Association of Pro Bono Counsel

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
800292782
IRS 990 coverage
2023–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2022, Form 990-N 2016
Location
New York, NY, USA
Phone
2025858817
Rating
72
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Business and Industry

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$307,380
Expenses
$236,837
Assets
$333,883
Liabilities
$2,772

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • KATE NOLEN (CO-PRESIDENT)
  • SCOT FISHMAN (CO-PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • KATE NOLEN (CO-PRESIDENT)
  • SCOT FISHMAN (CO-PRESIDENT)
  • SHARMAINE HENG (TREASURER)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the association of pro bono counsel is to maximize access to justice through the delivery of pro bono legal services by: 1. Advancing the model of the full-time law firm pro bono counsel; 2. Supporting and enhancing the professional development of pro bono counsel and other law firm pro bono professionals; and 3. Serving as the voice of the law firm pro bono community.

What it reported doing in 2025

In october 2025, apbco held its annual academy conference in boston, Massachusetts where it trains its members to be excellent pro bono practice group leaders, touching on brand development, provision of high quality legal work, and creation and development of partnerships with the legal aid community. Each year, the conference is an opportunity for members to come together to learn, develop our skills as pro bono professionals, share stories, and deepen our relationship with one another. The conference includes additional tracks for new members and seasoned pro bono counsel.

Operating model

Revenue model
Earned-program. 99% of the money available for current operations came from fees and other program revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 55
  • Transparency & Controls: 90
  • Accountability: 82
  • Sustainability: 62
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 56.1%; rating input score 56
  • Program expense ratio: 72.8%; rating input score 73
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Limited
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 22.9%; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 41; 41st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -8.7% per year; rating input score 0; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 14.1% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.2% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 56.1% of revenue deployed · 72.8% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 17 of 17 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $172K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 2 filed schedules
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2023 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 56/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 6 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 50/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 41/100.