Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada

What it reported doing in 2024

Legal aid center of southern Nevada provides free legal counsel, advice and representation to low income individuals who cannot afford an attorney. The pro bono project provides placement services for low-income individuals needing legal representation with an issue not regularly handled by the organization's staff attorneys, or with matters that cannot be handled by the attorneys due to limited availability of resources. The pro bono project recruits private attorneys to volunteer their time to provide free legal representation to low-income residents in all of our program areas including family law, domestic violence, abused/neglected children, bankruptcy, real estate fraud, guardianship, and consumer fraud. The pro bono project also runs a variety of ask-a-lawyer programs where unrepresented people can meet one-on-one with an attorney to discuss their case. The civil law self-help center provides legal information and forms to those wishing to represent themselves in civil matters in the clark county court system. Types of matters include small claims, evictions, housing, harassment, and lawsuits and judgments for money. The mission of the civil law self-help center is to increase informed access to the court by providing education, information, legal forms, community referrals, and support services to self-represented civil litigants, regardless of their income. The organization operates and staffs the civil law self-help center under a contract with the courts. The civil law self-help center also houses a neighborhood justice center mediator on site as an alternative to litigation. The family law self-help center provides legal information and forms to those wishing to represent themselves in domestic matters in the clark county court system. Types of matters include divorce, custody and paternity, separation, annulment, protection orders, child support, guardianship, probate, and juvenile matters. The mission of the family law self-help center is to increase informed access to the court by providing education, information, legal forms, community referrals, and support services to self-represented civil litigants, regardless of their income. The organization operates and staffs the family law self-help center under a contract with the eighth judicial district court. The resiliency and justice center, formerly known as, the vegas strong resiliency center (vsrc) is a place of healing and support dedicated to serving as a multi-agency resource and referral center for residents, visitors and responders affected by the shooting at the route 91 harvest festival. The center is managed by legal aid center of southern Nevada, and is staffed by knowledgeable and caring professionals to help people access resources to help them build strength and resiliency in the aftermath of this incident. Anyone impacted by 1 october or other violent crime is welcome to call, email or visit the resiliency center. Services that are available include victim advocacy and support, case management, counseling and spiritual care referrals, and technical assistance with applying for online services including fbi victim assistance services. Free civil legal services are available including legal consultations and possible legal representation for issues involving insurance matters, medical billing problems, debt collection, housing and evictions, family law matters and more. The culinary & bartenders unions legal services fund was developed through a partnership between the culinary workers union local 226, unite here bartenders union local 165, participating employers, and legal aid center of southern Nevada to help safeguard the legal and economic wellbeing of eligible employees and their families. For hotel, casino, and other employees eligible under the legal service fund, legal aid center of southern Nevada has a team of attorneys and advocates that help with legal matters including immigration, bankruptcy, housing, tenant's rights, powers of attorn

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 59.5%; rating input score 59
• Program expense ratio: 90.9%; rating input score 91
• Fundraising efficiency: $139.93 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 76.9%; rating input score 77; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 35.7%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.09; rating input score 82; 82nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 5.6%; rating input score 46; 46th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.1% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 13.6% per year; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings