Metrowest Legal Services Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Mwls handled 3,949 cases during fy25, an increase of 18% over fy24. Of those handled, the types of cases handled were consistent with the results of the 2023 needs assessment. Cases handled included housing and immigration - 31% each, family - 16%, document drafting for seniors - 10%, government benefits and health care access - 6%, consumer - 4%, and education - 2%. Mwls advocacy resulted in significant economic benefits for clients during the year including $6,795,587 in direct dollar benefits to clients and $4,108,684 in direct dollar savings to clients. Mwls continued to recruit and train private attorneys participating in the private bar involvement program. Mwls continued its lawyer for the day in marlborough and started a new lawyer for the day in the norfolk probate and family court in canton in the spring of 2025. The senior citizen legal project held 108 elder legal clinics at 10 local senior centers that provided legal advice to 474 seniors. The immigration unit held bi-monthly clinics at voices against violence where immigrant survivors were screened for possible immigration relief available to them. Mwls conducted extensive outreach across substantive units and as an organization. Outreach took multiple forms including participating in many local and regional events and activities such as health fairs, senior fairs, tabling events that are held by cities/towns, school events, and events held by other community partners as well as community legal education.mwls also provided 21 training events, benefiting 855 attendees.mwls staff also participated in coalitions, committees, and roundtables which provide an opportunity to make other community partners aware of the services provided and how to access them.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 72.3%; rating input score 72
• Program expense ratio: 87.7%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $28.03 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 18.4%; rating input score 75; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.37; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.1; rating input score 59; 59th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 21.5%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.4% per year; rating input score 100; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.6% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings