LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

EIN 53-0196600 · Legal Services (I80)

What they do

LEGAL AIDS MISSION is to MAKE JUSTICE REAL - IN INDIVIDUAL and SYSTEMIC WAYS - for PERSONS LIVING IN POVERTY IN THE DISTRICT of COLUMBIA. IN PARTICULAR, LEGAL AID PROVIDES CIVIL LEGAL ASSISTANCE to INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, and COMMUNITIES IN THE DISTRICT WHO COULD NOT OTHERWISE AFFORD to HIRE A LAWYER. LEGAL AID STAFF and VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE A CONTINUUM of SERVICES FROM CLIENT EDUCATION to FULL REPRESENTATION BEFORE A COURT or AN ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL. TYPES of CASES INCLUDE PREVENTING EVICTIONS and HOMELESSNESS, PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PRESERVING HOME OWNERSHIP, ENSURING A SAFE and DECENT PLACE to LIVE, CURBING ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES, SECURING ACCESS to HEALTH CARE, NUTRITION, and PUBLIC BENEFITS, PROTECTING FAMILIES AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, PROMOTING FAMILY STABILITY THROUGH CHILD SUPPORT and CUSTODY ARRANGEMENTS, and PROVIDING A RANGE of CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES to THE IMMIGRANT CLIENT COMMUNITY.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.50 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 leaders57 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

81.18%of revenue went to mission work81.5% of expenses · Program services

6.24%of revenue went to fundraising6.3% of expenses

$99.56spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

12.14%of revenue went to management and office costs12.2% of expenses

$1.29in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

96.1%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.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $261,061 for VIKRAM SWARUUP (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$14,084,073

Mission workProgram services$11,433,10581.18% of revenue81.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,709,47312.14% of revenue12.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$879,3746.24% of revenue6.3% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$62,1210.44% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$14,021,95299.56% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

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: 81.5% mission · 12.2% management · 6.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.56% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 81.9% mission · 12.1% management · 6.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 78.06% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 79.1% mission · 13.6% management · 7.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.17% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 80.1% mission · 11.7% management · 8.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.13% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.8% mission · 9.0% management · 8.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 89.93% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 82.7% mission · 8.7% management · 8.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.70% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 81.6% mission · 9.1% management · 9.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.87% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 83.5% mission · 8.2% management · 8.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 66.92% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$14,084,073

Expenses$14,021,952

Annual surplus $62,121 Revenue was higher than expenses 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)$11,433,105 · 81.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,709,473 · 12.2% of expenses

Fundraising$879,374 · 6.3% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$14,084,073

Expenses$14,021,952

Assets$18,116,339

Income$21,117,907

Contributions$13,533,572

Mission work (program services)$11,433,105

Fundraising$879,374

Management and general$1,709,473

Executive compensation (total)$370,897

Stocks and bonds$5,874,529

Accounting fees$252,963

Investing fees$13,000

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

VIKRAM SWARUUPEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $261,061Base $245,000 · Other $16,061

ROBERT PERGAMENTDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $214,111Base $191,800 · Other $22,311

STEPHANIE N TROYERLEGAL DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $204,801Base $181,980 · Other $22,821

JONATHAN LEVYDIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $181,408Base $162,567 · Other $18,841

KATHERINE HAYSDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS · 40 hrs/week $176,926Base $162,768 · Other $14,158

JENNIFER MEZEYLEGAL DIRECTOR, UNTIL 12/24 · 40 hrs/week $163,066Base $150,359 · Other $12,707

DOROTHY J SCHEELINEDIR. OF PEOPLE & CULTURE · 40 hrs/week $154,293Base $151,852 · Other $2,441

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 (57)

VIKRAM SWARUUPEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ROBERT PERGAMENTDEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

STEPHANIE N TROYERLEGAL DIRECTOR

JONATHAN LEVYDIRECTOR

KATHERINE HAYSDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

JENNIFER MEZEYLEGAL DIRECTOR, UNTIL 12/24

DOROTHY J SCHEELINEDIR. OF PEOPLE & CULTURE

PETER SPIVACKBOARD MEMBER

KURT RICHTERBOARD MEMBER

VALERIE KELLYBOARD MEMBER

KWAKU AKOWUAHSECRETARY

LEAH QUADRINOBOARD MEMBER

LUKMAN AZEEZBOARD MEMBER

STEVEN HERMANBOARD MEMBER

M ALEXANDER KOCHBOARD MEMBER

MARY LOU SOLLERBOARD MEMBER

MEL BOSTWICKBOARD MEMBER

NADIRA CLARKEPRESIDENT

STEVE BRODYBOARD MEMBER

SHAWN WRIGHTBOARD MEMBER

PHILIP BARTZBOARD MEMBER

PHILIP HORTONBOARD MEMBER

RAJESH DEBOARD MEMBER

KATHERINE BURKEBOARD MEMBER

RAKESH KILARUBOARD MEMBER

RANDALL BRATERBOARD MEMBER

RENA REISSBOARD MEMBER

SHEILA CHESTONBOARD MEMBER

SARA RAZIBOARD MEMBER

SARAH KIRKPATRICKBOARD MEMBER

SCOTT NEMEROFFTEARSURER

DAVID BROWNBOARD MEMBER

ALEXANDRA WALSHBOARD MEMBER

ALLISON FOLEYBOARD MEMBER

ANDREW LACYBOARD MEMBER

ANNEMARGARET CONNOLLYBOARD MEMBER

ANTHONY PIERCEBOARD MEMBER

ASHLEY JOYNER CHAVOUSBOARD MEMBER

BRAD FAGGBOARD MEMBER

BRADLEY S LUIBOARD MEMBER

CHIOMA ACHEBEBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTIE GRYMES THOMPSONBOARD MEMBER

DANIEL GROOMSBOARD MEMBER

DANIEL JARCHOBOARD MEMBER

KIMBERLY PARKERBOARD MEMBER

DEBORAH BRAND BAUMBOARD MEMBER

EMILY LOEBBOARD MEMBER

JANE OBRIENBOARD MEMBER

JASON RUBINSTEINBOARD MEMBER

JENNIFER LEVYVICE PRESIDENT

JEREMY ZUCKERBOARD MEMBER

JESSICA HOUGHBOARD MEMBER

JOAN E MCKOWNIMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

JOHN RELMANBOARD MEMBER

JONICE GRAYBOARD MEMBER

KARA BROCKMEYERBOARD MEMBER

ALANNA CLAIRBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1942
Location: 1331 H STREET NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, DC 20005-4706
County: District of Columbia
In care of: % KATHERINE HAYS
Primary officer: VIKRAM SWARUUP, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

Phone(202) 628-1161

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: SARFINO AND RHOADES LLP
NTEE classification: Legal Services (I80)
IRS tax category: Legal Services