Powers law firm mourns the death of our former colleague, Bruce Hopkins, who passed away October 31, 2021 at his home in Kansas City with his loving wife Bonnie by his side. Bruce was a nationally-renowned nonprofit law expert who joined Powers in 1992 and established nonprofit law as a new specialty area to compliment the firm’s healthcare law focus at the time. Bruce and his other colleagues in the firm provided legal advice to many of the nation’s foremost nonprofit organizations, a tradition that continues at the firm to this day.
Bruce was not only a superb lawyer but also a gracious mentor who shared his knowledge of nonprofit law with countless students at two law schools where he taught over the years. Bruce was a skilled and prolific writer, publishing over 45 books dealing mostly with nonprofit law. One of his treatises used by many lawyers throughout the country is The Law of Tax-Exempt Healthcare Organizations, which he co-wrote with another Powers law firm colleague in 1995. Bruce later moved to Kansas City to marry Bonnie Buchele.
Bruce was a true nonprofit law pioneer, and he leaves a lasting legacy. “Powers is extremely proud to have had Bruce as part of our team” said Peter Thomas, Managing Partner of the firm. “I thoroughly enjoyed his wit, kindnesses, and mentorship, as did many of my colleagues at Powers.” His obituary can be found at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/kansascity/name/bruce-hopkins-obituary?id=31320857