Legal Counsel for Youth and Children
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) protects the interests and safety of youth in Washington by advancing their legal rights. We accomplish our mission through direct legal representation, strong community partnerships, and systemic advocacy. Our focus areas include: child welfare, juvenile court, immigrant youth and families, and youth homelessness. In 2023, LCYC served roughly 800 young people across 19 counties. The majority of youth served by LCYC are between 12 - 24 years in age. Due to historic exclusion and other forms of oppression, youth of color and LGBTQIA+ youth are overrepresented in the systems we work across and among the youth we serve. LCYC empowers youth by helping them understand and engage in complex legal systems, influencing court decisions that will impact their lives and their families forever. LCYC also engages in systemic advocacy, which is informed by our direct representation, community partners, and youth.
- Income
- $3.7 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 11 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 42%
- Employees
- 34
- Volunteers
- 172
- Highest pay
- $138,241, executive director, lcyc president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 11.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (6)
- $553,205 spent. CHILD WELFARE: LCYC works with youth to secure placement, family visitation, permanency, education, medical and mental health services for youth in the child welfare (dependency) system. We also represent youth in At Risk Youth (ARY), Child In Need of Services (CHINS), Truancy, and Minor Guardianship cases through court appointment. LCYC's low caseloads, and youth centered service model positively affects the lives of the children we serve. LCYC provides proactive advocacy, engaging with children, caregivers, schools, family, services providers, and other community supports. We strive not only to meet the immediate basic needs and rights of the child, but we look forward to the future. We follow the child's stated goals, build support around these goals, and help our youth clients to realize long-term stability, positive connections, and school success. Unlike teachers and social workers, attorneys are not mandated reporters, which creates a uniquely safe and confidential environment for youth to disclose information and problem solve without fear. LCYC empowers youth by helping them understand and engage in complex legal systems, influencing court decisions that will impact their lives and families forever.
- $1.1 million spent. YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PROGRAM: LCYC's Youth Homelessness Program (YHP) provides free, community-based legal services to youth who are at risk of or are currently experiencing homelessness, helping them to maintain and/or secure stable housing. This program serves people 12-24 years old and experiencing or at risk of homelessness in communities across Washington State. Services provided may include legal advice, mediation or negotiation, and in-court advocacy. We are able to assist with a number of civil legal issues including, but not limited to: child protective services, emancipation, gender marker and name changes, identity theft, landlord/tenant issues, public benefits, consumer and medical debt, family law, warrants, immigration, and orders of protection. An independent evaluation conducted by MEM consultants LLC found that "LCYC's legal advocacy had an immediate, positive impact on clients...65% clients reported safe and stable housing after working with an LCYC attorney, compared to 39% at intake. LCYC advocacy improved housing stability for 70% of minors served." LCYC works with community partners to provide multidisciplinary support to minors through a model called the Youth Engagement Team, which provides holistic support through legal services, housing navigation, and behavioral health services.
- $129,809 spent. JUVENILE COURT. LCYC provides holistic legal advocacy to youth in King County with juvenile court matters, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, as assigned by the King County Department of Public Defense. LCYC advises and addresses the specific charges against the youth, while also offering advocacy around issues such as homelessness, special education, school discipline, access to benefits, and safety at home. In addition, LCYC is one of several legal service entities that provides on-call legal advice to youth who are placed under arrest, before they waive their right to silence. This service, Youth Access to Counsel, is offered through the Washington State Office of Public Defense.
- $186,219 spent. SYSTEMIC ADVOCACY. LCYC is uniquely situated to provide input on system-wide issues impacting young people because of our exclusive focus on children, youth, and young adults' rights and legal interests across multiple systems. Through our direct services work, young people and attorneys may identify systemic gaps and barriers through direct representation that can be elevated and addressed on a broader level for greater impact. We elevate systemic issues, in partnership with organizations led by youth, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ people, to create changes in administrative policy, court processes and procedures, and state law. Staff with specific subject matter expertise inform our systemic advocacy priorities and strategy. LCYC adds our unique legal services lens to advocacy efforts through the following tools: * Coalition work: partnering with community-based organizations-including those whose advocacy is driven by youth advocates with lived expertise-to identify systemic issues impacting young people *State and local legislative advocacy: reviewing bill language & providing technical assistance on draft bills, sending letters & emails to bill sponsors & committee members, testifying in public hearings, drafting & signing-on to advocacy letters, & engaging in legislative implementation work, * Administrative advocacy: hold public agencies accountable for implementation rooted in best-practices and ensure policies & practices appropriately meet the needs of young people, and * Appellate advocacy: Drafting and joining briefs in appellate courts, primarily as amicus.
- $439,978 spent. YOUTH AND FAMILY IMMIGRATION: LCYC authored and continually updates the Immigrant Safety Plan, a collective community resource to help parents plan for the care of their child(ren) (with or without status) in the event that a parent is unable to care for their child, particularly if the parent is detained or deported. The Safety Plan is intended to reduce the inevitable trauma of separation by providing children with as much stability as possible and avoiding unnecessary involvement in the child welfare system or prolonged separation from their parents. In addition to the Safety Plan, LCYC supports youth seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS ). Youth up to 21 years may be eligible for SIJS if a state court determines that the youth was abused, neglected, or abandoned by their parent(s) and that it is unsafe for the youth to return to their country of origin. LCYC partners with organizations such as Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) to support youth seeking SIJS. LCYC also provides direct legal representation to young people whose parents have been placed into custody by ICE.
- $62,203 spent. PRO BONO. LCYC's Pro Bono Program expands LCYC's capacity to serve young people and advance our mission with the support of volunteer attorneys and community members. Volunteers primarily assist with LCYC's immigrant youth and youth homelessness programs. Volunteer attorneys provide pro bono legal representation and legal expertise. Other volunteer opportunities for non-attorneys include research, language interpretation/translation, creation of legal literacy materials, development of technology tools to increase capacity and efficiency, and writing of content for LCYC's blog and social media. Through Pro Bono, LCYC can increase the number of youth served, extend the organization's geographic reach, and strengthen our programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2011.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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