Nonprofit · EIN 11-3305406
BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES
Tax-exempt · BROOKLYN, NY 11201
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | 990 | $92,802,949 | $89,398,081 | $3,404,868 | $37,068,192 | $32,043,195 | $5,024,997 |
| June 30, 2024 | 990 | $89,249,810 | $83,753,003 | $5,496,807 | $43,814,123 | $42,193,994 | $1,620,129 |
| June 30, 2023 | 990 | $75,613,128 | $75,836,896 | -$223,768 | $53,040,741 | $56,917,419 | -$3,876,678 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $92,441,373
- of which government grants
- $90,706,087
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $0
- Net income from fundraising events
- -$11,629
- Other revenue
- $361,576
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $25,923
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $679,064
- Other salaries and wages
- $55,332,706
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $72,313,923
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Legal fees
- $118,744
- Accounting fees
- $344,871
- Occupancy
- $7,748,225
- Travel
- $369,332
- Depreciation
- $296,395
- Program services (functional)
- $78,646,372
- Management and general (functional)
- $10,653,856
- Fundraising (functional)
- $97,853
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $43,814,123
- Total assets, end of year
- $37,068,192
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $32,043,195
- Net assets, end of year
- $5,024,997
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $1,614,396
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $4,673,813
- Net assets with donor restrictions
- $351,184
- Gross receipts
- $92,814,578
- Employees
- 635
- Volunteers
- 7
- Year formed
- 1996
- State of legal domicile
- NY
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LISA SCHREIBERSDORF | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $390,198 | $38,132 |
| LAURA SAFT | DEPUTY ED, MD CRIMINAL DEFENSE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $300,578 | $31,470 |
| LAUREN A SHAPIRO | MD OF FAMILY DEFENSE PRACTICE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $254,606 | $22,665 |
| KWAME MILLAR | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $242,778 | $28,740 |
| Kelli McTaggart | General Counsel Highest-paid employee | 40 | $238,667 | $21,926 |
| Chauncey R Walker | Managing Director of Criminal Defense Highest-paid employee | 40 | $237,478 | $14,067 |
| JUAN ALMONTE | MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Officer | 40 | $217,310 | $31,604 |
| CINDI GIGLIO | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| GREGORY CERCHIONE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| KEVIN SNOVER | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| ANDREA BONINA | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JASON STARR | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JEFFREY RONA | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBERT J GUNTHER JR | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2024: 14 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LISA SCHREIBERSDORF | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $363,885 | $36,307 |
| LAURA SAFT | DEPUTY ED, MD CRIMINAL DEFENSE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $245,027 | $27,132 |
| JOYCE D KENDRICK | MD OF CRIMINAL DEFENSE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $215,460 | $56,039 |
| LAUREN A SHAPIRO | MD OF FAMILY DEFENSE PRACTICE Highest-paid employee | 40 | $234,020 | $22,034 |
| KWAME MILLAR | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Highest-paid employee | 40 | $222,860 | $26,024 |
| Kelli McTaggart | General Counsel Highest-paid employee | 40 | $214,100 | $21,038 |
| JUAN ALMONTE | MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FINANCE Officer | 40 | $188,917 | $31,086 |
| CINDI GIGLIO | TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| GREGORY CERCHIONE | SECRETARY Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| KEVIN SNOVER | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| ANDREA BONINA | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JASON STARR | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| JEFFREY RONA | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| ROBERT J GUNTHER JR | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended June 30, 2023: 14 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Schreibersdorf | Executive Director Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $353,696 | $37,633 |
| Laura Saft | Deputy ED, MD Criminal Defense Highest-paid employee | 40 | $269,161 | $30,879 |
| Lauren A Shapiro | MD of Family Defense Practice Highest-paid employee | 40 | $225,352 | $23,437 |
| Kwame Millar | Chief Operating Officer Highest-paid employee | 40 | $215,199 | $28,281 |
| Linda Hoff | MD of Criminal Defense Highest-paid employee | 40 | $200,124 | $42,794 |
| Joyce D Kendrick | MD of Criminal Defense Highest-paid employee | 40 | $194,740 | $42,773 |
| Juan Almonte | Managing Director of Finance Officer | 40 | $169,282 | $30,998 |
| Kevin Snover | Chairman of the Board Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Gregory Cerchione | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Cindi Giglio | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Andrea Bonina | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Robert J Gunther Jr | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Jeffrey Rona | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
| Jason Starr | Board Member Trustee or director | 0.5 | $0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 177 LIVINGSTON STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11201-7000
- In care of
- % LISA SCHREIBERSDORF
- Principal officer (990 for 2024)
- LISA SCHREIBERSDORF, 177 LIVINGSTON STREET, BROOKLYN, NY 11201
- Signed the 990
- LISA SCHREIBERSDORF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
- Phone
- (718) 254-0700
- Website
- BDS.ORG
- Return prepared by
- Forvis Mazars LLP
Mission
TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.
Program accomplishments
- IN FY25, BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES (BDS) PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO 28,695 LOW-INCOME BROOKLYN AND QUEENS RESIDENTS WHO WERE ARRESTED, 1,610 PARENTS IN FAMILY COURT PROCEEDINGS, 513 CLIENTS IN DETAINED IMMIGRATION REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, AND 2,543 CLIENTS FACING BARRIERS TO CIVIL JUSTICE. BDS EMPLOYS A LARGE STAFF OF HIGHLY DEDICATED AND TALENTED ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, INVESTIGATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CLIENT REPRESENTATION IN OUR CORE AREAS OF CRIMINAL, FAMILY AND IMMIGRATION DEFENSE TO PEOPLE FACING THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPRISONMENT, LOSS OF THEIR CHILDREN OR DEPORTATION AS WELL AS RELATED HOUSING, BENEFITS, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER CIVIL LEGAL MATTERS.Expenses $78,646,372 · grants $25,923
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in June, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 30, 2026 | November 16, 2026 | Not due yet |
| 2024 | June 30, 2025 | November 17, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | June 30, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 11-3305406
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1996
- Accounting year ends
- June
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Civil rights, social action and advocacy (R20)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $37,068,192
- Income (IRS master file)
- $92,814,578
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | June 2025 | $92,802,949 | $89,398,081 | $37,068,192 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2024 | $89,249,810 | $83,753,003 | $43,814,123 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2023 | $75,613,128 | $75,836,896 | $53,040,741 | XML |
| 990 | June 2022 | $68,489,120 | $72,826,159 | $22,389,854 | IRS |
| 990 | June 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | June 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 11-3305406).
Questions about BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES
- What is the EIN of BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES is 11-3305406.
- Is BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1996.
- Are donations to BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES due?
- The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending June 30, 2026) is due November 16, 2026. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended June 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 names LISA SCHREIBERSDORF.
- Who are the officers and directors of BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES?
- The 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 lists 14 people; 7 received compensation from the organization, the highest $390,198 (LISA SCHREIBERSDORF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).
- How much revenue does BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES have?
- On its 990 for the year ended June 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $92,802,949, expenses of $89,398,081 and total assets of $37,068,192 at year end.
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All nonprofits in BROOKLYN · New York · Civil rights, social action and advocacy