irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $13.34MIN THE DETROIT OFFICE, WE BEGAN REPRESENTING RESIDENTS OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH FELONY OFFENSES. WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY FREE OF CHARGE.
- #2 $6.88MNDS TEXAS PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO INDIGENT PERSONS THROUGH CRIMINAL DEFENSE. THIS YEAR WE ARE RUNNING A PROGRAM OPERATION LONE STAR TO ASSIST WITH DEFENSE OF PERSONS NEEDING IMMIGRATION DEFENSE. WE PROVIDE THESE SERVICES AS WELL AS SOCIAL SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS USING A HOLISTIC APPROACH.
named programs · 9 · from sources
What they call their work
Civil Defense Practice
Provides legal representation in eviction matters, criminal record relief, and civil consequences of criminal or ACS contact in Harlem through a holistic, interdisciplinary team approach.
Collateral Consequences Team
Addresses civil penalties of criminal or child welfare system involvement, including employment and housing denials, license suspensions, and benefits termination.
Global Justice Initiative
Shares holistic defense model internationally through partnerships with organizations like Fair Trials International and the International Legal Foundation.
Housing Defense Team
Represents tenants facing eviction in New York City Housing Court, combats displacement, and secures safe housing conditions as part of the Right to Counsel program.
Immigration Defense Practice
Provides deportation defense, asylum, DACA, naturalization, and other immigration services to non-citizens affected by criminal justice system contact.
Operation Lone Star
Provides holistic legal and social services to indigent persons needing immigration defense in Texas, particularly those arrested along the Texas-Mexico border.
Pre-Arrest Services
Intervenes before arrest to negotiate with law enforcement, arrange safe surrenders, and potentially prevent arrest, available in New York and Detroit.
Volunteer Attorney Project
Partners with major law firms to expand pro bono legal representation in criminal, housing, and immigration matters.
Youth Law Practice
Offers team-based legal representation to youth aged 7–18 facing criminal prosecution in adult or family court, with integrated social, housing, and educational support.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 2 activities
- Operates holistic public defense offices in multiple jurisdictionsOperates holistic public defense programs in Northern Manhattan, Detroit (since 2019), and planned services in San Antonio, Texas under Program Operation Lone Star, providing free criminal and immigration defense with integrated social services.
- Provides training and support for pro bono legal servicesOffers support and training to private practice lawyers participating in pro bono legal work, enhancing capacity for criminal, housing, and immigration representation.
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Family and Juvenile Legal Defense 2 activities
- Provides family defense services in child welfare casesProvides full legal representation to parents and families in Family Court proceedings brought by New York City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS) alleging abuse or neglect, including clients referred from criminal defense practice and other residents of upper Manhattan.
- Provides holistic criminal defense representation through interdisciplinary teamsProvides full legal representation in criminal cases from pre-arrest intervention through trial, using interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers, investigators, and support staff to address root causes of system involvement. Services include negotiating with law enforcement, preventing arrests, and representing youth prosecuted in Family or Supreme Court.
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocates for systemic justice reform through policy engagementEngages in policy advocacy at local, state, and national levels to advance systemic reform, including participation in task forces on fines and fees, predictive policing, and problem-solving courts, and ensuring public defenders are included in policy-making processes.
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Immigrant Rights Education & Legal Preparedness 1 activity
- Conducts community education and outreach programsHosts frequent Know Your Rights trainings, legal education sessions in schools, and participates in legal information fairs and clinics to support community members in Harlem and Northern Manhattan.
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Justice System Innovation & Inclusion Programs 1 activity
- Delivers social work and support services as part of legal defenseProvides intensive social work services integrated into legal defense, including advocacy for alternatives to incarceration, educational support, mental health referrals, and drug treatment placements, coordinated by team administrators.
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Language Access Services 1 activity
- Provides bilingual legal services and community education for Spanish-speaking clientsDelivers legal services in Spanish and develops bilingual educational materials and workshops to inform Spanish-speaking clients and families about the criminal justice system and available legal services.
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Tenant Legal Advocacy & Support Services 1 activity
- Provides civil legal representation in housing courtRepresents tenants in Housing Court as assigned counsel under New York City’s Right to Counsel program, handling nonpayment and holdover cases, illegal lockouts, repair requests, rent overcharge challenges, and landlord harassment.
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Immigration Legal Services 1 activity
- Provides immigration legal services and defenseProvides deportation defense in removal proceedings and legal assistance with immigration benefits including adjustment of status, work permits, green card renewals, naturalization, asylum, and DACA applications, particularly for clients impacted by the criminal justice or child welfare systems.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$55.16M
Contributions & grants$55.16M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$3310%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$53.19M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$45.88M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$24.41M
Cash$937K
Investments$6K
Liabilities$21.23M
Net assets$3.18M
Liquid reserves0.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +10.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 13
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PATRICK JONES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $435K |
| MATTHEW KNECHT | CHIEF OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT | 35 | $290K |
| ANDREA BRIDGEWATER | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 35 | $265K |
| ROXANNA GUTIERREZ | GENERAL COUNSEL | 40 | $234K |
| KRISTINE LONGSTREET | MANAGING DIRECTOR DETROIT | 40 | $228K |
| DEEPALI MEENU WALTERS | MANAGING DIRECTOR TEXAS | 35 | $227K |
| ANTHONIA IBE | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 35 | $225K |
| SHANNON ANGLERO | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER | 40 | $224K |
| PIYALI BASAK | MANAGING DIRECTOR HARLEM | 35 | $220K |
| WILFREDO C STA ANA | SR. TRIAL ATTORNEY | 40 | $219K |
| EDWARD MCGOWAN | STAFF ATTORNEY | 40 | $209K |
| KAREN HAMBERLIN | SUPERVISING ATTORNEY | 40 | $207K |
| CAROLYN KLEMENS | HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER | 40 | $197K |
board members · 12
- DAMARIS HERNANDEZ — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID KALAAL — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID SANFORD — BOARD MEMBER
- DR TOLULUPE SONUYI — BOARD MEMBER
- ELIONOR TATUM — BOARD MEMBER
- GARY KOHLMAN — NATIONAL BOARD TREASURER
- JELANI JEFFERSON EXUM — BOARD SECRETARY
- JONATHAN ABADY — BOARD MEMBER
- KOFI BONNER — NATIONAL MEMBER
- MATTHEW MAZUR — HARLEM BOARD CHAIR
- MELODY ROLLINS-DOWNES — BOARD MEMBER
- MIRIAM GOHARA — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Covington & Burling LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Debevoise & Plimpton LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Fair Trials International Partner — Collaborates on international public defense initiatives and reform efforts.
- Harlem community Partner — Establishes meaningful relationships with clients and families in Harlem and participates in local events to support the community.
- International Legal Foundation Partner — Collaborates on international public defense initiatives and reform efforts.
- Keep Ice Out of Courts Coalition Coalition — NDS is a member of this coalition advocating to prevent ICE from conducting immigration enforcement at court appearances.
- Mayer Brown LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- National Association for Public Defense (NAPD) Government — Awarded NDS the Defender of Justice Award for Outstanding Work in Public Defense.
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Partner — Consulted with NDS in Mississippi on justice reform efforts.
- Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Partner — Referred to as an innovative, community-based, holistic public defense practice in Northern Manhattan.
- New York City Administration for Children’s Services Government — Adversarial government agency in Family Court cases; NDS represents clients in proceedings brought by ACS.
- Operation Lone Star Government — Provides legal representation to immigrants arrested under Operation Lone Star.
- Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Proskauer Rose LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Spears & Imes LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- Winston & Strawn LLP Partner — Pro bono legal services partner in the Volunteer Attorney Project.
- local law schools and universities Partner — Collaborates with professors and law students from local law schools and universities in youth defense work.
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 Policy Advocacymethodology: impacted-community-centered policy advocacyBy centering the voices of justice-impacted individuals in policy reform efforts, we produce more equitable justice policies because lived experience leads to solutions that address real harms and prevent replication of destructive systems globally.
- Early Intervention Legal Representationmethodology: early_intervention_legal_representationBy initiating legal representation prior to arrest or at early stages of system involvement, we improve case outcomes because early advocacy prevents escalation, reduces detention, and increases leverage in negotiations.
- Holistic Defense Modelmethodology: holistic defenseBy integrating legal representation with social services and interdisciplinary teams, we produce better client outcomes and reduce entanglement with the criminal legal system because addressing underlying social, economic, and familial issues removes root causes of system involvement.
- Rights-Based and Family Preservation Advocacymethodology: rights-based defenseBy enforcing constitutional rights and providing integrated legal support in family defense cases, we prevent unjust family separation and promote community stability because protecting family integrity reduces trauma and systemic harm.