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Nonprofit · EIN 59-6046994

LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC

Tax-exempt · WEST PALM BCH, FL 33401

Financials

$13.6M$12.6M2022$14.6M$14.3M2023$18.5M$17.4M2024
Revenue Expenses · by fiscal year end
Financials of LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC by year, from its e-filed returns
Year endedFormRevenueExpensesNet incomeTotal assetsLiabilitiesNet assets
September 30, 2025990$18,468,008$17,373,663$1,094,345$20,300,777$12,183,256$8,117,521
September 30, 2024990$14,601,951$14,336,731$265,220$14,141,855$7,275,841$6,866,014
September 30, 2023990$13,644,159$12,626,762$1,017,397$12,541,658$6,149,066$6,392,592
Financial details: 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025

Revenue

Contributions, gifts and grants
$17,609,576
of which government grants
$10,418,688
Program service revenue
$379,141
Investment income
$413,039
Net gain from sales of assets
$34,186
Net income from fundraising events
-$45,994
Other revenue
$66,252

Expenses

Grants and similar amounts paid
$110,453
Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
$1,352,353
Other salaries and wages
$10,749,002
Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
$14,837,991
Professional fundraising fees
$0
Accounting fees
$47,000
Occupancy
$820,183
Travel
$94,932
Depreciation
$47,473
Program services (functional)
$15,135,191
Management and general (functional)
$1,758,968
Fundraising (functional)
$479,504

Balance sheet and other

Total assets, start of year
$14,141,855
Total assets, end of year
$20,300,777
Total liabilities, end of year
$12,183,256
Net assets, end of year
$8,117,521
Land, buildings and equipment
$27,000
Publicly traded securities
$9,021,972
Net assets without donor restrictions
$7,703,913
Net assets with donor restrictions
$413,608
Gross receipts
$19,539,745
Employees
194
Volunteers
635
Year formed
1970
State of legal domicile
FL

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 September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.

NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Robert Bertisch EsqExecutive Director
Officer
40$169,153$15,428
John Walsh EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$137,872$19,627
John PuleioCFO
Officer
40$152,367$3,491
Michael SpillaneDir. of Finance & Admin.
Officer
40$136,878$14,427
Ross Baer EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$134,963$14,303
Dana Brookes WooleyDir. Of Philanthropy
Highest-paid employee
40$132,451$16,568
James Walsh EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$121,463$14,303
Dipchan RamsaroopComptroller
Highest-paid employee
40$119,347$4,813
Lawrence P Rochefort EsqPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Michelle R Suskauer EsqImmediate Past President
Trustee or director, Officer
10$0$0
Scott C Murray EsqFirst Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
James Grier Pressly III EsqSecond Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Rebecca Mercier Vargas EsqSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Jerald S Beer EsqTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Robert H Friedman EsqDirector at Large
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
40 more people on this return
NameTitleHours / weekCompensation
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqChairperson-Board of Trust
Trustee or director
10$0
David P Ackerman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
10$0
Claire ArnoldMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
F Gregory Barnhart EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Jeffery A Devore EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Mariano Garcia EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Garry Glickman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Jane Kreusler-Walsh EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Richard Lubin EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Rafael J Roca EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Grasford W Smith EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Gary Woodfield EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0
Leslie Artsis AdamsMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Daniel Armas EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Nelson E Baez EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Abigail Beebe EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Richard M Benrubi EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Bridget A Berry EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Robin Bresky EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Carla Tharp BrownMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Alan M Burger EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Howard D DuBosar EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Karis Engle MSMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Dwinette J Feemster EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Jack P Hill EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Lauren Johnson EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Nicholas Johnson EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Wilnar J Julmiste EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Tama B Kudman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Andrew S Kwan EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Nancy Albano LambrechtMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Ellen M Leibovitch EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Gary S Lesser EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Daniel Lustig EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Heather L Ries EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Peter A Sachs EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Matthew Sackel EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
John Terwilleger EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
Matthew Zimmerman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0
990 for the year ended September 30, 2024: 57 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Robert Bertisch EsqExecutive Director
Officer
40$161,172$17,299
John Walsh EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$130,585$21,857
Michael SpillaneDir. of Finance & Admin.
Officer
40$127,474$16,000
Ross Baer EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$114,350$15,799
Dana Brookes WooleyDir. Of Philanthropy
Highest-paid employee
40$115,220$14,685
James Walsh EsqSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$112,509$15,936
Rena TaylorAttorney
Highest-paid employee
40$105,964$14,646
Michelle R Suskauer EsqPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
7$0$0
Lawrence P Rochefort EsqFirst Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
12$0$0
Robert H Friedman EsqSecond Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Scott C Murray EsqSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
10$0$0
Jerald S Beer EsqTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
17$0$0
Miriam Acosta-Castriz EsqImmediate Past President,
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqChairperson-Board of Trust
Trustee or director
12$0$0
David P Ackerman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Claire ArnoldMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
F Gregory Barnhart EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Jeffery A Devore EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Mariano Garcia EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Garry Glickman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Jane Kreusler-Walsh EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Richard Lubin EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rafael J Roca EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Grasford W Smith EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Gary Woodfield EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Leslie Artsis AdamsMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Daniel Armas EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Nelson E Baez EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Abigail Beebe EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Richard M Benrubi EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Bridget A Berry EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Robin Bresky EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Carla Tharp BrownMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Alan M Burger EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Vincent F CuomoMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Amy DevoreMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Howard D DuBosar EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Karis Engle MSMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Dwinette J Feemster EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Richard D GreenfieldMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Jack P Hill EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Denise Rappaport Isaacs EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Wilnar J Julmiste EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
W Hampton Keen EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Tama B Kudman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Nancy Albano LambrechtMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Gary S Lesser EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Daniel Lustig EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
James Grier Pressly III EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Heather L Ries EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Lawrence P Rochefort EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Peter A Sachs EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Matthew Sackel EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Michelle R Suskauer EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Rebecca Mercier Vargas EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Matthew Zimmerman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
990 for the year ended September 30, 2023: 56 people
NameTitleHours / weekCompensationOther / benefits
Robert BertischExecutive Director
Officer
40$152,291$18,341
John WalshSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$125,368$23,970
Michael SpillaneDir. of Finance & Admin.
Officer
40$122,199$16,690
James WalshSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$107,926$16,731
Ross BaerSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$102,593$16,033
Rena TaylorSupervising Attorney
Highest-paid employee
40$102,041$13,747
Michelle R Suskauer EsqPresident
Trustee or director, Officer
7$0$0
Lawrence P Rochefort EsqFirst Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
12$0$0
Robert H Friedman EsqSecond Vice President
Trustee or director, Officer
16$0$0
Scott C Murray EsqSecretary
Trustee or director, Officer
10$0$0
Jerald S Beer EsqTreasurer
Trustee or director, Officer
17$0$0
Miriam Acosta-Castriz EsqImmediate Past President, Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqChairperson-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
12$0$0
David P Ackerman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Claire ArnoldMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
F Gregory Barnhart EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Jeffery A Devore EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Mariano Garcia EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Garry Glickman EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Jane Kreusler-Walsh EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Richard Lubin EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Rafael J Roca EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Grasford W Smith EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Gary Woodfield EsqMember-Board of Trustees
Trustee or director
2$0$0
Leslie Artsis AdamsMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Daniel Armas EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Nelson E Baez EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Abigail Beebe EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Richard M Benrubi EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Bridget A Berry EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Robin Bresky EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Carla Tharp BrownMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Alan M Burger EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Vincent F CuomoMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Amy DevoreMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Howard D DuBosar EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Karis Engle MSMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Dwinette J Feemster EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Richard D GreenfieldMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Jack P Hill EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Denise Rappaport Isaacs EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Wilnar J Julmiste EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
W Hampton Keen EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Tama B Kudman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Nancy Albano LambrechtMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Gary S Lesser EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Daniel Lustig EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
James Grier Pressly III EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Heather L Ries EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Lawrence P Rochefort EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Peter A Sachs EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Matthew Sackel EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Robert M W Shalhoub EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Michelle R Suskauer EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Rebecca Mercier Vargas EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0
Matthew Zimmerman EsqMember
Trustee or director
8$0$0

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)
423 FERN ST STE 200, WEST PALM BCH, FL 33401-5839
Principal officer (990 for 2024)
Robert Bertisch, 423 Fern Street 200, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Signed the 990
Robert Bertisch, Executive Director
Phone
(561) 655-8944
Return prepared by
Holyfield & Thomas LLC

Mission

To provide high quality civil legal advice, representation, and education free of charge to the most vulnerable and at-risk children, families, elders, veterans and individuals in Palm Beach County so as to protect their personal safety, enhance (continues on Schedule O) their opportunities and living conditions, and promote self-sufficiency.

990 for the year ended September 30, 2025

Program accomplishments

  • The Foster Children's Project - The Children Advocacy supports children from birth to age 12, along with their siblings, who are in the licensed custody of the State of Florida. Once appointed by the Juvenile Court, the Project's attorneys advocate for these children in all court and administrative proceedings to protect them from abuse and neglect. They also work to ensure that the children achieve permanent placement with either their biological or adoptive parents within a 12-month period. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the attorneys represented 437 clients in foster care.
    Expenses $2,745,794 · grants $48,966
  • The Fair Housing Project - The Individual Rights Advocacy offers community outreach, education, advocacy, and enforcement activities related to fair housing laws. Its goal is to ensure that individuals in Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Hendry, and St. Lucie counties are not denied housing based on race, sex, color, religion, national origin, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or gender identity and expression. Besides advocating for victims of fair housing discrimination, the project also represents tenants facing eviction, ensuring their rights under the Florida Landlord Tenant Act are upheld. During the fiscal year 2024-25, the Fair Housing Project staff served 1,602 clients.
    Expenses $1,971,619 · grants $12,430
  • The Public Guardianship Project serves as the legal guardian of indigent residents of Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee Counties who have been declared incapacitated by the Probate Court. The goal of the Public Guardianship Project is to provide direct legal representation to its clients, as well as a full range of professional and supportive services, in order to ensure that their basic needs are met, their quality of life enhanced and that they are provided with all entitlement and financial assistance for which they are eligible. During FY 2024-2025, the Public Guardianship Project provided guardianship services to 217 indigent adjudicated incapacitated elderly who had no family or friends to assist them.
    Expenses $1,596,010
  • The Juvenile Advocacy Project provides court-appointed attorneys ad litem and social workers to children and youth ages 12 to 22 who have been removed from their caregivers' custody and are in the foster care system, the delinquency system or both. Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys attend all court proceedings and judicial reviews either with or on behalf of the child to ensure that court-mandated case plans are adhered to; that they receive appropriate treatments, services and placement; and that the child's expressed desires and goals are respected. During FY 2024-2025, Juvenile Advocacy Project attorneys represented 472 clients in the dependency system, the delinquency system or both.
    Expenses $1,563,652 · grants $15,216
  • The Domestic Violence Project offers survivors of abuse legal advice, consultation, and help with filing injunctions for protection (restraining orders), as well as representation at hearings for these injunctions. The project aims to protect clients from further violence and promote stability by establishing parenting plans and securing financial support for survivors when needed. In addition to legal assistance, the project provides referrals to community resources, helping survivors access personalized safety planning, support groups, transitional housing, and financial resources. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Domestic Violence Project served 790 clients.
    Expenses $928,002
  • The Elder Law Project - Elder Advocacy offers legal advice, consultation, education, and representation to seniors aged 55 and above who are economically and socially disadvantaged. The project addresses issues such as elder abuse and exploitation, housing law, real property law, consumer law, guardianship matters, family law, and government benefits like Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, and Medicaid. In the fiscal year 2024-2025, the Elder Law Project staff at Legal Aid assisted 1,158 seniors in our community.
    Expenses $808,399 · grants $156
  • During FY 2024-2025 other legal counseling service were provided to 4,711 individuals.
    Expenses $4,670,765 · grants $33,379 · revenue $379,141
  • The Family Law Project - The Family Law Project assists low-income individuals with family law matters pertaining to initial filings of dissolution of marriage which include issues of: equitable distribution, timesharing with minor children, parenting plans, alimony and child support. We also assist with paternity matters including issues of timesharing, parenting plans, and child support. During FY 2024-2025, Family Law Project attorneys represented 148 clients with divorce, paternity and property division issues.
    Expenses $850,950 · grants $305

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 September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

Tax yearYear endedDueIRS public records
2025September 30, 2026February 16, 2027Not due yet
2024September 30, 2025February 17, 2026990 on file
2023September 30, 2024February 18, 2025990 on file

IRS record

EIN
59-6046994
Tax-exempt status
501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
Foundation status
Publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))
Donations deductible (Pub 78)
Public charity, 50% deduction limit
Exempt since
1969
Accounting year ends
September
Files
Form 990 or 990-EZ
Assets (IRS master file)
$20,300,777
Income (IRS master file)
$19,539,745

Filing history

FormYear endedRevenueExpensesAssetsReturn
990September 2025$18,468,008$17,373,663$20,300,777XML
990September 2024$14,601,951$14,336,731$14,141,855IRS
990September 2023$13,644,159$12,626,762$12,541,658XML
990September 2022$12,798,538$12,618,901$9,373,592IRS
990September 2021–––IRS
990September 2020–––IRS
990September 2019–––IRS
990September 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 59-6046994).

Questions about LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC

What is the EIN of LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC?
The employer identification number (EIN) of LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC is 59-6046994.
Is LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC tax-exempt?
Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1969.
Are donations to LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC tax-deductible?
Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
Which annual return does LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC 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 LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC due?
The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
When did LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC last file with the IRS?
The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.
Who is the principal officer of LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC?
The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 names Robert Bertisch.
Who are the officers and directors of LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC?
The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 55 people; 8 received compensation from the organization, the highest $169,153 (Robert Bertisch Esq, Executive Director).
How much revenue does LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INC have?
On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $18,468,008, expenses of $17,373,663 and total assets of $20,300,777 at year end.

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