UnCommon Law fights to ensure that all people incarcerated for violent crime have access to healing, justice, and effective legal representation.Through our unique, trauma-informed model of advocacy, we provide the space currently missing in the system for healing, accountability, and safe pathways home from prison. In developing new self narratives, the people we serve are able to more effectively disrupt violence inside and outside prison, and become leaders who change negative societal narratives about those incarcerated for violent crime. Our groundbreaking approach is changing policy and outcomes, driven by the voices and experiences of system-impacted communities.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$156K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $1.2M a year · 29% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$156K
to officers and key staff · 13% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 13% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
23 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 23.4 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $15K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$756K
19% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 19% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 11 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 11 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.7M
Spent
$1.2M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$3.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$3.7M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$3.7M
FY2021$2.1M
FY2022$4.1M
FY2023$3.0M
FY2024$7.6M
Expenses
$1.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$2.6M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$3.4M
FY2024$4.4M
Net assets
$3.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.2M
FY2021$2.8M
FY2022$3.9M
FY2023$3.5M
FY2024$6.8M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jan 2015.

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

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $1.1M Management & general 7% · $88K Fundraising 5% · $56K

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

11 people listed on the 990; $156K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Dir.
$155,666Pt VII · Sec A
Board Chair
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Keith Wattley’s $201K as Executive Dir. is at the 87th percentile of top reported officer pay among 1147 $1–10M 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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Keith Wattley$201,221$193,814$161,592$162,038$155,666
Lilliana Paratore$144,078————
Katy Dybwad$136,078$123,471———
Lilliana B Paratore—$127,391———
Rebecca Berry$121,102————
Katherine Dybwad———$112,250—
Susan M Kim$110,124————
Natasha Baker$108,797————

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.

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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
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Provides healing, justice, and legal help for people imprisoned for violent crimes.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $1.1M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

UnCommon Laws overall income from donors (individual, foundations, and corporate) has grown 135% over the last year and now provides its services 100% pro bono to all its clients. With the increase in funds, UnCommon Law has grown our team, and that growth has contributed to providing greater services to clients and non-clients serving…

$1.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2025
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$15K

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.7M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$75K
Money outPt IX
$1.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.1M
Managementcol C$88K
Fundraisingcol D$56K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.4M
Total assetsLn 16$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$756K
PeoplePt VI, VII
11
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a11
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.6M
Government grantsLn 1e$387K
Other incomeLn 4–11$75K
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$3.7M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.4M
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$3K
Total assetsLn 16$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$756K
Net assetsLn 32$3.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 530
VolunteersI 610
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$521K$2.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$889K$4.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$102K$756K
Net assetsLn 32$787K$3.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$0
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$156K$140K$9K$7K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$673K$605K$37K$31K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$82K$74K$5K$4K
Payroll taxesLn 10$64K$57K$4K$3K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$904$904
Accounting feesLn 11c$26K$26K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$19K$19K−$49$173
Advertising and promotionLn 12$0
Office expensesLn 13$8K$8K$314$260
Information technologyLn 14$14K$12K$432$2K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$54K$48K$3K$3K
TravelLn 17$17K$16K$52$300
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$2K$28$15$2K
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$6K$5K$1K$226
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$68K$63K$2K$3K
All other expensesLn 24e$18K$17K$490$1K
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.2M$1.1M$88K$56K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest $7.6M$4.4M$3.3M$6.8M 990 PDF
FY2023 $3.0M$3.4M−$407K$3.5M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.1M$3.0M$1.1M$3.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $2.1M$2.6M−$413K$2.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $3.7M$1.2M$2.4M$3.2M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,657,943 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,269,382$3,582,997
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $24,870$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $41,382$74,946
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,335,634$3,657,943
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $481,108$975,117
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $173,737$233,553
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $654,845$1,208,670
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $680,789$2,449,273
Part VI · Governance 10 of 11 board members independent, 2 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body11
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,657,943 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$386,572
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,196,425
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,582,997
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$73,363
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $1,583$1,583
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $1,583$3,657,943
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,208,670 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individuals$0
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $139,880 · Management $8,609 · Fundraising $7,177$155,666
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $605,185 · Management $37,246 · Fundraising $31,049$673,480
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $73,962 · Management $4,542 · Fundraising $3,953$82,457
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $57,072 · Management $3,502 · Fundraising $2,940$63,514
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $904$904
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $25,791$25,791
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $19,157 · Management −$49 · Fundraising $173$19,281
IX-12 Advertising and promotion$0
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $7,721 · Management $314 · Fundraising $260$8,295
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $12,394 · Management $432 · Fundraising $1,590$14,416
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $47,934 · Management $3,193 · Fundraising $2,686$53,813
IX-17 TravelPrograms $16,466 · Management $52 · Fundraising $300$16,818
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 InterestPrograms $28 · Management $15 · Fundraising $1,957$2,000
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $4,566 · Management $1,278 · Fundraising $226$6,070
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $62,634 · Management $2,446 · Fundraising $2,812$67,892
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $16,643 · Management $490 · Fundraising $1,140$18,273
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,064,546 · Management $87,861 · Fundraising $56,263$1,208,670
Part X · Balance sheet $3,992,430 assets, 21 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $521,069$2,355,291
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $330,000$1,614,830
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $24,753$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $11,607$19,309
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $2,000$3,000
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $889,429$3,992,430
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,848$25,942
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $27,245$679,479
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $72,000$50,400
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $102,093$755,821
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $457,336$1,621,779
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $330,000$1,614,830
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $787,336$3,236,609
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $889,429$3,992,430
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,236,609 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,657,943
XI-2 Total expenses$1,208,670
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,449,273
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$787,336
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,236,609

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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