Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc

The information for Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc is as of the organization's most recent filing in December '21. This organization is located in Syracuse, NY. It has been in existence for 24 years, following its founding in 1997.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc's NTEE code is I80. The "I" tells us that the organization is classified along with Crime & Legal-Related organizations. The "80" tells us that the organization is involved in Legal Services. The NTEE describes Legal Services organizations as those that provide general legal aid regarding criminal and/or civil matters at little or no cost for individuals who are economically disadvantaged.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. The most common type is a 501(c)(3) organization. However, there are actually 29 different types of organizations that are identified by the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to be a 501(c)(3) organization. The IRS describes these organizations as those engaged in Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Public Safety, Amateur Sports, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals work.

Perhaps the most accurate way to get a sense of what the organization hopes to achieve is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc is to coordinate legal representation to indigent persons.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: The representation program aims to coordinate representation for indigent individuals by providing assigned attorneys, experts, investigators, and court transcription services necessary during legal proceedings. This program area focuses on ensuring that indigent persons have access to adequate legal representation.

Program Area 2: The Town Arraignments Program aims to coordinate representation at arraignment in the 14 largest justice courts, involving 33 judges. This project ensures legal counsel at arraignment for approximately 90% of defendants arraigned in town and courts.

Program Area 3: Within the Justice Assistance Grant Program, the organization provides arraignment and other services to special populations in order to facilitate the release of individuals with non-violent offenses from jail by eliminating the barriers to their release.

Organization Staffing

Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc is led by Kathleen Dougherty, who holds the position of Executive Director. The organization has a small labor force, with 32 employees. Out of these employees, 9 are paid over $100k per year. Additionally, the organization relies on the support of 16 volunteers.

Board Governance

The Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc appears to be well-governed based on the provided information. With 22 voting members and 16 independent members, the organization has a diverse and representative board, which is crucial for effective governance. The absence of potential conflicts of interest further enhances the credibility of the organization's decision-making process. The fact that the organization has not delegated management to an outside firm suggests that it maintains direct control over its operations, allowing for greater transparency and accountability. Additionally, the documentation of both board and committee meetings indicates a commitment to record-keeping and ensuring that decisions are well-documented. The presence of a conflict of interest policy and the requirement for disclosure of conflicts further demonstrate the organization's commitment to ethical practices. The existence of a written whistleblower policy also indicates that the organization values transparency and encourages reporting of any misconduct or unethical behavior. However, it is worth noting that the organization does not have a document retention policy, which could potentially impact the organization's ability to maintain important records and documents. Additionally, while the organization substantiates and reviews leadership salaries, there is no mention of a similar process for officer's salaries. This lack of review for officer's salaries may be an area for improvement in terms of governance practices. Overall, the Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc appears to have a strong governance structure in place, with a focus on transparency, accountability, and ethical practices.

Organization Growth

The Onondaga County Bar Association Assigned Counsel Program Inc has experienced significant growth over the given time period. Contributions and grants received were not meaningful over this time period, but program service revenue increased from $5.7 million in 2015 to $10.1 million in 2021. Investment income decreased from $368 in 2015 to $82 in 2021. Other revenue was not meaningful over this time period, but total revenue increased from $5.7 million in 2015 to $10.4 million in 2021. Employee salaries increased from $570.4 thousand in 2015 to $2.5 million in 2021. Total expenses also increased from $5.7 million in 2015 to $10.2 million in 2021. Additionally, the organization saw growth in terms of total employees, which increased from 9 in 2015 to 32 in 2021. Although the number of total volunteers was not meaningful over this time period, the overall growth of the organization is evident.