Mission
The Legal Aid Society exists for one simple yet powerful reason: to ensure that no New Yorker is denied their right to equal justice because of poverty. Since 1876, we have fought to remove the hidden, systemic barriers preventing vulnerable people from advancing in New York. We work on the frontlines and behind the scenes to offer a voice to those who have struggled in silence for far too long. Through our Civil, Criminal Defense, and Juvenile Rights Practices, we provide an unmatched depth and breadth of legal expertise to marginalized New Yorkers, no matter what legal challenges they may face.
Ruling year
1943
President
Janet Sabel Esq.
Main address
199 Water Street
New York, NY 10038 USA
EIN
13-5562265
NTEE code
Civil Rights, Social Action, and Advocacy N.E.C. (R99)
Legal Services (I80)
Civil Rights, Social Action, and Advocacy N.E.C. (R99)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Civil Practice
Our Civil Practice operates 21 specialized units and programs that serve nearly 135,000 New Yorkers every year. Our units provide clients with comprehensive legal assistance covering virtually any issue they may be facing, including: disability-related assistance; public assistance; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits; health law; HIV/AIDS and chronic diseases; elder law; housing, homelessness prevention, and foreclosure prevention; family law and domestic violence; employment issues faced by low-wage workers; tax law for low-income workers; consumer law; education law; immigration law; re-entry services; and community development legal assistance.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of civil litigation matters handled
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Civil Practice
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We help our clients with a wide range of civil legal matters, from housing and immigration, to employment and health benefits.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Civil Practice
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Our cases effect the lives not only of our clients, but those of families and entire communities
Percentage of cases with a positive outcome where there was a court decision
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Civil Practice
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We are tenacious advocates for our clients, offering them a voice in the courtroom.
Percentage of cases with a positive outcome where there was an administrative agency decision
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Economically disadvantaged people
Related Program
Civil Practice
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We help our clients navigate complex and indifferent bureaucracies, ensuring that they get the help they need.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Legal Aid Society, the nation's oldest and largest not-for-profit legal services organization, is more than a law firm for low-income New Yorkers. It is an indispensable component of the legal, social, and economic fabric of New York City - passionately advocating for low-income individuals and families across a variety of civil, criminal and juvenile rights matters, while also fighting for legal reform.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Legal Aid Society has performed this role in City, State and federal courts since 1876. It does so by capitalizing on the diverse expertise, experience, and capabilities of more than 1,100 of the brightest legal minds. These Legal Aid Society lawyers work with more than 700 social workers, investigators, paralegals, and support and administrative staff.
Through a network of borough, neighborhood, and courthouse offices in 26 locations in New York City, the Society provides comprehensive legal services in all five boroughs of New York City for clients who cannot afford to pay for private counsel.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Legal Aid Society's legal program operates three major practices-- Civil, Criminal, and Juvenile Rights-- and receives volunteer help from law firms, corporate law departments and expert consultants that is coordinated by the Society's Pro Bono program. Annually, the Society handles more than 310,000 cases and legal matters for clients with civil, criminal, and juvenile rights problems.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Legal Aid Society takes on more cases for more clients than any other legal services organization in the United States. And it brings a depth and breadth of perspective that is unmatched in the legal profession.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Legal Aid Society
Board of directorsas of 2/22/2021
Richard J. Davis
Offices of Richard J. Davis
William Schwartz
Cooley LLP
Thomas Meriam
Goodwin Procter LLP
Bradley Ruskin
Proskauer Rose LLP
Lara Buchwald
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Charles Platt
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Barry Bohrer
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
Mark Goodman
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Nicole Argentieri
O'Melveny & Myers LLP
Alex Chachkes
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Randy Mastro
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Richard Davis
Offices of Richard J. Davis
Sara Moss
The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.
Alvin Bragg
New York Law School
Atif Khawaja
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Brian Polovoy
Shearman & Sterling LLP
Steven Bierman
Sidley Austin LLP
Perry Napolitano
Reed Smith LLP
Adeel Mangi
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP
Bart Schwartz
Willkie, Farr & Gallagher LLP
Joan McPhee
Ropes & Gray LLP
William Dougherty
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Scott Edelman
Milbank LLP
John Carroll
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Andrew Wasserman
Willis Towers Watson
Douglas Curtis
Arnold & Porter LLP
Tracy Richelle High
Sullivan & Cromwell
David Hille
White & Case LLP
Victor Hou
Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP
L. Kevin Sheridan
Mayer Brown LLP
David Januszewski
Cahill, Gordon & Reindel LLP
Jeffrey Kessler
Winston & Strawn LLP
Peter Williams
PW Consulting Group, LLC
Jason Halper
Cadwalader, Wickerham & Taft LLP
Deborah Archer
New York University School of Law
Sarah Cave
Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP
Roger Meltzer
DLA Piper LLP (US)
Christopher Garcia
Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
Jamie Wine
Latham & Watkins LLP
Natalie Lamarque
New York Life Insurance Company
Richard Albert
Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello P.C.
Christine Varney
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP
Edward Flanders
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
William Savitt
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz
Jeffrey Fuisz
Arnold & Porter LLP
Charles Weinstein
EisnerAmper LLP
Matthew Diller
Fordham Law School
David Greenwald
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP
Gillian Lester
Columbia Law School
Aaron Marcu
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
J. Kevin McCarthy
BNY Mellon
Sharyl Reisman
Jones Day
Christopher Belelieu
Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
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