024

• “FDIC Changes Deposit Insurance Regulations for Accounts Owned By Trusts,” Stoel Rives LLP legal alert, October 30, 2023
• “‘I’d Never Let My Sister Do It’: Exploitation Within the U.S. Au Pair Program,” 26 Lewis & Clark L. Rev. 241, 2022
• “Oregon Chief Justice Enacts Rule to Keep ICE Out of Courthouses” (co-author), Multnomah Lawyer, February 2020

• Lewis & Clark Law Review, Editor in Chief, 2021–2022
• Lewis & Clark Law School, Community Service Honors Award, 2019–2022
• ABA National Negotiation Competition, Quarterfinalist, 2021
• ABA Regional Negotiation Competition, Finalist, 2020 and 2021

Civic

• The Library Foundation, Trustee, 2024–present

• Janus Youth Programs, Board Member, 2023–present
• Oregon Public Broadcasting, Planned Giving Advisory Council, Member, 2022–present
• Stanford Association of Oregon, Board Member, 2018–present
• Rabbit Advocates, Volunteer, 2017–present