named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Criminal Defense Division
Provides legal representation to indigent defendants facing criminal charges in Nassau County District and County Courts, including arraignment and pre-arrest intervention services
Family Court Bureau
Represents financially eligible adults in child custody, visitation, abuse/neglect, family offense, and parental rights cases; also represents respondents in paternity and child support violation cases
Immigration Unit
Advises non-citizen clients on immigration consequences of criminal and family court proceedings; coordinates with criminal defense attorneys to minimize negative immigration outcomes
Long Island Regional Immigration Center (RIAC)
Partnership with Suffolk County Legal Aid and NYS Indigent Legal Services to provide immigration law support for attorneys representing indigent non-citizens on Long Island
Social Work Bureau
Provides holistic support by connecting clients to community services for mental health and substance abuse; advocates for clients through courtroom submissions that humanize their circumstances
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 5 activities
- Provides appellate and post-conviction legal representationProvides appellate representation for clients appealing serious felony and misdemeanor convictions, Family Court orders, final judgments, and Sex Offender Registration Act classifications. Handles complex litigation including Article 78 applications, Writs of Habeas Corpus, CPL 440 motions, and Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act applications. Appears before the New York State Court of Appeals, Appellate Division, Appellate Term, and Nassau County courts.
- Provides criminal defense representation in Nassau County courtsProvides legal representation to low-income individuals charged with violations, infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies in Nassau County District and County Courts, including at arraignment, pre-indictment proceedings, motion practice, trial, and post-conviction stages. Represents clients in all criminal matters from arrest through disposition.
- Provides legal consultation and resource support to community members and attorneysOffers legal consultation to individuals contacted by law enforcement, assists with surrenders to local law enforcement regardless of case assignment, and serves as a legal resource for community members and attorneys across New York State.
- Provides legal representation in specialized and diversion courtsRepresents clients in Nassau County’s problem-solving courts, including Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, Youth Court, Veteran's Court, and courts for victims of human trafficking and individuals with addiction, alcoholism, or mental health challenges. Advocates for client eligibility and coordinates treatment services through attorneys and social work staff.
- Represents clients at arraignment and provides pre-arrest legal interventionProvides immediate legal representation at arraignments in Arraignment Part A of the First District Court seven days a week and offers limited pre-arrest legal intervention, including arranging surrenders and communicating with law enforcement. Also provides pro bono support for weekend and holiday arraignment coverage.
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Family and Juvenile Legal Defense 3 activities
- Provides continuous legal representation throughout Family Court proceedingsEmploys full-time attorneys who provide ongoing legal representation to clients in Nassau County Family Court from initial interview through case conclusion, ensuring continuity of counsel.
- Provides legal representation in Family Court mattersRepresents financially eligible adults and parents in Nassau County Family Court proceedings, including child custody, visitation, child neglect and abuse, orders of protection, termination of parental rights, paternity, child support violations, and opposition to adoption.
- Represents juveniles and adolescent offenders in delinquency and PINS proceedingsOperates a Juvenile Defense Unit that represents children ages 7–17 in Juvenile Delinquency and Persons in Need of Supervision (PINS) proceedings in Nassau County Family Court. Provides continuous legal representation for adolescent offenders whose cases are transferred from Youth Part to Family Court.
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocates for legislative and systemic reform in criminal and family lawAdvocates publicly for structural change in policing and government institutions and engages in advocacy for legislative reforms in areas including bail, discovery, jury procedures, and family court practices.
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Immigration Legal Services 1 activity
- Provides legal advice on immigration consequences of criminal and family court casesProvides legal advice and assistance to documented and undocumented non-citizen clients on immigration consequences of criminal and Family Court proceedings. Consults with immigration unit specialists to ensure case dispositions consider clients' immigration status.
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Comprehensive Care Management Services 1 activity
- Provides social work and client support servicesProvides social work support to attorneys and clients across County Court, District Court, Family Court, and Juvenile Delinquency cases. Coordinates with community agencies and support groups to help clients access services for substance abuse, mental health, and other social needs.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$12.77M
Contributions & grants$12.71M99%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$6K0%
Other revenue$61K
expenses
Total expenses$12.74M
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$11.90M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.22M
Cash$1.52M
Investments$0
Liabilities$3.78M
Net assets$-563K
Liquid reserves1.4 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +17.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| N Scott Banks | Atty. In Chief | 40 | $253K |
| Michael Berger | Staff Attorney | 40 | $226K |
| Barbara Green | Bureau Chief | 40 | $211K |
| Jenna Chiuchiolo | Bureau Chief | 40 | $207K |
| Tammy Feman | Bureau Chief | 40 | $206K |
| Cindy McGrory | Part 9 Supervisor | 40 | $205K |
board members · 19
- Allen M Kranz — Director
- Bernard P Kennedy — Director
- Brian J Davis — President
- Bryan Hiller — Director
- Daniel Friedman — Secretary
- Dominic J Sichenzia — Director
- Dorian Glover — Director
- Frank C Panetta — Director
- Gerald G Wright — Director
- Hon Jerald S Carter — Director
- Judah Serfaty — Director
- Karen E Johnston — Director
- Lenora W Long — Director
- Lois Campbell — Director
- M Kathryn Meng — Director
- Mark Goidell — Vice President
- Nicholas J Massimo — Director
- Oscar Michelen — Director
- Robert Rubine — Treasurer
relationships · 15
Who they work with
- Federal Defenders Partner — Referral partner for individuals facing federal criminal charges.
- First District Court of Nassau County Government — Primary court venue where attorneys provide legal representation for clients.
- Immigrant Defense Project Partner — Referral partner for immigration-related legal matters unrelated to criminal cases.
- Legal Aid Society of Suffolk County Partner — Co-founding partner in the Long Island Regional Immigration Center (RIAC) to provide immigration law support for indigent non-citizens.
- Nassau County Government — Primary geographic jurisdiction for legal services provided by the organization.
- Nassau County Bar Association Partner — Refers individuals seeking representation in divorce or child support matters to the Nassau County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service.
- Nassau County Family Court Government — Legal Aid Society represents youth in Juvenile Delinquency and PINS cases in this court and continues representation when Adolescent Offender cases are transferred from Youth Part
- Nassau County Office of Veteran Affairs Partner — Collaborates with the Nassau County Veterans Court to provide support, benefits assistance, and mentorship for veteran participants.
- Nassau-Suffolk Law Services Partner — Referral partner for civil legal matters outside the scope of Legal Aid Society's services.
- New York State Bar Government — Collaborates with the New York State Bar to facilitate pro bono hour fulfillment for law students.
- New York State Office of Indigent Legal Services Partner — Co-founding partner in the Long Island Regional Immigration Center (RIAC) to support mandated representation for indigent non-citizens.
- Tammy Feman Partner — Chief of the Appeals Bureau at Legal Aid Society of Nassau County
- VA Partner — Provides mentors who assist, motivate, and guide veteran participants through treatment programs in the Veterans Court.
- Volunteer Lawyers' Project Partner — Referral partner for civil legal matters outside the scope of Legal Aid Society's services.
- public defenders across New York Coalition — Stands in solidarity with public defenders across New York in support of protests against systemic racism and for structural changes in policing.
strategies · 5
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, Trauma-Informed Advocacymethodology: victim-centered_approachBy centering client autonomy, lived experience, and trauma history—especially in human trafficking and family law cases—we build trust and more effective legal strategies, because survivors engage more fully when legal processes affirm their dignity and safety.
- Developmentally Appropriate Youth Defensemethodology: developmentally-appropriate-defenseBy advocating for 16- and 17-year-olds in Youth Part under the Adolescent Offender framework, we ensure legal responses reflect adolescent brain development and impulsivity, because age-appropriate treatment reduces harm and supports rehabilitation over punishment.
- Holistic Defense Modelmethodology: holistic-defenseBy integrating legal representation with social work, investigation, and support services, we address both the legal issues and underlying social determinants (such as housing, mental health, and trauma), because treating the whole person increases justice outcomes and humanizes clients in court.
- Racial Justice-Centered Legal Practicemethodology: racial-justice-centeredBy explicitly centering racial justice and affirming that Black lives matter in advocacy and institutional policy, we challenge systemic inequities in the legal system, because race-conscious lawyering improves representation for marginalized communities and transforms institutional outcomes.
- Therapeutic and Diversion Court Engagementmethodology: therapeutic_court_modelBy channeling eligible clients into specialized diversion courts and treatment-focused programs, we produce better long-term outcomes than incarceration, because these models address root causes like addiction and mental illness while reducing recidivism.