VOLUNTEERS OF LEGAL SERVICE INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

VOLUNTEERS OF LEGAL SERVICE INC

EIN 13-3234630 · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)

What they do

to PROVIDE LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS WITH ACCESS to JUSTICE THROUGH HIGH-QUALITY, FREE CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES. WE PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS and VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS AT LAW FIRMS and CORPORATIONS to OFFER COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION, LEGAL ADVICE, and REPRESENTATION THAT MEETS COMMUNITY NEEDS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $74.60 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 leaders46 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

86.66%of revenue went to mission work74.6% of expenses · Program services

10.52%of revenue went to fundraising9.1% of expenses

$559.58spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

19.00%of revenue went to management and office costs16.4% of expenses

$1.42in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

488.4%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 $2,603,388 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $237,792 for ABJA MIDHA (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 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$2,728,303

Mission workProgram services$2,364,39986.66% of revenue74.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$518,43219.00% of revenue16.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$287,03410.52% of revenue9.1% of expenses

Total expenses$3,169,865116.18% 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: 74.6% mission · 16.4% management · 9.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 116.18% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 75.6% mission · 16.1% management · 8.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 72.62% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 81.1% mission · 11.4% management · 7.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.20% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 80.5% mission · 10.9% management · 8.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 89.58% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.2% mission · 13.9% management · 9.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 70.06% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 75.3% mission · 13.0% management · 11.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 110.95% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 83.3% mission · 10.6% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.49% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 85.7% mission · 7.9% management · 6.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.95% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$566,477

Expenses$3,169,865

Annual shortfall $2,603,388 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)$2,364,399 · 74.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$518,432 · 16.4% of expenses

Fundraising$287,034 · 9.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$566,477

Expenses$3,169,865

Assets$4,489,038

Income$566,477

Contributions$2,766,572

Mission work (program services)$2,364,399

Fundraising$287,034

Management and general$518,432

Stocks and bonds$1,987,561

Accounting fees$130,211

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

ABJA MIDHAEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $237,792Base $204,855 · Other $32,937

AMY BONDEROFFDIR, DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS · 35 hrs/week $165,842Base $129,849 · Other $35,993

STEPHANIE TAYLORDIRECTOR, INCARCERATED MOTHERS LAW PROJECT · 35 hrs/week $164,942Base $129,245 · Other $35,697

PETER KEMPNERLEGAL DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $161,735Base $152,086 · Other $9,649

ANDREA TANPROJECT DIR-MICROENTERPRISE · 35 hrs/week $126,327Base $104,453 · Other $21,874

ELISA TUSTIANPROJECT DIRECTOR, SENIOR LAW · 35 hrs/week $107,713Base $101,483 · Other $6,230

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 (46)

ABJA MIDHAEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

AMY BONDEROFFDIR, DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS

STEPHANIE TAYLORDIRECTOR, INCARCERATED MOTHERS LAW PROJECT

PETER KEMPNERLEGAL DIRECTOR

ANDREA TANPROJECT DIR-MICROENTERPRISE

ELISA TUSTIANPROJECT DIRECTOR, SENIOR LAW

PARVIN D MOYNEDIRECTOR

JAMES HR WINDELSDIRECTOR

JANE SHVETSDIRECTOR

JASON M HALPERSECRETARY-TREASURER

JEFFREY S TRACHTMANVICE PRESIDENT

JOHN S KIERNANDIRECTOR

JULIET MURERIWADIRECTOR

KAREN ARTZ ASHDIRECTOR

LEE M CORTES JRDIRECTOR

LISA E CLEARYDIRECTOR

NOLA HELLERDIRECTOR

GINA CASTELLANODIRECTOR

PATRICIA G CORLEYDIRECTOR

RACHEL M FRITZLERDIRECTOR

RICHARD D OWENSDIRECTOR

ROBERT J EGANDIRECTOR (THRU JUNE)

STEPHANIE GYETVANDIRECTOR

WILLIAM S HAFTDIRECTOR

ZEH S EKONODIRECTOR

CARRIE H COHENDIRECTOR

ALAN SCHOENFELDDIRECTOR

ALAN R GLICKMANDIRECTOR

ALISON KINGPRESIDENT

ANDREW J EHRLICHDIRECTOR

ANNE CORTINA PERRYDIRECTOR

ANNIE L MEHLMANDIRECTOR

ANTONY L RYANCHAIRPERSON

BORIS BERSHTEYNDIRECTOR

BRET I PARKERDIRECTOR

BRYCE L FRIEDMANDIRECTOR

HEATHER RIPLEYDIRECTOR

CHRISTOPHER MENDEZDIRECTOR

CLAIRE JAMESDIRECTOR

CYNTHIA MULLOCKDIRECTOR

CYRUS D MEHTADIRECTOR

DANEK A FREEMANDIRECTOR

DANIEL IA SMULIANDIRECTOR

DAVID LESSERDIRECTOR

DIETRICH L SNELLDIRECTOR (THRU JUNE)

HARLENE KATZMANDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1985
Location: 40 WORTH ST RM 829, NEW YORK, NY 10013-2904
County: New York
In care of: ABJA MIDHA
Primary officer: ABJA MIDHA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailabonderoff@volsprobono.org Phone(212) 966-4400

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: May 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: WEGNER CPAS LLP
NTEE classification: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)