named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
18-B Criminal Panel
Provides court-appointed attorneys for indigent defendants in criminal cases, with tiered panels for misdemeanors, felonies, and major felonies based on attorney experience.
Appellate Panel
Provides representation for indigent defendants appealing criminal convictions, requiring demonstrated legal writing ability and appellate experience.
Arraignment B / 511 Vacate Program
Provides daily attorney coverage for initial appearances and license revocation warrant vacatur proceedings, offering immediate representation to defendants without counsel.
Family Court Panel
Represents indigent clients in family court matters including neglect, custody, visitation, support, paternity, and termination of parental rights.
Parole Revocation Panel
Represents indigent individuals facing parole revocation, requiring specialized knowledge of sentencing and parole laws.
Surrogate's Court Panel
Handles cases involving custody and adoption matters for indigent parties in Surrogate's Court.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 3 activities
- Administers voucher payment system for panel attorneysProcesses and provides payment vouchers to panel attorneys for criminal, family, and appellate court cases, including arraignment assignments and "Attorney of the Day" duties, at statutory rates of $60 per hour for misdemeanors and $75 per hour for all other cases.
- Manages a panel of expert professionals to support indigent defense casesMaintains a network of over 100 expert professionals in fields such as accident reconstruction and substance abuse to support attorneys representing indigent clients in criminal and family court cases.
- Provides legal representation to indigent defendants in criminal and family court casesOperates a panel of over 260 attorneys who provide legal representation at no cost to indigent individuals in Nassau County, covering misdemeanors, felonies, major felonies, Surrogate's Court, Family Court, parole revocations, and appellate matters. Representation includes arraignments, contested hearings, and case dispositions.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Requires and supports continuing legal education for panel attorneysRequires panel attorneys to complete 6 hours of continuing legal education annually in criminal law, family law, or trial practice, and provides 6 hours of free annual CLE programming to support compliance.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$952K
Contributions & grants$952K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$929K
Program expenses0%
Admin / overhead100%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$690K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$330K
Cash$36K
Investments$0
Liabilities$374K
Net assets$-44K
Liquid reserves0.5 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +31.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Nigro | Administrator | 38 | $143K |
| Lindsay Boorman | Dep. Administrator | 38 | $103K |
board members · 23
- Adam L Browser — Director
- Amy Altman — Director
- Christopher Clarke — Director
- Dana L Grossblatt — Director
- Daniel W Russo — President
- David Z Carl — Director
- Deanne Caputo — Secretary
- Debra Keller Leimbach — Director
- Diane T Clarke — Director
- Douglas M Lieberman — Director
- Ellen B Tobin — Director
- Hon Maxine S Broderick — Vice President
- Ira S Slavit — Director
- James Joseph — President-Elect
- Jared A Kasschau — Director
- Jennifer Koo — Director
- Joshua B Gruner — Director
- Michael Ratner — Director
- Omid Zareh — Director
- Raymond Averna — Director
- Robert M Harper — Director
- Robert S Grossman — Director
- Ross J Kartez — Director
relationships · 7
Who they work with
- Legal Aid Society Partner — Coordinates case assignments with the Legal Aid Society, stepping in when conflicts of interest arise.
- Legal Aid Society Partner — Coordinates with the Legal Aid Society to provide 18B attorneys for cases where conflicts arise.
- Nassau Academy of Law Partner — Co-sponsors and administers CLE programs for 18B panel attorneys.
- Nassau County Bar Association Government — Administrative home for the 18B program; applications are submitted and processed through the association.
- Nassau County Bar Association Government — Administrative host and oversight body for the Assigned Counsel Defender Plan.
- Nassau County, NY Government — Processes 18B claims through the Nassau County Vendor Portal and requires registration for electronic claims submission.
- Second Department Government — Requires applicants to the Family Court Panel to be members of the Second Department's Law Guardian Panel.
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Expert-Supported Panel Modelmethodology: expert-support-networkBy combining a rigorously selected panel of attorneys with access to a network of expert professionals, the organization ensures high-quality, comprehensive legal defense for indigent clients because specialized support enhances the capacity of appointed counsel to deliver effective representation.
- Professional Equivalence Standardmethodology: professional-equivalenceBy requiring panel attorneys to deliver the same level of care and diligence to indigent clients as they would to paying clients, the organization ensures equitable legal representation because holding public defenders to private practice standards closes the quality gap in criminal defense.