irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $310KCONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION - TO MAKE CONTINUING LEGAL PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LAW-RELATED COURSES AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS.
- #2 $268KMEMBERSHIP AND COMMITTEE OPERATIONS - PROGRAMMING OFFERED TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CAREER SUPPORT, PRACTICE AREA SPECIFIC COMMITTEE GROUPS, NETWORKING EVENTS, ACCESS TO ETHICS RESOURCES AND PARTICIPATION IN THE DRAFTING OF REPORTS AND LEGAL ANALYSIS FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Continuing Legal Education
Offers law-related professional education courses to members and non-members to support ongoing legal training and development.
Library Operations
Maintains a law library accessible to members, judiciary, and government officials for legal research and reference.
Task Force on Non-Lawyer Legal Services Providers
Works to expand access to justice by exploring roles for non-lawyer professionals in delivering legal services.
The Amicus Curiae Podcast
Produces a podcast series discussing current legal issues, ethics, and public policy with legal experts and thought leaders.
activities · 12 groups
What they do
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 2 activities
- Expanding access to justice through non-lawyer legal servicesEstablished a task force focused on expanding access to justice by exploring the role and integration of non-lawyer legal services providers in the legal system.
- Facilitating pro bono legal services and community engagementProvides pro bono legal services through a dedicated program that deploys volunteer attorneys, including historical efforts such as providing representation for indigent defendants in 1989 and deploying 350 volunteer lawyers as Special Masters in 1976 to reduce court congestion. Also facilitates pro bono projects exclusively for members.
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advancing criminal justice reform and public legal advocacyStudies and advocates for criminal justice system reform through forums, training seminars, and public education; fosters collaboration among defense, prosecution, judiciary, and academia; defends legal practitioners from media criticism; and has filed impactful litigation, such as the 2000 lawsuit that increased compensation for Article 18(b) attorneys representing indigent defendants.
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Professional Ethics & Dispute Resolution 1 activity
- Offering ethics guidance and professional supportProvides ethics resources and operates a hotline to assist members in resolving professional ethical dilemmas, reinforcing standards of conduct and professional integrity.
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Public Access to Digital and Physical Library Collections 1 activity
- Operating a member-focused law library and information resourcesMaintains a physical law library accessible to members, judiciary, and government officials from 9:15 AM to 4:45 PM Monday through Friday by reservation, and provides free digital access to periodicals, case studies, online resources, weekly e-News, and a legal blog (#NYCLA) to keep members informed on legal trends.
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Legal Professional Development & Networking 1 activity
- Operating practice-area committees and capacity-building networksHosts numerous committees organized by legal practice areas—such as arbitration, animal law, antitrust, appellate courts, art law, banking, bankruptcy, civil rights, construction, corporate law, and others—that engage members in substantive legal discussion, monitor legislation, issue reports, and support professional development. These committees are open to all members regardless of admission date and serve as platforms for expertise exchange and collaboration.
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Legal Profession Standards Advocacy 1 activity
- Promoting ethics, civic responsibility, and rule of lawPublishes content emphasizing lawyers’ ethical and professional duties beyond commercial practice and calls on attorneys to actively resist threats to democratic norms, defend constitutional principles, and uphold the rule of law.
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Professional Networking Events 1 activity
- Providing career support and networking opportunitiesOperates a career center offering job alerts and career advice, organizes networking events connecting members with judges and other attorneys, and maintains regular office hours (9:00 AM–5:00 PM, Monday–Friday) to support member engagement.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Providing continuing legal education (CLE) and professional developmentOffers discounted CLE seminars and webinars, free monthly professional and personal development programs, and has provided CLE programs for over 40 years to support attorney competence and career growth.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Recognizing contributions to the legal profession and communityHonors legal professionals at the Civil Court Practice Section Annual Dinner for exceptional service to the judiciary, legal profession, and community, and annually recognizes ten high school students through a cash-prize essay contest.
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Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
- Supporting early-career legal professionals through membership benefitsOffers complimentary membership to law students, recent law graduates not yet admitted to the bar, and newly admitted New York State Bar attorneys for their first year, lowering barriers to entry and supporting professional integration.
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Legal Education and Career Pipeline Programs 1 activity
- Supporting judicial internships and mentorship programsHosts annual events including a Summer Judicial Intern Reception and Judicial Internship Dinner to foster mentorship, networking, and professional development between judiciary members, legal professionals, and aspiring lawyers. Also operates a paid summer internship program for law students placed with state or federal judges, providing $500 per week for eight weeks along with structured programming such as writing workshops and peer mentoring.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Advocating for legal profession independence and systemic reformEngages in advocacy to protect the independence of the legal profession, including opposing federal control over law-school accreditation, promoting equal rights through ballot measure analysis (e.g., Proposition 1), and advocating against discriminatory tax code provisions affecting women and married couples. Also led the successful effort to unify New York City’s civil and criminal courts in 1962.
- Producing authoritative legal guides and publicationsProduces key legal resources including the Attorneys’ Guide to Civil Practice in the New York County Supreme Court, the New York City Youth Law Manual for students and teachers, and cosponsors the publication of Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts, a comprehensive treatise regularly updated with new chapters and case analysis.
- Publishing legal analysis and commentary on emerging legal issuesRegularly publishes blog posts analyzing complex legal developments, including procedural stays in appellate litigation, antitrust implications in college sports, cryptocurrency regulation by OFAC, judicial speech discipline, immigration policy rulings, copyright expiration (e.g., “Happy Birthday”), and ethical responsibilities of lawyers, while also addressing threats to democratic norms and constitutional principles.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$2.16M
Contributions & grants$1.61M75%
Program service revenue$268K12%
Investment income$255K12%
Other revenue$27K
expenses
Total expenses$2.55M
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead33%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$1.40M
Grants paid out$16K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$22.55M
Cash$442K
Investments$19.10M
Liabilities$1.94M
Net assets$20.61M
Liquid reserves91.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +62.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOPHIA GIANACOPLOS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $224K |
| ANTHE MARIA BOVA | GENERAL COUNSEL & DIRECTOR | 35 | $134K |
| TONI VALENTI | DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND | 35 | $133K |
| BARI CHASE | DIRECTOR OF CLE INSTITUTE | 35 | $122K |
board members · 21
- ADRIENNE B KOCH — PRESIDENT
- ANN LESK — DIRECTOR
- ARTHUR AUFSES — DIRECTOR
- ARTHUR NORMAN FIELD — DIRECTOR
- ASHA SMITH — DIRECTOR
- CAROL SIGMOND — DIRECTOR
- CATHERINE CHRISTIAN — DIRECTOR
- CRAIG KESCH — DIRECTOR
- CRAIG LANDY — DIRECTOR
- DAVID M COHN — TREASURER
- DIANA SEN — DIRECTOR
- DYAN FINGUERRA-DUCHARME — DIRECTOR
- EUGENE FRENKEL — DIRECTOR
- GEOFFREY BICKFORD — DIRECTOR
- HENRY GREENBERG — DIRECTOR
- HON ALAN SCHEINKMAN — DIRECTOR
- HON BARBARA MOSES — DIRECTOR
- HON DEBRA JAMES — DIRECTOR
- HON ELIZABETH STONG — DIRECTOR
- HON L AUSTIN DSOUZA — DIRECTOR
- HON NICHOLAS MOYNE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 27
Who they work with
- American Bar Association Partner — Former affiliate; NYCLA refused to renew affiliation in 1943 due to ABA's exclusion of Black lawyers.
- Asian American Bar Association of NY Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- Deborah Batts Partner — Judge who has participated in the internship program by hosting interns.
- Denny Chin Partner — Judge who has participated in the internship program by hosting interns.
- Diana Kosanovich Partner — Contact person for membership inquiries at NYCLA.
- Feerick Center for Social Justice Partner — Collaborates with the Justice Center through shared focus on social justice and access to justice initiatives.
- Fordham University School of Law Partner — Engages in partnership through the involvement of a representative from Fordham Law's Feerick Center for Social Justice on the Justice Center Advisory Board.
- Government Officials and Agencies Government — Provides access to law library resources for government officials and agencies.
- Indo American Lawyers’ Association Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- Jack B. Weinstein Partner — Judge who has participated in the internship program by hosting interns.
- Judiciary Government — Provides access to law library resources for judiciary members.
- Justice Resource Center Partner — Collaborates with NYCLA on the New York City Youth Law Manual and organizes professional development seminars for teachers and student conferences.
- Korean-American Lawyers’ Association of Greater NY Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Law Association of New York Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- Metropolitan Black Bar Association Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- NYS UCS Office for Justice Initiatives Government — Government-affiliated entity represented on the Justice Center Advisory Board, indicating an official connection to state justice initiatives.
- National Center for Access to Justice Partner — Collaborates with the Justice Center through shared mission focus and representation on the Advisory Board.
- New York State appellate courts Government — Studies the structure and operations of New York State appellate courts to support legal practice and policy understanding.
- Puerto Rican Bar Association Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- Rolando Acosta Partner — Judge who has participated in the internship program by hosting interns.
- SDNY Partner — Collaborates with SDNY to welcome judicial interns at the SDNY Summer Judicial Intern Reception.
- Sonia Sotomayor Partner — Judge who has participated in the internship program by hosting interns.
- South Asian Bar Association of NY Partner — Participating affiliate bar offering discounted NYCLA membership.
- The Legal Aid Society Partner — Partner organization represented on the Justice Center Advisory Board, indicating collaboration on access to justice efforts.
- Thomson Reuters Partner — Joint venture partner with NYCLA on the publication of Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Courts Government — Engages with U.S. Bankruptcy Courts through monitoring procedures, practice standards, and rule changes affecting consumer debtors.
- U.S. Court of Appeals Government — Studies the structure and operations of the U.S. Court of Appeals as part of its focus on appellate practice and reform.
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.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration for Systemic Reformmethodology: cross-sector_collaborationBy convening legal professionals, judicial figures, academics, and community leaders, we identify systemic justice issues and drive reform because diverse stakeholder input generates more comprehensive and actionable policy insights.
- Dual Mentorship for Professional Developmentmethodology: mentorship_modelBy pairing interns with both a sitting judge and an NYCLA mentor, we support professional growth and successful project completion because dual mentorship provides both institutional legitimacy and practical guidance, enhancing learning and accountability.
- Integrated Pro Bono Engagementmethodology: integrated-pro-bonoBy embedding pro bono legal services into the association’s core operations through dedicated leadership and supervision, we increase access to justice for low-income and indigent individuals because structured institutional support enhances member participation and service quality.
- Youth Engagement Through Law-Focused Educationmethodology: law-related education for youthBy delivering law-related educational content and hosting civic competitions for youth, we increase awareness of legal rights and inspire future legal careers because early exposure to legal thinking builds civic literacy and professional aspiration.