LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND INC

FOUNDED IN 1972, LAMBDA LEGAL IS A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO ACHIEVING FULL RECOGNITION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF LESBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS, TRANSGENDER, AND QUEER/QUESTIONING PEOPLE (LGBTQ+), AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV (PLWH) THROUGH IMPACT LITIGATION, EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC POLICY WORK. OUR ATTORNEYS WORK NATIONWIDE TO ADVANCE PROTECTIONS FROM DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AND HIV STATUS, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON THOSE FACING INTERSECTING FORMS OF MARGINALIZATION, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR, LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, YOUTH, SENIORS, AND INCARCERATED PEOPLE. THROUGH STRATEGIC LITIGATION AND COLLABORATIVE ADVOCACY NATIONWIDE, WE PRESS FOR PASSAGE OF LAWS THAT PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, OR HIV STATUS, AND TO DEFEAT EFFORTS TO REPEAL OR WEAKEN SUCH CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS.HEADQUARTERED IN NEW YORK CITY, WITH REGIONAL OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ATLANTA, CHICAGO, DALLAS, AND LOS ANGELES, LAMBDA LEGAL PARTNERS WITH STATE AND LOCAL ADVOCATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO SHAPE AND DEFEND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE LIVED EQUALITY. OUR IMPACT LITIGATION AND POLICY WORK PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND PREVENT FUTURE DISCRIMINATION. IN COMPLIANCE WITH IRS 501(C)(3) REGULATIONS, WE WORK WITH ALLIED LAWMAKERS TO CRITIQUE, EDIT, AND/OR IMPROVE DRAFT LEGISLATION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS THAT WOULD IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES. IN DOZENS OF STATES EACH YEAR, OUR ATTORNEYS ALSO DIRECTLY ASSIST STATE-BASED AND GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS, PROVIDING LEGAL EXPERTISE, SUGGESTED STRATEGIES, EFFECTIVE MESSAGING, AND EXPERT WITNESSES, SO THESE PARTNERS CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE FIGHT FOR LIVED EQUALITY.IN 2025, MORE THAN 616 ANTI-LGBTQ+ BILLS WERE INTRODUCED IN STATE LEGISLATURES, MANY TARGETING LGBTQ+ YOUTH IN THE GUISE OF "PROTECTING FAMILY VALUES": PROPOSALS TO INVESTIGATE FAMILIES OF TRANSGENDER CHILDREN; EFFORTS TO BAR OR CRIMINALIZE HEALTHCARE FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH; PROHIBIT ACCESS TO GENDER-APPROPRIATE FACILITIES LIKE RESTROOMS; RESTRICT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS' ABILITY TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL AND SPORTS; OR PUT MORE ROADBLOCKS IN PLACE FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SEEKING IDENTITY DOCUMENTS WITH THEIR NAME AND GENDER. WHILE ONLY 74 OF THESE DISCRIMINATORY MEASURES WERE ENACTED AND 261 WERE DEFEATED, THE SHEER VOLUME OF ATTACKS FORCED US ONTO THE DEFENSIVE IN MANY STATES. BY DECEMBER 31, 2025, OUR LITIGATION DOCKET HAD GROWN TO 51 ACTIVE CASES. THIS CONTINUED TO ADVANCE THE TWO TOP PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES OF OUR FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN: (1) WINNING NEW PROTECTIONS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO SECURE FULL LEGAL AND LIVED EQUALITY, AND (2) DEFENDING OUR COMMUNITY FROM ATTACKS DESIGNED TO ROLL BACK OUR RIGHTS.ALONGSIDE THIS SURGE IN LEGISLATIVE ATTACKS, LAMBDA LEGAL'S NATIONAL LEGAL HELP DESK HAS SERVED AS A CRISIS HOTLINE FOR LGBTQ+ PEOPLE AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV ACROSS ALL 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND PUERTO RICO. IN 2025, FOUR FULL-TIME HELP DESK ATTORNEYS FIELDED 7,280 INQUIRIES, THE SECOND-HIGHEST ANNUAL VOLUME RECEIVED AT THE HELP DESK SINCE WE STARTED TRACKING ANNUAL NUMBERS IN 1996. AS ANTI-LGBTQ+, AND PARTICULARLY ANTI-TRANS, SENTIMENT AND LEGISLATION CONTINUE TO SURGE, DEMAND FOR ACCURATE, ACCESSIBLE LEGAL INFORMATION HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY FOR MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE MOST MARGINALIZED PEOPLE OF COLOR, TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, DISABLED PEOPLE, OR THOSE WHO DO NOT POSSESS THE EDUCATION, RESOURCES, OR SOCIAL CAPITAL TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEIR SPOUSES, OR THEIR CHILDREN. FROM THIS FRONTLINE VANTAGE POINT, WE NOT ONLY SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS; WE GATHER DATA, SPOT TRENDS, AND FEED INSIGHTS BACK TO OUR LEGAL TEAM. HELP DESK INQUIRIES HAVE HELPED SHAPE COMMUNITY RESOURCES, IDENTIFY PLAINTIFFS, AND INFORM LITIGATION NOW UNDERWAY.TO EXPAND THE REACH AND SCALE OF ITS LITIGATION AND POLICY WORK AND TO LEVERAGE THE EXPERTISE OF ITS INTERNAL SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, LAMBDA LEGAL RECRUITS, ORGANIZES AND OVERSEES THE WORK OF A LARGE NETWORK OF PRO BONO LAWYERS AND LAW FIRMS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO HELP IN OUR WORK. ASSEMBLING AND MANAGING THESE PRO BONO SERVICES IS A KEY COMPONENT OF OUR STRATEGY AND PROGRAM SERVICES. IT ALLOWS LAMBDA LEGAL TO EXPAND THE SCALE OF OUR ESSENTIAL, HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES NATIONWIDE WITH A MODEST STAFF, AND IT ENABLES US TO FOCUS OUR INTERNAL RESOURCES ON BREAKING LEGAL ISSUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS WORK ALSO TRAINS AND EXPANDS THE POOL OF PRO BONO ATTORNEYS AVAILABLE AROUND THE COUNTRY TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF PROTECTING AND EXPANDING THE RIGHTS OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ON AN ON-GOING BASIS. THE VALUE OF THESE PRO BONO SERVICES IS INCLUDED IN OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND WAS $19,178,760 IN 2025. IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS, REVENUE AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM SERVICES ARE NOT REFLECTED IN THE REVENUE AND EXPENSES SET FORTH IN PART IX STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES OF THE 990. NEVERTHELESS, WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR LAMBDA LEGAL CONSTITUENTS TO BE INFORMED OF THIS WORK AND ITS IMPACT.IN 2025, THE STATEMENT OF FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES REPORTED IN LAMBDA LEGAL'S AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORTS, WHICH ARE PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES AND MADE AVAILABLE ON LAMBDA LEGAL'S WEBSITE, INCLUDES $19,178,760 OF PRO BONO SERVICES AS PROGRAM EXPENSES. THIS COMPUTES TO A PROGRAM RATIO OF 74%.