2011-08-11T14:57:11-05:00 2010-12-31 Heveron & Heveron CPAs 260 Plymouth Avenue South Rochester NY 14608 990 2010-01-01 161487925 Empire Justice Center EMPI 5854544060 1 West Main Street No 200 Rochester NY 14614 Rebecca Schroeder 5854544060 2011-08-11 1 Stephanie Annunziata 5852322956 2010 2016-02-24 21:20:13Z Rebecca Schroeder 1 West Main Street No 200 Rochester NY 14614 5699928 0 X www.empirejustice.org X 1995 NY Empire Justice is a statewide organization working to improve civil justice in NY (See Sch.O)The Empire Justice Center is a statewide multi-issue, multi-strategy organization focused on changing the systems within which poor and low income families live. Empire Justice provides legal assistance to those in need, offers training and support to community-based organizations, and works to improve programs and services for those in need. 14 14 71 459 0 0 579444 895893 4265400 4802905 1436 1130 0 0 4846280 5699928 0 0 0 0 3709833 3429780 0 0 0 1796673 1518696 5506506 4948476 -660226 751452 1788691 2293512 1045402 798771 743289 1494741 X To protect and strengthen the legal rights of people in New York State who are poor, disabled or disenfranchised through: systems change advocacy, training and suppport to other advocates and organizations, and high quality direct civil legal representation. 0 0 1031417 1029142 Disability Benefits: Empire Justice contracts with New York State to provide legal assistance to individuals in Western New York who have been inappropriately denied or terminated from federal disability and supplemental security income programs. Empire Justice oversees sub-contracts with three legal services programs to provide these regional services. In 2010, over 939 cases were closed in the region, generating approximately $6.85 million in benefits to clients and an additional $1.4 million in federal payments to state and local government. Empire Justice also contracts with the state under this Disability Advocacy Program to provide statewide training and technical assistance. 905676 938993 Foreclosure Prevention: Empire Justice provided direct services to 282 homeowners who were victims of predatory lending and/or who were at risk of foreclosure during 2010. The foreclosure prevention work of Empire Justice Center achieved restructuring and refinancing of predatory loans for 47 families, saving each of them tens of thousands of dollars - often between $50,000 and $100,000 - over the life of their loans, more than $2.6 million in 2010. Empire Justice also provides statewide training for members of the private bar, staff of legal services organizations and other community-based organizations assisting homeowners at risk of foreclosure. 777440 1928504 Other/General: These funds are used to fulfill the core mission of Empire Justice Center. In calendar year 2010, the organization offered 134 training events, issuing 1,096 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits and reaching over 4,129 participants. Training topics included Access to Health Coverage, Understanding Medical Law, Legal Issues for Children Needing Special Education, Understanding Medicare Part D, Legal Issues Confronting Those Living with HIV/AIDS, Legal Issues Confronting Immigrants, Language Access and the Implications for Public Benefit Programs, Access to Food Stamps, and Disability Law as it Impacts Children. The Empire Justice website, with a vast array of legal resources, saw 4.75 million "hits" during 2010, an average of 13,021 per day; the web had 138,462 visitors who viewed 3,566,454 pages of material. Empire Justice staff closed 1,160 cases impacting 2,737 people. This work resulted in over $90 million in client benefits. 329465 113605 Consumer, Housing and Community Reinvestment (CRA): Empire Justice provides legal assistance, training, support and advocacy in areas of consumer law, bankruptcy, fair housing, and community reinvestment. These services are funded through a variety of grants and contracts, including the City of Rochester for Community Reinvestment Act for work in the Greater Rochester Area. 82500 Long Island Public Advocacy: Empire Justice maintains a multi-faceted, unrestricted legal services office on Long Island. The Long Island office fills gaps and supplements the work of local Long Island agencies, adding depth to their efforts by providing unrestricted legal assistance to ensure that government benefits are provided fairly and equitably, that immigrants have access to needed legal assistance, and that government rules are legally based and comply with state and federal law. Funded by the Long Island Community Foundation, the Horace Hagedorn Foundation and the Interest on Lawyer Account Fund of the State of New York. 135428 135296 Domestic Violence: Empire Justice provides a range of legal services to victims of domestic violence, including direct services to immigrant victims of domestic violence in the Capital District; statewide advocacy on DV issues, training and technical assistance to community based organizations throughout the state serving victims of domestic violence; and specialized training and technical assistance to community-based organizations on the cross-cutting issues of domestic violence and disability. Funded by a variety of grants and contracts from private foundations and state and federal agencies 223037 222958 Immigrant Assistance: Empire Justice provides services to immigrants in need of legal assistance in the Hudson Valley and training and technical assistance to community-based organizations serving the immigrant populations across New York. These services are funded through various grants and contracts, including the Westchester County Office for Women. 218571 99538 Public Benefits: Empire Justice provides policy analysis, training, support and advocacy on issues related to public benefits including cash assistance, childcare and food stamps. These services are funded through various grants and contracts. 352950 332869 Health, HIV/AIDS: Empire Justice provides statewide training and technical assistance to legal services and health care center staff on public health programs and offers individual civil legal assistance to people with HIV/AIDS onsite at community health centers in the Greater Rochester area. Funds are also used to provide training and assistance on issues involving Medicare Part D under contract with the New York State Office for the Aging. Additional funds were used to undertake policy analysis and advocacy on Medicaid and health care reform. 86647 2000 Hanna S. Cohn Equal Justice Fellowship: This Fellowship supports a new attorney entering public interest law for a two-year term. The Fellow is based in the Rochester office. The fellowship is named in memory of Hanna Cohn, longtime director of the Volunteer Legal Services Project (VLSP) in Rochester. Funded by the Hannah S. and Samuel A. Cohn Memorial Foundation, the Campaign for Justice as well as contributions from the Cohn Family and friends. 1428598 906266 4143131 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 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 1 16 0 1 71 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 14 14 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 NY X X Rebecca Schroeder 5854544060 1 West Main Street Suite 200 Rochester NY 14614 John T O'Connell 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Tom Maligno 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Joseph Casion 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Mary A Lynch 1.00 X X 0 0 0 Andrea Phoenix 1.00 X 0 0 0 James Moore 1.00 X 0 0 0 Hermes Fernandez 1.00 X 0 0 0 Laura Gonzalez-Murphy 1.00 X 0 0 0 David Munro 1.00 X 0 0 0 Christine Rutigliano 1.00 X 0 0 0 Candice Lucas 1.00 X 0 0 0 Lyn Kelly 1.00 X 0 0 0 Melanie Wolk 1.00 X 0 0 0 David Schraver 1.00 X 0 0 0 Anne Erickson 35.00 X 108938 0 9259 Rebecca Schroeder 35.00 X 65206 0 10668 Bryan Hetherington 35.00 X 103170 0 0 277314 0 19927 2 0 0 0 Neighborhood Legal Services 237 Main St Suite 400 Buffalo NY 14203 Legal Services 323026 LAWNY One West Main Street Rochester NY 14614 Legal Services 213903 Legal Aid Society One West Main Street Rochester NY 14614 Legal Services 125607 3 205335 690558 895893 Grants & Contracts 541100 3760879 3760879 Attorney Fees 541100 977241 977241 Consulting 900099 8360 8360 Benefits Management Ma 900099 4615 4615 Training Program Reven 900099 2917 2917 48893 48893 4802905 1130 1130 5699928 4802905 0 1130 194071 59099 134972 2641457 2191523 449934 389228 301908 87320 205024 182943 22081 10078 10078 11430 11430 914494 908969 5525 197237 163239 33998 59229 47204 12025 220847 176008 44839 25321 24544 777 21247 21137 110 25943 23148 2795 27931 27040 891 Litigation 4939 4939 4948476 4143131 805345 0 78386 646375 22698 15840 1479780 1453408 134714 127290 329124 289595 65470 39529 7643 11070 1788691 2293512 741267 688859 161479 98809 7656 11103 135000 0 1045402 798771 X 479715 1087138 263574 407603 743289 1494741 1788691 2293512 751452 0 X 0 1 1 X 0 X 668626 657235 788845 579444 895893 3590043 668626 657235 788845 579444 895893 3590043 609020 2981023 33520 21710 5901 1436 1130 63697 56169 20447 41425 118041 3771781 19176026 0.79030 0.93270 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 8885 54579 63464 4943068 5006532 400327 100082 0 0 356841 393421 427422 400327 1578011 2367017 233201 134983 115625 63464 547273 89210 98355 106856 100082 394503 591755 1682 27358 9655 8885 47580 0 1 32211 32211 0 252768 225501 27267 44145 31883 12262 39529 5699928 4948476 751452 0 751452 5757984 58056 58056 5699928 0 5699928 5006532 58056 58056 4948476 0 4948476 Part IV, Line 2b: Client escrow funds are held in a separate, interest-bearing checking account. Form 990, Part VI, Section A, line 4 The organization amended its by-laws, which included changes in the language to make references more clear and consistent throughout. The amendment clarifies that Board members may not be elected to the same Officer position for more than three consecutive one-year terms, adds a Governance committee, and clarifies timelines for proposed nominations to the Board and proposed amendments to the by-laws. Additionally, the amendment requires the Executive Committee to conduct an annual review of the CEO, share the review with the Board and propose the CEO compensation. Also, the amendment changes the President/CEO voting rights from a voting ex officio member to that of a non-voting member. The amendment also requires the purchase of Director and Officers liability coverage which was previously provided only "if authorized and approved by the Board." Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11 The Form 990 shall be reviewed by the Executive Director and Treasurer and then presented to all Board members either electronically or by paper copy prior to its signing and subsequent filing with the IRS. At the next Board meeting, the Treasurer and tax preparer, if appropriate, will review the Form 990 with the Board. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c On an annual basis, the CEO or her designee maintains conflict of interest declarations for all members of the board. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 The Board of Directors acting as a whole will have the responsibility to set CEO compensation and conduct an annual review of CEO performance. It will set compensation in a manner consistent with the requirements of section 4953 of the Internal Revenue Code: including: an independent compensation setting process; which is based on reliable information; with contemporaneous documentation; and that seeks to provide compensation that is reasonable compared to the compensation provided to CEO's providing like services, in similar organizations, under similiar circumstances. In setting CEO compensation the Board will periodically (no less than every three years) obtain and review information on compensation in comparable organizations. In the intervening years the board may rely on the last previous data collection and trend it forward to the current year. The process for determining compensation of the organization's officers or key employees includes the use of comparability data as well. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 The Form 1023 application which was forwarded to the IRS and Form 990 for the previous three years shall be available for inspection by the public during normal office hours. The names and addresses of contributors on Schedule B shall be redacted in the Form 990's that are made available to the public. If someone from the public requests a copy of a Form 990, they shall be referred to www.guidestar.com where the Treasurer has confirmed it to be widely distributed. Otherwise, copies will be provided for a fee of $1.00 per page plus postage, if any. Other corporate documents, such as bylaws, minutes, financials and policies and procedures shall be maintained as internal documents and shall not be made available to the general public, unless for a business reason as determined by the Chief Executive Officer and approved by the Board of Directors.