2021-11-01T13:55:31-04:00 2021-06-30 990 2020-07-01 452980014 PHILADELPHIA LAWYERS FOR SOCIAL EQUITY % JEFFREY EBERLY PHIL 2675195323 111 S 38TH ST FL 3 PHILADELPHIA PA 191043465 Karen Simmons Chair of Board of Directors 2021-11-01 false 2020 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z X JEFFREY EBERLY 111 S 38TH ST FL 3 PHILADELPHIA PA 191043465 768823 false X www.plsephilly.com X 2011 PA PLSE provides education to the public about the creation dissemination and destruction of criminal history records and the inter-generational harm those records cause; and partners with community organizations to help low-income individuals obtain expungements and pardons. 17 17 12 250 0 0 553102 644267 47080 124180 271 376 176544 0 776997 768823 0 0 0 0 433745 536825 0 0 21731 97962 146775 531707 683600 245290 85223 470052 546963 110481 102169 359571 444794 PLSE seeks a more equitable social environment for those with criminal records through individual representation strategic litigation community education research and advocacy. PLSE does this by seeking expungements in criminal court and pardons from the Governor educating elected business and community leaders; empowering and organizing under-resourced communities; and leading legislative administrative and systemic reform false true 110040 0 137992 Criminal Records Expungement Project - Employers landlords trade schools financial and academic institutions professional associations licensing boards and others frequently use often illegally past criminal record histories to deny opportunities to qualified applicants. This happens even when the event occurred decades earlier involved only a summary offense or even did not result in a conviction. In Pennsylvania only judges can "expunge" delete or seal remove from the public record criminal record information. Despite the many impediments to accessing individuals and communities caused by the pandemic in FY2021 PLSE assisted 1,425 low-income individuals from 377 different zip codes including all 46 residential zip codes in Philadelphia: 440 who had become clients in FY2020 whose cases were still pending 327 to whom we provided brief service information advice and or referrals and another 658 whom we accepted as clients and for whom we filed a total of 1,901 expungement petitions. Approximately 99% of all such petitions are granted by the Court. 278930 0 352409 Pardon Project - With few exceptions expunging a conviction requires a pardon from the Governor. PLSE began the Pardon Project in 2018 when the process took 5 years and resulted in failure for over 90% of all who purchased the application. PLSE worked closely with the Board of Pardons to reform its policies and procedures and today the process is free and results in success for almost 70% of the applicants. In February 2021 PLSE received the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Award for redefining pardons as a no-cost workforce development community investment program. In FY2021 PLSE provided assistance to 300 pardon clients including 210 whom it referred to volunteers lawyers and not whom PLSE had trained Pardon Coaches. Training the staff and volunteers of other non-profits CDCs communities of faith and service organizations PLSE also launched over 30 Pardon Hubs to provide neighborhood-based assistance and began creating Pardon Projects in 7 other PA counties: Erie Beaver Allegheny Washington McKean Lancaster and Lackawanna. 194625 0 178418 Community Education - Thanks in large part to PLSE's work there is a growing appreciation that ending inter-generational poverty requires erasing criminal history records. In FY2021 utilizing various technologies PLSE made 113 presentations to professional associations opinion leaders government officials and community groups all across the state and provided 37 Pardon Coach trainings in addition to holding 17 socially-distanced community-based criminal records clinics. PLSE continued to expand its self-help Video Library which became officially linked to the Board of Pardons' website. PLSE also published five reports on topics ranging from how much money the Philadelphia criminal court says our indigent clients owe in unpaid court fees costs and fines relating to prosecutions dating back 8 years or more which bar pardon hearings; a statewide study of recidivism by pardon applicants over a ten-year period proving the absence of any public safety risk; and two studies from an audit commissioned by the Lt. Governor of individuals serving sentences of life without parole for second degree murder. 0 0 0 583595 true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true 7 0 12 true false false false false false false false 0 false false false false false false false 0 0 false false false X 17 17 false false true false false false false true true false false true true true true true true false false false PA X X Jeffrey Eberly Chief Financial Officer 2675195323 111 S 38TH ST FL 3 PHILADELPHIA PA 191043465 X Honorable Karen Simmons Board Chair 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Glenn D Barnes Board Vice Chair 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Jeffrey N Brown Board Treasurer 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Nicole Hunt Board Secretary 2.00 X X 0 0 0 Marieke Tuthill Beck Coon Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lisa Campbell Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Stuart W Davidson Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Evan FigueroaVargas Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Ryan Hancock Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Yvette JonesSizer Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Sharon R Lopez Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Ana Pujols McKee Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Josie Reed Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Akeem Sims Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Michael Solomonov Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Hillary Weinstein Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Chris Woods Board Member 1.00 X 0 0 0 Carl Oxholm III Executive Director 40.00 X 90165 0 0 Renee Chenault Fattah Deputy Director 40.00 X 7753 0 0 97918 0 0 0 false false false 0 0 0 0 137214 507053 0 644267 Legal services 541100 124180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 124180 376 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 768823 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 97918 59508 18573 19837 0 0 0 0 371850 345762 26088 0 0 0 0 0 34183 31562 2621 0 32874 27549 3810 1515 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3765 0 3765 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4346 0 4346 0 6310 6310 0 0 17360 14489 2699 172 5961 5054 907 0 0 0 0 0 17400 14522 2706 172 779 779 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 449 0 449 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3562 2973 554 35 Dues/Registrations/Subscriptions 2808 2808 0 0 Consulting - Professional Development 23425 16375 7050 0 Consulting - Technology 20150 20150 0 0 Fellowship Support 32500 32500 0 0 7960 3254 4706 0 683600 583595 78274 21731 193024 144319 196933 298770 70823 91130 328 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5944 10744 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3000 2000 470052 546963 48819 54169 0 0 0 48000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 61662 0 0 0 110481 102169 X 278905 282312 80666 162482 359571 444794 470052 546963 85223 0 0 0 0 0 X X false true X true false X 49113 123995 349884 553102 644267 1720361 50223 51267 67070 47080 124180 339820 99336 175262 416954 600182 768447 2060181 8000 55950 38918 118009 57394 278271 30000 31950 46870 24726 85197 218743 38000 87900 85788 142735 142591 497014 1563167 99336 175262 416954 600182 768447 2060181 0.76 0.72 0 X Part III - Line 12 | Year:, Amount:, Description:| 2016, , | 2017, | 2018, | 2019, | 2020, | RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 768823 0 0 0 0 0 768823 0 0 0 768823 683600 0 0 0 0 0 683600 0 0 0 683600 Part X, line 2 UNCERTAIN TAX POSITIONS Management of the organization considers the likelihood of changes by taxing authorities in its filed income tax returns and recognizes a liability for or discloses potential significant changes that management believes are more likely than not to occur upon examination by tax authorities including changes to the Organizations status as a not-for-profit entity. Management believes the Organization met the requirements to maintain its tax-exempt status and has not identified any material uncertain tax positions subject to the unrelated business income tax that require recognition or disclosure in the accompanying financial statements Part III, line 3 Before Covid-19 the vast majority of PLSE's work was conducted face-to-face. All that stopped in March 2020. By the end of June we had almost completed a total conversion to on-line virtual. This began with our website which was redesigned so that it was easy for clients to navigate; we created YouTube-style videos on almost every aspect of our work; we moved all of our trainings to zoom; we enabled on-line intake; and by the end of the summer early FY2021 we were providing community education programs and conducting 1:1 on-line office hours. As a result we are today reaching far more people and neighborhoods and enlisting community partners more quickly. That said a very high percentage of the people who need our services do not have reliable access to high-speed internet and or have limited service on their cell phones. Accordingly we anticipate resuming being physically present in low-income communities whenever it is safe to do so. Part VI, Line 4 The organization amended its Bylaws to add to the Executive Committee the immediate Past Chair of the Board and the Founding Chair of the Board as members of the committee. Part VI, Line 11a Form 990 is prepared by Chief Financial Officer CFO. CFO reviews with Executive Director. Once Executive Director has reviewed and commented Form 990 is provided and reviewed with the Finance Committee and then is provided and reviewed with all members of the Board of Directors. Once Finance Committee and the Board of Directors have reviewed and commented the CFO or Chair of the Board signs the final copy. Part VI, Line 12c The organization's Conflict of Interest Policy and Disclosure Statement is distributed in advance of the first meeting of the fiscal year of the Board of Directors and completed disclosure forms are collected at or before the meeting. New members are given the policy at orientation and their disclosures collected shortly thereafter. Part VI, Line 19 The organization's governing documents financial statements and Form 990 are available upon request and provided on website Part XII, Line 2c An independent CPA firm performs an audit of the organization. The independent CPA audit is presented to the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. Once reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee the audit is presented to the Board of Directors for acceptance. This is the organizations first year of having audited financial statements. Historically the organization has had a review done by the CPA firm FY2017-FY2020. The organization has been preparing for this year by transitioning their accounting method from cash to accrual in FY2020 and fully developing and implementing a Financial Policies and Procedures manual.