named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Community SIJS Project
Program that empowers immigrant youth and caregivers to navigate the Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) process through multilingual education sessions, pro se workshops, and volunteer training.
Emergency Preparedness Planning Packet
Multilingual resource providing immigrant families with guidance and documents to prepare for potential detention or deportation, available in English, Spanish, and French.
Resilient Communities Project
Network of community-based organizations, faith groups, and volunteers that creates support teams to assist immigrant families through legal case support, accompaniment, and relationship-building to strengthen community resilience.
Sacred Court Support
Interfaith accompaniment program providing presence and support to immigrants during court proceedings, co-led by Co-Counsel NYC with legal training and program development support.
The Lighthouse Initiative
Collaborative program with the New York Immigration Coalition to provide legal support and information to immigrant New Yorkers detained by ICE out of state, ensuring continued access to critical services regardless of location.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Immigration Legal Services 5 activities
- Collaborate with partners to address immigrant legal needsWorks with community members, community-based organizations, law firms, and companies using a team-based, community-centered approach to design and implement legal strategies that address systemic barriers to safety and stability for immigrant communities.
- Empower immigrant youth through SIJS supportOperates the Community SIJS Project to increase access to Special Immigrant Juvenile Status protections for youth in New York City by providing accessible, step-by-step guidance, pro se workshops, and community education.
- Operate pro se legal clinics for immigration reliefDevelops, implements, and supervises self-help legal clinics for applications related to asylum, work authorization, TPS, and other forms of immigration relief, including distribution of multilingual emergency preparedness planning packets and educational materials to support families facing detention or deportation.
- Provide direct legal services to immigrant communitiesDelivers comprehensive legal representation in humanitarian immigration and family law, including affirmative asylum, TPS, DACA renewals, family-based petitions, naturalization assistance, orders of protection, custody, guardianship, legal name changes, and defense in removal proceedings. Also provides post-removal order legal defense such as appeals, motions to reopen, ICE custody review, and habeas petitions.
- Support detained immigrants through the Lighthouse InitiativeProvides legal and community support to immigrant New Yorkers detained by ICE out of state by creating community support teams that pair volunteers with immigrant community members for urgent and long-term relationship building.
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Immigrant Rights Education & Legal Preparedness 2 activities
- Produce and distribute legal practice resourcesCreates and disseminates practical legal tools including practice advisories, sample legal language, multilingual guides, FAQs, slide presentations, and videos on topics such as interlocutory appeals, habeas petitions, U visas, VAWA, criminal record access, and immigration scams to support practitioners and impacted communities.
- Train legal and community advocates in immigration lawProvides training, supervision, and co-counseling to attorneys, paralegals, community members, and staff at community-based organizations on immigration and family law, including asylum applications, work permits, removal defense, and court procedures. Offers beginner-intermediate appellate training and distributes training materials and templates.
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Immigrant Rights Advocacy & Policy Reform 1 activity
- Advocate for improved conditions in immigration detentionRaises public awareness and advocates for policy change regarding inadequate medical care, food quality, and violence in immigration detention facilities, including through public statements and media engagement.
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Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Offer financial support for legal training participationProvides full and partial tuition scholarships for CLE programs and specialized trainings based on individual requests and availability to increase access for advocates with limited experience.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$1.75M
Contributions & grants$622K36%
Program service revenue$1.13M64%
Investment income$370%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$1.06M
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead20%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$892K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.17M
Cash$880K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3K
Net assets$1.17M
Liquid reserves10.0 mo
3 years on record · 2023–2025 · YoY revenue +194.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THERESA LAWSON | TREASURER AND CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $253K |
| REBECCA PRESS | PRESIDENT AND CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $239K |
| ANGELA DE CASTRO | SUPERVISING ATTORNEY | 35 | $157K |
board members · 4
- ALMA MARADIAGA — MEMBER
- JACKIE PEARCE — MEMBER
- JASON CASTILLO — SECRETARY
- TRINH TRAN — MEMBER
relationships · 25
Who they work with
- Amazon Partner — Partner in the Community Counsel Project, supporting legal services for immigrants through collaboration with Co-Counsel NYC.
- Cardozo School of Law Partner — Partnered with Co-Counsel NYC through its Immigration Justice Clinic to co-lead a habeas petition training.
- Cleary Partner — Law firm partner with which Co-Counsel NYC supervises, mentors, and co-counsels to deliver pro bono and pro se legal services for immigrants.
- Davis Wright Tremaine Partner — Supports the Community Counsel Project in partnership with Co-Counsel NYC and Mary’s Place.
- Fenwick & West Partner — Supports the Community Counsel Project in partnership with Co-Counsel NYC and Mary’s Place.
- Fenwick LLP Partner — Collaborates on providing training approved for MCLE credits.
- Fenwick LLP Partner — Law firm partner with which Co-Counsel NYC supervises, mentors, and co-counsels to deliver pro bono and pro se legal services for immigrants.
- Immigrant Defense Project Partner — Collaborated on publishing resources related to criminal court records and parole-in-place eligibility.
- Immigrant Defense Project Partner — Collaborates to provide a guide on accessing criminal court records for immigrants in New York City.
- K&L Gates Partner — Supports the Community Counsel Project in partnership with Co-Counsel NYC and Mary’s Place.
- Kirkland LLP Partner — Law firm partner with which Co-Counsel NYC supervises, mentors, and co-counsels to deliver pro bono and pro se legal services for immigrants.
- Linklater LLP Partner — Law firm partner with which Co-Counsel NYC supervises, mentors, and co-counsels to deliver pro bono and pro se legal services for immigrants.
- Mary’s Place Partner — Collaborates with Co-Counsel NYC to provide legal training and support to guests and staff at this family shelter.
- New York Immigration Coalition Partner — Collaborates with Co-Counsel NYC on the Lighthouse Initiative to support detained immigrants.
- Our Partners Partner — Collaborates with a network of community-based organizations, law firms, and companies to address the legal needs of immigrant communities.
- Perkins Coie Partner — Supports the Community Counsel Project in partnership with Co-Counsel NYC and Mary’s Place.
- Proskauer & Rose Partner — Law firm partner with which Co-Counsel NYC supervises, mentors, and co-counsels to deliver pro bono and pro se legal services for immigrants.
- Red de Pueblos Trasnacionales Partner — Collaborates to help secure legal representation for detained individuals and their families.
- Sacred Court Support Partner — Co-Counsel NYC is part of the leadership team, providing legal expertise and programmatic support.
- South Brooklyn Sanctuary Partner — Collaborating with Co-Counsel NYC on the Resilient Communities Project community gathering in Sunset Park.
- The Intercept Partner — Co-Counsel NYC Senior Counsel was featured on The Intercept Briefing podcast to discuss immigration detention conditions.
- Trinity School Partner — Partnered with Co-Counsel NYC to engage high school students in a workshop on Special Immigrant Juvenile Status at the New York Public Library.
- Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid Partner — Community partner organization that collaborates with Co-Counsel NYC on legal services for immigrants.
- Wanllan Mi Wanlle Partner — Collaborating with Co-Counsel NYC on the Resilient Communities Project community gathering in Sunset Park.
- partners Partner — Collaborates with partners to design and implement legal strategies for immigrant communities.
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.
- Community-Centered Legal Empowermentmethodology: community_lawyeringBy practicing community lawyering and co-designing legal strategies with immigrant communities and partner organizations, the organization produces more responsive and effective legal outcomes because collaborative input ensures relevance, trust, and cultural fluency in service delivery.
- Legal Capacity Building Through Mentorship and Trainingmethodology: legal_capacity_buildingBy mentoring pro bono attorneys, training less-experienced lawyers, and educating community advocates, the organization increases the quality and availability of legal representation for immigrants because building collective expertise expands systemic access to justice.
- Relationship-Centered Advocacy and Interfaith Accompanimentmethodology: relationship-centered_supportBy fostering long-term, interfaith relationships between volunteers and immigrant community members, the organization resists systems of oppression and builds resilience because compassionate presence during legal proceedings enhances emotional safety and sustained engagement.
- Strategic Appellate and Model Litigation Advocacymethodology: appellate_advocacyBy pursuing appellate advocacy and developing model litigation language, the organization strengthens broader legal protections for immigrants because setting precedents and shifting legal norms amplifies impact beyond individual cases.