UNCOMMON LAW

EIN: 461538094 501(c)(3) Crime & Legal

OAKLAND, CA

Total Revenue
$7,647,918
Total Expenses
$4,369,311
Total Assets
$7,201,943
Net Assets
$6,789,732
🔒

Financial Vulnerability Assessment (Tuckman-Chang)

4 risk indicators measuring financial stability and operational resilience

Sign in with your work email to view Tuckman-Chang indicators

Sign In — Free (10 views/day)

Financial Trends

Organization Details

Formation Year
2012
Legal Domicile
CA
Principal Officer
KEITH WATTLEY
Phone
5102710310
Tax Period
2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31

UNCOMMON LAW, founded in 2012, is a community nonprofit in the Crime & Legal sector that reported $7.6M in total revenue in fiscal year 2024. Revenue surged 153% from the prior year, signaling strong growth momentum. The organization ran a surplus of $3.3M, a strong 43% operating margin.

Mission

UNCOMMON LAW'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND HEALING FOR PEOPLE IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION. WE DELIVER TRAUMA-INFORMED, HEALING-CENTERED MENTAL HEALTH AND LEGAL COUNSELING TO HELP PROVIDE A SAFE PATHWAY HOME FOR PEOPLE CURRENTLY SERVING LENGTHY PRISON TERMS IN CALIFORNIA PRISONS. WE REPRESENT PEOPLE IN THEIR PAROLE HEARINGS AND HABEAS PETITIONS, AND WE ENGAGE IN LITIGATION AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO ADDRESS SYSTEMIC DISCRIMINATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. WE ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR PEOPLE IN PRISON, ATTORNEYS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND LAW STUDENTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF PREPARATION FOR AND REPRESENTATION IN PAROLE HEARINGS. OUR CLIENTS CANNOT BE RELEASED FROM PRISON UNLESS AND UNTIL THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN COUNSELING AND OTHER TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND CAN SHOW THE CALIFORNIA PAROLE BOARD THEY CAN SAFELY REJOIN THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE HELP THEM GET READY TO MAKE THAT SHOWING.

Program Service Accomplishments

Program 1
Expenses: $3,921,937

Legal:- Saw 12 of our clients come home to their communities - Filed 10 habeas corpus petitions (6 Superior, 3 Court of Appeal, 1 CA Supreme Court) - Delivered 23 consultations - Supported 61 parole...

Read more

Legal:- Saw 12 of our clients come home to their communities - Filed 10 habeas corpus petitions (6 Superior, 3 Court of Appeal, 1 CA Supreme Court) - Delivered 23 consultations - Supported 61 parole hearings - Achieved a 59% grant rate in parole hearings completed

Program 2

Policy: - Sponsored AB2310, the Parole Hearing Language Accessibility Act, requiring the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) to: translate essential documents into the give most commonly spoken languages...

Read more

Policy: - Sponsored AB2310, the Parole Hearing Language Accessibility Act, requiring the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH) to: translate essential documents into the give most commonly spoken languages among incarcerated individuals eligible for parole hearings; develop and publish bilingual glossaries of parole hearing terminology; and promulgate regulations establishing standards for interpreter qualifications, verifying interpreter credentials, and protocols for providing interpreter services during attorney visits. - Obtained a landmark dataset through a Public Records Act (PRA) to support deeper analysis of parole hearing outcomes from 2012 - 2024.

Program 3

In-Prison Programming:- Graduated 42 participants from our 10-month Home After Harm, Pathways for Parole Success, along with three Peer Mentor graduates, and enrolled 80 new participants total at...

Read more

In-Prison Programming:- Graduated 42 participants from our 10-month Home After Harm, Pathways for Parole Success, along with three Peer Mentor graduates, and enrolled 80 new participants total at California State Prison, Los Angeles County (LAC) and Salinas Valley State Prison for graduations in 2025. From our graduates:100% understood the parole hearing process as a result of the program - 97% knew how to articulate and connect the events in their lives that led to incarceration - 100% understood how to demonstrate insight in my parole hearing - 97% knew how to mentally and emotionally prepare for my parole hearing - 95% reported an overall positive sense of well-being at the end of the program, and another 95% reported their overall sense of hope and outlook for the future is positive.- Completed seven intensive parole readiness workshops across six prisons with a total of 355 participants. From the workshop participants: - 98% of participants left the workshop with a better understanding of the Boards expectations - 90% of participants reported higher confidence in their ability to receive a parole grant

🔒

Trantor Score

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

Sign in to view Trantor Score and financial metrics

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

Sign In — Free (10 views/day)

Financial Overview (2024)

Revenue Breakdown

Contributions & Grants $7,455,060
Program Service Revenue $0
Investment Income $81,777
Other Revenue $111,081
TOTAL REVENUE $7,647,918

Expense Breakdown

Grants Paid $0
Salaries & Benefits $3,387,209
Fundraising Expenses $113,368
Program Expenses $3,921,937
Other Expenses $982,102
TOTAL EXPENSES $4,369,311

Year-over-Year Comparison

2024 2023 Change
Revenue $7,647,918 $3,021,275 +1.5%
Expenses $4,369,311 $3,428,593 +0.3%
Net Income $3,278,607 $-407,318 -9.0%
Key Indicators
Grants to Organizations Grants to Individuals Lobbying Political Activity Foreign Activities Donor Advised Fund Schedule B Required
🔒

Financial Health Indicators

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

Financial Distress Indicator

Liquidity & Cash Position

Sign in to view all financial metrics

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

Sign In

Governance

Voting Members
8
Independent Members
7
Employees
45
Volunteers
15

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
5
$201,221
Total Directors
7
$0
Key Employees
0
$0
Highest Compensated
0
reported
Name Title Hours/Week Role Reportable Comp Other Comp Total
KEITH WATTLEY Executive Dir. 60.00
Officer
$201,221 $0 $201,221
Lilliana Paratore Legal Director 40.00
$144,078 $0 $144,078
Katy Dybwad Dir.Finance & Oper 40.00
$136,078 $0 $136,078
Rebecca Berry Supervising Attory 40.00
$121,102 $0 $121,102
Susan M Kim Sr. Policy Manager 40.00
$110,124 $0 $110,124
Natasha Baker LitigationAttorney 40.00
$108,797 $0 $108,797
Carletha Sterling Board Chair 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Kwame Marfo Secretary 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Ernest Hammond III Board member 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Satch Slavin Board member 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Eddy Zheng Board Member 2.00
Director
$0 $0 $0
Rob Eber Treasurer 2.00
Officer Director
$0 $0 $0
Paul Petrequin Audit Chair 2.00
Officer 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 $7,647,918 $4,369,311 $7,201,943 $3,278,607
2023 $3,021,275 $3,428,593 $4,222,000 $-407,318
2022 $4,072,621 $2,978,268 $4,369,006 $1,094,353
2021 $2,145,290 $2,557,809 $2,981,564 $-412,519
2020 $3,657,943 $1,208,670 $3,992,430 $2,449,273
2019 $1,335,634 $654,845 $889,429 $680,789
2018 $543,339 $444,585 $114,397 $98,754
Explore More Nonprofits
Top 100 Nonprofits in California Largest U.S. Nonprofits Best Rated Nonprofits Most Efficient Nonprofits

Compare UNCOMMON LAW with other nonprofits in California and across the country.