named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
#Pipeline and #MBBAGives Initiatives
Programs aimed at promoting diversity in the legal profession by supporting under-resourced Black and minority law students through scholarships and development opportunities.
Friends of MBBA Scholarships
Offers multiple scholarships including the LSAT Prep, Bar Prep, 1L, and named memorial scholarships to support Black law students in New York City.
Legal Clinics
Provides legal assistance on issues affecting communities of color, though specific services are not detailed on the website.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Legal Professional Development & Networking 1 activity
- Advancing professional development and membership engagementProvides tools, networking opportunities, and structured participation through committees, sections, and divisions to support the personal and professional growth of Black legal professionals and law students. Offers general and lifetime membership options to foster community and professional interaction.
-
-
Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Engaging in legal and policy advocacyAnalyzes proposed legislation and rules, presents testimony at public hearings, and issues recommendations on judicial candidates to influence legal and policy outcomes affecting Black communities.
-
-
Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 1 activity
- Operating free legal clinics and community legal education programsCoordinates volunteer legal professionals to provide free legal services through community clinics and hosts legal workshops to educate the public on legal rights and resources.
-
-
Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Providing scholarships and financial support to law studentsOffers multiple named scholarships, including the Honorable George Bundy Smith Scholarship Fund and the Gregory Harmon, Esq. Memorial Scholarship, to support Black/African-American law students from New York City. Covers costs for LSAT and New York State Bar Exam preparatory courses and requires scholarship applicants to submit original papers on racial injustice in the legal profession.
-
-
Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
- Supporting community development through outreach initiativesOrganizes and supports community projects such as Toys-For-Tots, Adopt-A-School, and back-to-school backpack giveaways to serve students and families in New York City.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$0
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses—
Program expenses32%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising57%
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$175K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$0
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -100.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 10
- BISHA NURSE — Director
- CLAUDIA DANIELS-DEPEYSTER — Director
- INGA O'NEALE — Director
- JENESHA TAI — Director
- JENNIFER L TAIWO — Director
- KERSUZE MORANCY — Director
- LOLA OGUNTUNDE-WATERMAN — Director
- LUWICK FRANCOIS — Director
- MONSURAT M ADEBANJO — Director
- TANYA N BLOCKER — Director
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Bedford Stuyvesant Lawyers Association Partner — MBBA was formed through a merger with the Bedford Stuyvesant Lawyers Association in 1984.
- Black Bar Association of Bronx County Partner — Consolidated with MBBA in 2016; MBBA continues to administer the Gregory Harmon, Esq. Memorial Scholarship originally established by BBABC.
- Bronx Black Bar Association Partner — Merged with MBBA in 2017 to expand representation and impact in the Bronx.
- Facebook Network — Organization has a presence on Facebook
- Facebook Partner — Social media platform used for organizational outreach and engagement
- Friends of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, Inc. Partner — Friends of the MBBA is the 501(c)(3) charitable arm of MBBA, supporting its community and educational initiatives.
- Harlem Lawyers Association Partner — MBBA was formed through a merger with the Harlem Lawyers Association in 1984.
- Instagram Network — Organization has a presence on Instagram
- Instagram Partner — Social media platform used for organizational outreach and engagement
- LinkedIn Network — Organization has a presence on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn Partner — Social media platform used for organizational outreach and engagement
- National Bar Association Network — MBBA is an affiliate of the National Bar Association.
- National Bar Association Partner — MBBA is an affiliate of the National Bar Association, participating in a national network of Black legal professionals.
- Twitter Network — Organization has a presence on Twitter
- Twitter Partner — Social media platform used for organizational outreach and engagement
- YouTube Network — Organization has a presence on YouTube
- YouTube Partner — Social media platform used for organizational outreach and engagement
strategies · 3
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 Advocacy and Researchmethodology: community-centered-legal-educationBy linking professional legal work with community impact—through research on systemic legal issues, civic engagement, and direct service—we advance racial equity in the legal system, because addressing community-impacted legal challenges strengthens both public trust and policy outcomes.
- Legal Pipeline Development with Mentorshipmethodology: legal_pipeline_developmentBy providing mentorship, scholarship support, and professional development opportunities to Black law students and early-career attorneys, we increase representation and retention of Black legal professionals, because structured support systems mitigate systemic barriers in legal education and career advancement.
- Member-Driven Professional and Advocacy Structuremethodology: member-driven organizational structureBy organizing members into committees, sections, and divisions, we enable collective action in both professional development and legal advocacy, because structured, member-led participation increases engagement, ownership, and scalability of impact.