LEGAL ACTION CENTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LEGAL ACTION CENTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK INC

EIN 13-2756320 · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)

What they do

LEGAL SERVICES - THE LEGAL ACTION CENTER ("LAC") is A NOT-FOR-PROFIT LAW and POLICY ORGANIZATION WITH OFFICES IN NEW YORK CITY and WASHINGTON, D.C.. LAC is THE ONLY ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY WHOSE SOLE MISSION is to FIGHT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST and PROTECT THE PRIVACY of PEOPLE LIVING WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS, DRUG or ALCOHOL HISTORIES, AND/OR HIV/AIDS. WE HAVE A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH THAT INVOLVES DIRECT CLIENT LEGAL SERVICES and IMPACT LITIGATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE and TRAINING to AGENCIES THAT SERVE OUR CLIENTELE, and POLICY ADVOCACY to CREATE SYSTEMIC CHANGES THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR CLIENTS. WE PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE to INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT NEW YORK STATE; MANY of OUR CLIENTS HAVE ISSUES CROSSING ALL THREE of OUR SUBJECT AREAS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $74.20 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders33 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

103.03%of revenue went to mission work74.2% of expenses · Program services

10.26%of revenue went to fundraising7.4% of expenses

$138.85spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

25.57%of revenue went to management and office costs18.4% of expenses

$1.55in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

92.3%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $2,513,181 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $370,714 for PAUL SAMUELS (DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$6,468,412

Mission workProgram services$6,664,107103.03% of revenue74.2% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,653,92325.57% of revenue18.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$663,56310.26% of revenue7.4% of expenses

Total expenses$8,981,593138.85% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 74.2% mission · 18.4% management · 7.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 138.85% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 77.5% mission · 15.9% management · 6.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 118.18% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 76.2% mission · 16.0% management · 7.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.92% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 77.5% mission · 16.8% management · 5.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 43.05% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.7% mission · 11.7% management · 5.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 74.88% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 80.2% mission · 14.6% management · 5.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.73% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 78.3% mission · 13.2% management · 8.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.13% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 78.6% mission · 13.4% management · 8.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.05% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$6,468,412

Expenses$8,981,593

Annual shortfall $2,513,181 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$6,664,107 · 74.2% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,653,923 · 18.4% of expenses

Fundraising$663,563 · 7.4% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$6,468,412

Expenses$8,981,593

Assets$13,882,262

Income$6,536,625

Contributions$5,971,116

Mission work (program services)$6,664,107

Fundraising$663,563

Management and general$1,653,923

Executive compensation (total)$635,808

Stocks and bonds$10,974,994

Accounting fees$45,500

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

PAUL SAMUELSDIRECTOR/PRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $370,714Base $328,987 · Other $41,727

SALLY FRIEDMANSR. VP OF LEGAL ADVOCACY · 40 hrs/week $239,289Base $191,361 · Other $47,928

ROBERTA MEYERS DOUGLASVP OF STATE STRATEGY & REE · 40 hrs/week $193,680Base $147,931 · Other $45,749

GABRIELLE DE LA GUERONNIEREVP OF HEALTH & JUSTICE POL · 40 hrs/week $183,339Base $157,016 · Other $26,323

ADELA PRIGNALCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $177,753Base $156,782 · Other $20,971

SHARON HAYESDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $165,884Base $145,741 · Other $20,143

JENNIFER SINTONDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION · 40 hrs/week $161,442Base $140,488 · Other $20,954

MEGAN FRENCH-MARCELINSR. DIRECTOR OF NYS POLICY · 40 hrs/week $147,944Base $140,863 · Other $7,081

COLLEEN MCCOMACK - MAITLANDDIRECTOR OF LEGAL SERVICES · 40 hrs/week $142,665Base $135,822 · Other $6,843

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (33)

PAUL SAMUELSDIRECTOR/PRESIDENT

SALLY FRIEDMANSR. VP OF LEGAL ADVOCACY

ROBERTA MEYERS DOUGLASVP OF STATE STRATEGY & REE

GABRIELLE DE LA GUERONNIEREVP OF HEALTH & JUSTICE POL

ADELA PRIGNALCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

SHARON HAYESDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

JENNIFER SINTONDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION

MEGAN FRENCH-MARCELINSR. DIRECTOR OF NYS POLICY

COLLEEN MCCOMACK - MAITLANDDIRECTOR OF LEGAL SERVICES

SHARON L SCHNEIERDIRECTOR

ROSS LOVERNDIRECTOR

SWAMY KOCHERLAKOTADIRECTOR

TONY LEEDIRECTOR

PROFESSOR ELIZABETH BARTHOLETDIRECTOR

VIRGINIA SLOANDIRECTOR

MARY E MULLIGANDIRECTOR

MARY BETH FORSHAWVICE CHAIR

LYMARIS ALBORSDIRECTOR

KAMRAN MASOODDIRECTOR

JOHN J SUYDAMDIRECTOR

JEFFREY D GRANTDIRECTOR

JASON FLOMDIRECTOR

HON JAMES YATESDIRECTOR

HARYA TAREKEGNDIRECTOR

GERALD JAY BALACEKDIRECTOR

ERIC D BALBERDIRECTOR

ELIZABETH M SACKSTEDERDIRECTOR

ELAINE H MANDELBAUMDIRECTOR

DOUG LIMANDIRECTOR

DEBRA PANTINDIRECTOR

BRAD S KARPCHAIRMAN

ANN-MARIE LOUISONDIRECTOR

ALEXIS GADSENDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1973
Location: 225 VARICK ST RM 402, NEW YORK, NY 10014-4399
County: New York
In care of: PAUL SAMUELS
Primary officer: PAUL SAMUELS, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emaillacinfo@lac.org Phone(212) 243-1313

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: April 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: SAX ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)
IRS tax category: All Other Legal Services