Law School Yes We Can
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 48% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION IN COLORADO AND TO DEVELOP TOMORROW'S DIVERSE LEADERS IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREERS. LAW SCHOOL YES WE CAN WORKED WITH OVER 300 CURRENT MENTORS, SUPPORTED OVER 100 LSYWC FELLOWS & CONNECTED WITH OVER 50 LSYWC ALUMNI FELLOWS.
- Income
- $220,214
- Spending
- $179,776
- Spent on programs
- 48%
- Reserves
- 17.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 416
- Highest pay
- $94,333, executive director
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
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 17.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 18% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1548% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 81% of charities in its peer group (education, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no 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.
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 (1)
- $85,396 spent. BACKGROUND-LSYWC WAS FOUNDED TO IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION. IT IS THE FIRST LAW SCHOOL DIVERSITY PIPELINE PROGRAM OF ITS KIND IN COLORADO, A PROGRAM THAT TARGETS HARD WORKING COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS: 68% OF OUR FELLOWS ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AND 35% ARE FIRST-GENERATION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. EACH YEAR, LSYWC SELECTS UP TO 25 RISING COLLEGE STUDENTS AS FELLOWS. LSYWC MATCHES EACH FELLOW WITH THREE MENTORS: ONE SENIOR LEVEL JUDGE OR ATTORNEY, ONE MID-LEVEL ATTORNEY, AND ONE LAW STUDENT. THESE MENTORS MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GUIDE THEIR FELLOWS THROUGHOUT COLLEGE WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING THEM RECEIVE ADMISSION TO THE LAW SCHOOL OR GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE. LSYWC PROVIDES FELLOWS WITH VALUABLE SKILL-BUILDING WORKSHOPS AND FACILITATES EXPOSURE OPPORTUNITIES TO PREPARE FELLOWS FOR SUCCESS AS FUTURE COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS. WE PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR FELLOWS TO TAKE THE MEYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI) & EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE TESTS TO ASSIST IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ALL FELLOWS ALSO ATTEND A MINI LAW SCHOOL PRESENTED BY CU LAW. WE ARRANGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FELLOWS TO TAKE BASELINE LSAT TESTS, LSAT PREPARATION COURSES, AND OTHER PRE-LAW WORKSHOPS, SOME OF WHICH ARE PRESENTED BY LSYWC BOARD MEMBERS, AND OTHERS, BY PROFESSORS FROM CU LAW AND DU LAW. OUR IMPACT IS CENTERED AROUND: (1) ACCESS TO EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR FELLOWS, (2) MENTORS WHO SHARE THEIR HURDLES AND SUCCESSES IN A SYSTEM NOT NECESSARILY DESIGNED FOR DIVERSITY, (3) THE CREATION OF A COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON A SHARED MISSION, (4) OUTREACH THROUGH RECRUITMENT, PROGRAMMING, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND (5) SUPPORT FROM LSYWC SPONSORS AND THEIR NETWORKS. THIS MEANS THAT ACQUIRING A SINGLE NEW SPONSOR OR FELLOW (AND MENTOR TEAM) CAN HAVE A CASCADING EFFECT IN CREATING AWARENESS AND CHANGE WITHIN THE COLORADO COMMUNITY. DURING 2024, LSYWC AMASSED APPROXIMATELY 40,000 VOLUNTEER HOURS, DELIVERED OVER 20 LSYWC WORKSHOPS, SUPPORTED OVER 300 MENTORS, MENTORED OVER 100 FELLOWS & CONNECTED WITH OVER 30 JUDICIAL MENTORS ACROSS THE NATION, INCUDING FIVE OF THE SEVEN COLORADO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. LSYWC HELPED FACILITATE 17 INTERNSHIPS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF LAW SCHOOL WITH 5 ALUMNI FELLOWS GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL. THERE IS AN 83% RETENTION RATE WITHIN THE PROGRAM AND A 97% COLLEGE GRADUATION RATE. THE CONTINUING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DENVER LAW FIRM COALITION FOR RACIAL EQUITY PROVIDES FINANCIAL AND IN-KIND SUPPORT TO OUR PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. MISSION: THE MISSION OF LSYWC IS TO DIVERSIFY THE COLORADO LEGAL PROFESSION BY FURTHERING THE LEGAL EDUCATION OF HARD WORKING, LOW INCOME, AND DIVERSE COLLEGE STUDENTS. THE LSYWC CURRICULUM PROMOTES THE PRE-LAW EDUCATION AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ITS FELLOWS. EACH LSYWC FELLOW HAS A MENTOR TEAM THAT HELPS GUIDE FELLOWS THROUGH COLLEGE AND THE PRE-LAW ADMISSIONS PROCESS. POPULATION SERVED: LSYWC SERVES A DIVERSE, LOW-INCOME GROUP OF STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY. MOST OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FROM SINGLE PARENT, LOW INCOME, IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THE LSYWC OVERALL FELLOW RACE/ETHNICITY IS 63% HISPANIC/LATINX, 19% BLACK, 10% WHITE, 5% ASIAN, AND 3% NATIVE AMERICAN/AMERICAN INDIAN. THE LSYWC OVERALL GENDER IS 20% MALE AND 80% FEMALE.
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2015.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.