named programs · 9 · from sources
What they call their work
50 Hour Pro Bono Requirement Program
Provides opportunities for law students and bar applicants to fulfill New York State’s 50-hour pro bono requirement through legal research, client intake, and clinic support.
Access to Justice Fellowship
Offers law students and emerging legal professionals a structured fellowship focused on equity and racial justice, with potential stipends and academic credit.
Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) Host Site
Supports retired attorneys in fulfilling the New York State Attorney Emeritus program requirement of 60 pro bono hours over two years.
Elder Law Program
Provides legal services to older adults in areas such as estate planning, guardianship, and elder abuse prevention.
Immigration Legal Services
Provides legal assistance to immigrants and refugees, including family-based petitions, adjustment of status, and humanitarian parole cases.
LGBTQ+ Rights Program
Offers legal support and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals in Central New York, including name changes, family law, and discrimination issues.
Pro Bono Legal Services
Connects volunteer attorneys with low-income clients in Central New York for individual case representation and limited-scope legal clinics in areas including immigration, housing, family law, and nonprofit formation.
Talk-to-a-Lawyer Clinics
Hosts free legal clinics at libraries and community centers where attorneys provide brief advice, referrals, and legal education to community members.
Tenant Defense Program
Supports tenants facing eviction through legal representation, court advocacy, and education on housing rights.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 3 activities
- Operation of community legal clinicsHosts 'Talk to a Lawyer' clinics at libraries and community centers across Central New York, including a monthly clinic at the Veterans Center, to help individuals identify legal issues, understand their rights, receive referrals, and access legal resources such as the Legal Referral Guide.
- Provision of pro bono civil legal services through volunteer attorneysProvides free legal information, assistance, and representation in civil legal matters to low-income individuals in Central New York through staff and volunteer attorneys, supported by paralegals and law students. Services include brief advice, ongoing representation, and remote or in-person consultations with training, malpractice insurance, supervision, and support for volunteers.
- Specialized legal programs targeting specific populations and regionsOperates targeted programs including the LGBT* Rights Program serving 14 counties in Upstate New York, the Immigration Program covering Central New York and the North Country (12 counties), the Elder Law Program, Family Law Program, Housing and Eviction Defense Initiatives, Debt Program, and legal support for nonprofit formation and small business development in underserved communities.
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Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Access to Justice Fellowship programOffers Access to Justice Fellowships on a rolling basis to support individuals passionate about equity and racial justice in building careers in the legal profession, with potential for stipends, academic credit, or independent funding.
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Volunteer and Professional Training Programs 1 activity
- Capacity building for volunteers and partnersProvides training and professional development resources for volunteers including an orientation video ('Getting to Know VLPCNY'), updated volunteer manuals, access to Federal Poverty Guidelines, and education on inequity impacts for board members, staff, volunteers, funders, and community partners.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Engagement of non-attorney volunteers in legal support rolesRecruits and utilizes paralegals, undergraduate students, interpreters, translators, and other professionals in volunteer roles including client intake, legal research, case screening, file review, clinic assistance, client consultations, case preparation, and document translation to support service delivery.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Provision of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits for pro bono serviceOffers CLE credits to attorneys who perform pro bono legal services through its programs, issuing Letters of Participation and providing one credit for every two hours of service to low-income clients.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Racial and social justice advocacy and systems changeIdentifies and works to dismantle structural and institutional systems of racism and oppression through policy advocacy and legal reform efforts aimed at advancing racial justice, equitable access to justice, and economic opportunity.
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Legal Education and Career Pipeline Programs 1 activity
- Support for law student pro bono participationEngages law student interns in voluntary legal service roles with opportunities for academic credit, independent funding, or scholarships, and offers structured pro bono opportunities during academic breaks to fulfill the New York State bar’s 50-hour pro bono requirement.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$4.56M
Contributions & grants$3.28M72%
Program service revenue$1.28M28%
Investment income$1K0%
Other revenue$161
expenses
Total expenses$4.71M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$3.14M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.74M
Cash$82K
Investments$277K
Liabilities$1.96M
Net assets$781K
Liquid reserves0.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +32.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SALLY CURRAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $161K |
| CYNTHIA MILLS | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $136K |
board members · 22
- AMY WILES — TREASURER
- ANDREW CROOM — BOARD MEMBER
- BENJAMIN BURDICK — BOARD MEMBER
- BRITTANY HANNAH — BOARD MEMBER
- CLIFFORD TSAN — BOARD MEMBER
- DAFNI KIRITSIS — BOARD MEMBER
- DONALD DOERR — BOARD MEMBER
- ELLEN WEINSTEIN — SECRETARY
- GEORGE LOWE — BOARD MEMBER
- JEFFREY UNAITIS — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN BOYD — BOARD MEMBER
- JOHN CALLAHAN — BOARD MEMBER
- KARA WILLIAMS — BOARD MEMBER
- KATHY ROYAL — BOARD MEMBER
- KIM WOLF PRICE — BOARD MEMBER
- LORI BEIRMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- MARY GASPARINI — VICE PRESIDENT
- MARY MINER — PRESIDENT
- PALMER HARVEY — BOARD MEMBER
- RANETTE RELEFORD — BOARD MEMBER
- SIMPHIWE MAQUBELA — BOARD MEMBER
- ZACH FORWARD — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Allyn Family Foundation Funder — Board Secretary Kara W. represents Allyn Family Foundation, a likely funding partner.
- Avalon Document Services Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Barclay Damon Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Barclay Damon LLP Partner — Board member Zach F. is affiliated with Barclay Damon LLP, indicating law firm partnership.
- Bethanie Partner — Point of contact for donor inquiries and information.
- Blitman & King LLP Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC Partner — Multiple board members affiliated with Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, indicating strong partnership ties.
- Bond, Schoeneck & King, PLLC Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Bousquet Holstein PLLC Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Central New York Community Foundation Funder — Board member Pragya M. represents Central New York Community Foundation, a likely funder and strategic partner.
- Dannible & McKee LLP Partner — Board includes members from Dannible & McKee LLP, reflecting firm engagement as a partner organization.
- Hancock Estabrook LLP Partner — Board President is affiliated with Hancock Estabrook LLP, indicating organizational partnership through governance.
- Legal Services of Central New York Partner — Board member Andrew C. represents Legal Services of Central New York, suggesting a formal partnership or collaboration.
- NBT Bank Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- NY State Courts Government — Recognized by NY State Courts as a pro bono CLE provider, enabling volunteers to earn CLE credits for pro bono service.
- New York Bar Foundation Funder — Provided generous support that made the pro bono opportunities page possible.
- New York State Court of Appeals Government — Partner in administering the 50-hour pro bono requirement for bar admission in New York State.
- New York State Courts Government — Approves VLPCNY as a pro bono CLE provider, allowing attorneys to earn CLE credits for pro bono service.
- New York State Unified Court System Government — Hosts Attorney Emeritus Program (AEP) volunteers through collaboration with the New York State Unified Court System.
- New York State Unified Court System Government — Hosts the Attorney Emeritus Program, of which VLPCNY is an approved site for pro bono service.
- Onondaga County Bar Association Partner — Board member Jeffrey U. represents Onondaga County Bar Association, indicating professional affiliation and partnership.
- SUCOL Partner — Corporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- Syracuse Tenants Union Partner — Board member Palmer H. represents Syracuse Tenants Union, indicating a collaborative relationship.
- Syracuse University College of Law Partner — Board member Dafni K. is affiliated with Syracuse University College of Law, suggesting institutional collaboration.
- SyracuseDesign.com Partner — Website design and development partner
- YouTube Partner — Hosts orientation and training videos for volunteers on its YouTube channel.
- collaborative organizations Partner — Partners with collaborative organizations to identify and dismantle systems of inequity and oppression in programs and community work.
- partner agencies Partner — Collaborates with partner agencies in delivering legal services and advancing access to justice.
strategies · 4
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.
- Client-Centered and Dignity-Driven Representationmethodology: client_centered_representationBy treating clients as active participants in their legal decisions and ensuring they are treated with dignity, we improve engagement and outcomes because respectful, client-led processes foster trust and empower individuals navigating complex legal systems.
- Community-Centered Organizational Decision-Makingmethodology: community_centered_decision_makingBy centering the voices and lived experiences of communities impacted by oppression in organizational decisions, we increase relevance and equity in service delivery because those closest to the problem are best positioned to guide solutions.
- Pipeline Development for Racial and Equity-Missioned Legal Professionalsmethodology: pipeline_development_for_equity_and_justiceBy offering fellowships and early volunteer roles to individuals committed to racial justice and equity, we build a more diverse and mission-aligned legal workforce because targeted investment in underrepresented talent transforms long-term access to justice.
- Pro Bono Network Modelmethodology: pro_bono_networkBy mobilizing volunteer lawyers, paralegals, law students, and retired attorneys, we expand access to civil legal services for low-income individuals because leveraging existing legal professionals increases service capacity without increasing systemic cost barriers.