Public Counsel is a nonprofit Public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. (see sch o for continuation)founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond los angeles.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 4,000 volunteers and 196 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.9M a year · 9% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.2M
to officers and key staff · 9% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 9% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $18.9M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Looks good: 3.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $48K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$5.5M
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
89
of 89 voting members
Looks good: 89 of 89 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$23.8M
-8% vs prior year
Spent
$23.6M
To programs
79%
Net assets
$30.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$23.8M
FY2025▼ -8%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$14.1M
FY2021$22.6M
FY2022$17.5M
FY2023$17.3M
FY2024$25.8M
FY2025$23.8M
Expenses
$23.6M
FY2025▲ +10%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.1M
FY2021$15.5M
FY2022$16.4M
FY2023$18.7M
FY2024$21.5M
FY2025$23.6M
Net assets
$30.0M
FY2025▲ +3%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$16.7M
FY2021$24.5M
FY2022$24.2M
FY2023$23.4M
FY2024$29.1M
FY2025$30.0M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending August 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1971.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $18.6M Management & general 13% · $3.1M Fundraising 8% · $1.8M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

100 people listed on the 990; $2.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
SR. Special Counsel for Strat. Lit.
$265,540Pt VII · Sec A
VP & Chief Dev. Officer
$248,627Pt VII · Sec A
Int. VP, Chief of Lit. & Leg. Progs.
$246,840Pt VII · Sec A
President & CEO
$223,340Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Finance & CFO
$207,723Pt VII · Sec A
VP, COO & General Counsel
$198,384Pt VII · Sec A
Directing Attorney
$164,729Pt VII · Sec A
Interim Directing Attorney
$160,232Pt VII · Sec A

Mark Rosenbaum’s $266K as SR. Special Counsel for Strat. Lit. is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 247 $10–100M crime & legal nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Mark Rosenbaum$265,540$251,435$243,692$237,023$228,629$224,632
Margaret Morrow————$247,388$255,800
Tracy Rice$248,627$212,981$209,768$201,609$190,844$188,471
Kristen Jackson$246,840$140,519————
Monica Ramirez Almadani—$240,208$239,587$133,233——
Kathryn a Eidmann$223,340$162,118————
Elizabeth Bluestein—————$210,539
Steven Godoy$207,723$121,478————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Public Counsel executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides free legal services, impact litigation, and policy advocacy to fight systemic poverty and protect civil rights using a network of volunteer attorneys.

Questions for Public Counsel

Tap to ask. Public Counsel sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Public Counsel answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

3 programs · $10.1M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

The immigrants' rights team provides representation to individuals from over 30 countries before the united states department of homeland security, the los angeles immigration court, the board of immigration appeals, and the federal courts.

$3.9Mprogram expense
02

The child, youth & family advocacy team uses a multi-disciplinary approach to legal advocacy with the trauma-informed and resiliency-focused tools of social workers supporting the work of legal advocates to remove legal barriers for children, youth, families, and communities of color most impacted by systemic racism and economic…

$3.1Mprogram expense
03

The consumer rights & economic justice team advances economic justice by providing legal counsel for, and advocacy on behalf of, low-income individuals and their families, addressing inequalities in bargaining power, opposing those who take advantage of the vulnerable, and holding wrongdoers accountable.

$3.0Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 20 grants · $2.0M · 2019–2024
Acce InstituteCA · FY2024$108,989
Unitemized GrantFY2024$91,906
Acce InstituteCA · FY2023$131,684
Unitemized GrantFY2023$55,000
Bet TzedekCA · FY2023$22,380
Acce InstituteCA · FY2022$157,068
Bet TzedekCA · FY2022$89,047
Unitemized GrantFY2022$71,053
Unitemized GrantFY2021$32,500
Unitemized GrantFY2020$15,000
See all 20 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$23.8M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$22.2M
Investment incomeLn 3$992K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$722K
Money outPt IX
$23.6M
Ln 25
Programscol B$18.6M
Managementcol C$3.1M
Fundraisingcol D$1.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$30.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$6.6M
Total assetsLn 16$35.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
100
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a89
IndependentVI 1b89
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$22.2M
Government grantsLn 1e$10.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$333K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$2.4M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$722K
Investment incomeLn 3$992K
Gains on assetsLn 7$334K
Total revenueLn 12$23.8M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$4.0M
SavingsLn 2$2.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$6.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$18.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.8M
Total assetsLn 16$35.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$30.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5196
VolunteersI 64,000
Fiscal year endsHeaderAugust
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$4.1M$6.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$15.7M$18.9M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.0M$4.8M
Total assetsLn 16$32.9M$35.5M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.8M$5.5M
Net assetsLn 32$29.1M$30.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$1.1M$1.1M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$92K$92K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.6M$689K$560K$399K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$14.3M$12.2M$1.2M$811K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$521K$446K$50K$25K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.6M$1.3M$155K$106K
Payroll taxesLn 10$1.2M$967K$131K$88K
Accounting feesLn 11c$70K$70K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$228K$228K
Investment management feesLn 11f$43K$43K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$681K$323K$354K$4K
Office expensesLn 13$848K$691K$94K$63K
OccupancyLn 16$325K$265K$36K$24K
TravelLn 17$78K$62K$4K$12K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$207K$169K$23K$15K
InsuranceLn 23$157K$4K$153K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$435K$281K$140K$13K
All other expensesLn 24e$87K$8K$47K$33K
Total functional expensesLn 25$23.6M$18.6M$3.1M$1.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $23.8M$23.6M$256K$30.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $25.8M$21.5M$4.4M$29.1M 990 PDF
FY2023 $17.3M$18.7M−$1.4M$23.4M 990 PDF
FY2022 $17.5M$16.4M$1.1M$24.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $22.6M$15.5M$7.2M$24.5M 990 PDF
FY2020 $14.1M$14.1M−$67K$16.7M 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $23,810,728 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $23,979,331$22,198,012
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,287,027$722,433
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $769,172$992,025
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$194,602−$101,742
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $25,840,928$23,810,728
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $381,784$1,165,269
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $18,317,263$19,232,408
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $208,171$227,694
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $2,548,385$2,929,830
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $21,455,603$23,555,201
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $4,385,325$255,527
Part VI · Governance 89 of 89 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body89
VI-1b Independent voting members89
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $23,810,728 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$2,387,856
VIII-1e Government grants$10,207,183
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$9,602,973
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$332,750
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$22,198,012
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $722,433$722,433
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $657,939$657,939
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $1,250$1,250
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $334,086$334,086
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$205,252−$205,252
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $87,858 · Excluded from tax $14,402$102,260
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $810,291 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $802,425$23,810,728
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $23,555,201 across 18 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $1,073,363$1,073,363
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $91,906$91,906
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $688,977 · Management $559,762 · Fundraising $399,269$1,648,008
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $12,230,616 · Management $1,234,603 · Fundraising $811,015$14,276,234
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $445,609 · Management $50,048 · Fundraising $24,850$520,507
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,340,556 · Management $155,093 · Fundraising $105,695$1,601,344
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $966,728 · Management $131,444 · Fundraising $88,143$1,186,315
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $69,917$69,917
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $227,694$227,694
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $43,308$43,308
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $322,982 · Management $353,652 · Fundraising $4,224$680,858
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $690,655 · Management $93,908 · Fundraising $62,972$847,535
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $264,726 · Management $35,994 · Fundraising $24,137$324,857
IX-17 TravelPrograms $61,676 · Management $4,344 · Fundraising $11,892$77,912
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $168,557 · Management $22,918 · Fundraising $15,368$206,843
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $3,701 · Management $153,087$156,788
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $281,422 · Management $140,323 · Fundraising $12,852$434,597
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $7,577 · Management $46,877 · Fundraising $32,761$87,215
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $18,639,051 · Management $3,095,278 · Fundraising $1,820,872$23,555,201
Part X · Balance sheet $35,453,992 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $2,748,203$3,970,781
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $1,388,620$2,607,116
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $3,458,931$1,471,389
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,889,561$3,220,805
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $804,384$505,845
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $4,962,041$4,755,198
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $9,128,178$11,805,739
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $6,531,605$7,117,119
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $32,911,523$35,453,992
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,974,942$2,140,794
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,853,893$3,350,010
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $3,828,835$5,490,804
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $21,164,310$22,207,383
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $7,918,378$7,755,805
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $29,082,688$29,963,188
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $32,911,523$35,453,992
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $29,963,188 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$23,810,728
XI-2 Total expenses$23,555,201
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$255,527
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$29,082,688
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$624,973
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$29,963,188

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.