VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE IN (EIN 300528128) - Form 990 Financial Analysis & Trantor Score

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Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

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Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year

2009

Legal Domicile

Phone

9732334173

Tax Period

2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31

VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE IN, founded in 2009, is a community nonprofit in the Crime & Legal sector that reported $3.8M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue surged 58% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. The organization ran a surplus of $1.2M, a strong 31% operating margin.

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.

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Trantor Score

Financial Health Score (300–850) · Liquidity · Solvency · Sustainability · Efficiency

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Liquidity (40%) • Solvency (30%) • Sustainability (20%) • Efficiency (10%)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $2,540,175

Program Service Revenue $0

Investment Income $524,763

Other Revenue $698,879

TOTAL REVENUE $3,763,817

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0

Salaries & Benefits $2,334,939

Fundraising Expenses $328,055

Program Expenses $1,952,164

Other Expenses $262,111

TOTAL EXPENSES $2,597,050

Year-over-Year Comparison

	2024	2023	Change
Revenue	$3,763,817	$2,376,353	+0.6%
Expenses	$2,597,050	$2,442,544	+0.1%
Net Income	$1,166,767	$-66,191	-18.6%

Key Indicators

✗ Grants to Organizations ✗ Grants to Individuals ✗ Lobbying ✗ Political Activity ✗ Foreign Activities ✗ Donor Advised Fund ✓ Schedule B Required

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Financial Health Indicators

Comprehensive financial analysis: Altman Z-Score, liquidity, solvency, sustainability, efficiency, and growth metrics

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

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Altman Z-Score • Liquidity Ratios • Solvency Analysis • Growth Indicators • Efficiency Metrics

Governance

Voting Members

Independent Members

Employees

Volunteers

665

Governance Policies

✗ Conflict of Interest Policy

✗ Whistleblower Policy

✗ Document Retention Policy

Special Practices & Reported Activities

✗ Operated a School

✗ Operated a Hospital

✗ Provided First Class Travel

✗ Reported Conflict of Interest

✗ Reported Asset Diversion

✗ Excess Benefit Transaction

✗ Made Political Expenditures

✗ Engaged in Lobbying

✗ Operated Donor Advised Fund

✗ Maintained Art Collections

✗ Filed Form 720

Compensation of Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Total Officers

Total Directors

Key Employees

Highest Compensated

reported

Name	Title	Hours/Week	Role	Reportable Comp	Other Comp	Total
CATHERINE KEENAN Esq	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	32.00		$180,703	$0	$180,703
JESSICA KITSON	DIR OF ADVOCACY	32.00		$121,893	$0	$121,893
DIANA L ONUSCHAK	DIRECTOR OF ADMIN	32.00		$110,000	$0	$110,000
KAREN ROBINSON	Managing Attorney	32.00		$103,950	$0	$103,950
ALLISON R NOLAN	Managing Attorney	32.00		$101,862	$0	$101,862
TRACY NELSON	DIR OF FINANCE/HR	26.00		$97,880	$0	$97,880
ERIC L SCHWIMMER Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MARITZA RODRIGUEZ ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DANIEL D'ALESSANDRO Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
WENDY FELDMAN Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JOSEPH R GIOVANNOLI	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MATTHEW CLEMENTS	Treasurer	0.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
MALA HARKER Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
STACEY SLATER Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MICHAEL HYUN Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
CATHERINE FITCH ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KELLY LLOYD LANKFORD Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
HOWARD J MENAKER ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JENNIFER PRIOLEAU ESQ	Secretary	0.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
MICHAEL GOLDEN ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
CATHERINE TRINKLE ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MELISSA WERNICK ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
SNEHA DESAI ESQ	Vice Chair	0.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
TRICIA O'REILLY ESQ	Chair	0.00	Officer Director	$0	$0	$0
TRACEY SALMON-SMITH ESQ	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KAITLYN S STONE Esq	Secretary	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
AMY WOLTMAN Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JESSICA HODKINSON Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
NICHOLAS M INSUA Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JUDITH N MCCARTHY Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
DAVID BERSHAD	Trustee Emeritu	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
JEFFREY M SHAPIRO Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
KEVIN WEBER Esq	Trustee	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0
MICHAEL R GRIFFINGER Esq	Trustee Emeritu	0.00	Director	$0	$0	$0

Note: Compensation data is self-reported by the organization on their Form 990. "Reportable Comp" includes salary, bonuses, and other reportable compensation from the organization and related organizations. "Other Comp" includes benefits, deferred compensation, and non-taxable benefits.

Historical Data

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Net Income
2024	$3,763,817	$2,597,050	$3,706,423	$1,166,767
2023	$2,376,353	$2,442,544	$2,430,466	$-66,191
2022	$2,553,458	$2,241,045	$2,532,701	$312,413
2021	$2,551,035	$1,923,187	$2,160,685	$627,848
2020	$1,960,058	$1,431,129	$1,440,959	$528,929
2019	$1,454,471	$1,278,662	$740,127	$175,809
2018	$1,358,350	$1,202,390	$564,318	$155,960

VOLUNTEER LAWYERS FOR JUSTICE IN