Nonprofit · EIN 30-0528128
VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC
Tax-exempt · NEWARK, NJ 07102
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $3,763,817 | $2,597,050 | $1,166,767 | $3,706,423 | $337,198 | $3,369,225 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $2,376,353 | $2,442,544 | -$66,191 | $2,430,466 | $232,770 | $2,197,696 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $2,540,175
- of which government grants
- $454,937
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $524,763
- Net income from fundraising events
- $698,879
- Other revenue
- $698,879
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $716,288
- Other salaries and wages
- $1,245,587
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $2,334,939
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $1,122
- Accounting fees
- $8,676
- Travel
- $29,326
- Program services (functional)
- $1,952,164
- Management and general (functional)
- $316,831
- Fundraising (functional)
- $328,055
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $2,430,466
- Total assets, end of year
- $3,706,423
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $337,198
- Net assets, end of year
- $3,369,225
- Publicly traded securities
- $1,215,944
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $3,369,225
- Gross receipts
- $3,890,767
- Employees
- 26
- Volunteers
- 665
- Year formed
- 2009
- State of legal domicile
- NJ
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE KEENAN Esq | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 32 | $180,703 |
| JESSICA KITSON | DIR OF ADVOCACY | 32 | $121,893 |
| DIANA L ONUSCHAK | DIRECTOR OF ADMIN | 32 | $110,000 |
| KAREN ROBINSON | Managing Attorney | 32 | $103,950 |
| ALLISON R NOLAN | Managing Attorney | 32 | $101,862 |
| TRACY NELSON | DIR OF FINANCE/HR | 26 | $97,880 |
| ERIC L SCHWIMMER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MARITZA RODRIGUEZ ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| DANIEL D'ALESSANDRO Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| WENDY FELDMAN Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JOSEPH R GIOVANNOLI | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MATTHEW CLEMENTS | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| MALA HARKER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| STACEY SLATER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL HYUN Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
19 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE FITCH ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KELLY LLOYD LANKFORD Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| HOWARD J MENAKER ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JENNIFER PRIOLEAU ESQ | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL GOLDEN ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| CATHERINE TRINKLE ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MELISSA WERNICK ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| SNEHA DESAI ESQ | Vice Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| TRICIA O'REILLY ESQ | Chair Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| TRACEY SALMON-SMITH ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KAITLYN S STONE Esq | Secretary Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| AMY WOLTMAN Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JESSICA HODKINSON Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| NICHOLAS M INSUA Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JUDITH N MCCARTHY Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| DAVID BERSHAD | Trustee Emeritu Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JEFFREY M SHAPIRO Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KEVIN WEBER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL R GRIFFINGER Esq | Trustee Emeritu Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 32 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE KEENAN Esq | Executive Director | 40 | $174,153 |
| JESSICA KITSON | DIR OF ADVOCACY | 40 | $133,840 |
| JACLYN KRAMER | Developmt Director | 40 | $127,475 |
| KAREN ROBINSON | Managing Attorney | 40 | $107,250 |
| DIANA L ONUSCHAK | DIRECTOR OF ADMIN | 40 | $103,100 |
| TRACY NELSON | DIR OF FINANCE/HR | 40 | $100,467 |
| ERIC L SCHWIMMER Esq | Vice Chairman Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| MARITZA RODRIGUEZ ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| DONALD CUSSEN | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| WENDY FELDMAN Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JOSEPH R GIOVANNOLI | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MATTHEW CLEMENTS | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MALA HARKER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| GEOFFREY ROSAMOND ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL HYUN Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| CATHERINE FITCH ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KELLY LLOYD LANKFORD Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| HOWARD J MENAKER ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JENNIFER PRIOLEAU ESQ | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| MICHAEL GOLDEN ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| CATHERINE TRINKLE ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| MELISSA WERNICK ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| SNEHA DESAI ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| TRICIA O'REILLY ESQ | Chairwoman Trustee or director, Officer | 0 | $0 |
| TRACEY SALMON-SMITH ESQ | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KAITLYN S STONE Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| PETER C HARVEY Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JESSICA HODKINSON Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| NICHOLAS M INSUA Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JUDITH N MCCARTHY Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| JEFFREY M SHAPIRO Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| KEVIN WEBER Esq | Trustee Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- PO BOX 32040, NEWARK, NJ 07102-0440
- In care of
- % KAREN SACKS
- Signed the 990
- CATHERINE KEENAN, Executive Dir.
- Phone
- (973) 233-4173
- Website
- WWW.VLJNJ.ORG
- Return prepared by
- HYDE & ASSOCIATES
Mission
Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc. ("VLJ"/ the Organization), a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of New Jersey, is a comprehensive, statewide legal services program based in Newark. VLJ's mission is to ensure access to justice for people experiencing poverty. VLJ fulfills its mission by mobilizing volunteers to work alongside staff to address critical legal needs across New Jersey, advancing racial, social, and economic justice for the most vulnerable members of our community. Created in 2001 by a small group of advocates concerned about the scarcity of free legal services for people experiencing poverty, VLJ has grown significantly from one to twenty-one staff people and a handful of volunteers to a volunteer panel with more than 1,500 volunteers.
Program accomplishments
- VLJ currently operates a number of distinct legal programs in the areas ofbankruptcy, family, consumer, education, criminal reentry, veterans issues,tenancy and trafficking victims issues. Those programs include legal counsel and advice clinics, educational or "know your rights" seminars, and direct representation of clients by VLJ staff and volunteer attorneys who are trained, recruited and mentored by VLJ. VLJs programs have garnered several awards including the NJ State Governors Jefferson Award for Public Service, New Jersey State Bar Association's Pro Bono Award, "The Community Builder Award" from the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, and the Bernard Kuttner Award from the Essex County Bar Association.Expenses $1,952,164
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | Not on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 30-0528128
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2009
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Crime and legal-related (I80)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $3,706,423
- Income (IRS master file)
- $3,890,767
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2024 | $3,763,817 | $2,597,050 | $3,706,423 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $2,376,353 | $2,442,544 | $2,430,466 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $2,553,458 | $2,241,045 | $2,532,701 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 30-0528128).
Questions about VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC
- What is the EIN of VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC is 30-0528128.
- Is VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2009.
- Are donations to VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending December 31, 2025) is due May 15, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2024.
- Who are the officers and directors of VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 lists 34 people; 6 received compensation from the organization, the highest $180,703 (CATHERINE KEENAN Esq, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).
- How much revenue does VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE INC have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2024 it reported revenue of $3,763,817, expenses of $2,597,050 and total assets of $3,706,423 at year end.
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All nonprofits in NEWARK · New Jersey · Crime and legal-related