Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The Lawyers' Committee uses legal advocacy to achieve racial justice, fighting inside and outside the courts to ensure that Black people and other people of color have the voice, opportunity, and power to make the promises of our democracy real.
- Income
- $18.5 million
- Spending
- $20.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 28.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 80%
- Employees
- 107
- Volunteers
- 5
- Highest pay
- $457,001, president/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: 82 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 28.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 11% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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: 95 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (9)
- $7.1 million spent. Voting Rights Project:The Voting Rights Project works through coordinated and integrated programs of litigation, voter protection, advocacy, and education to protect the right to vote for communities of color who are most likely to be disenfranchised. The Project's signature voter protection effort is the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, a national membership coalition boasting well over 300 organizational members. The Lawyers' Committee serves as co-convener of the coalition and coordinates infrastructure, training and development of volunteer attorneys for the 866-OUR-VOTE hotline that provides expert assistance to voters nationwide.
- $1.1 million spent. General Legal:The General Legal department coordinates the legal work of the Lawyers' Committee, including litigation and related advocacy across all six projects: Voting Rights , Digital Justice, Criminal Justice, Economic Justice, Educational Opportunities, and Fair Housing & Community development. The Lawyers' Committee also leverages public education and national visibility to inform public discourse and to educate and inform the public and policy makers about our critical work and relevant civil rights issues.
- $1.1 million spent. Public Education & Educational Opportunities Project:Through litigation, policy, and advocacy, the Educational Opportunities Project works to ensure that Black students and other historically marginalized students of color have access to meaningful and equitable opportunities to succeed in healthy, integrated, diverse, inclusive, and nurturing learning environments free of racism and discrimination The Project uses litigation and policy tools to promote access to higher education, racially inclusive learning environments, and K-12 educational equity. It also combats exploitation of students by for-profit colleges.
- $926,207 spent. Economic Justice Project:The Economic Justice Project engages in impact litigation and legal advocacy to ensure that communities of color can access opportunities and meaningfully engage in the economy to lead dignified lives free from discrimination.
- $774,243 spent. Fair Housing & Community Development Project:The Fair Housing & Community Development Project fights housing discrimination by working to combat housing and lending discrimination and promote greater opportunity for low-income people of color. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, consulting services, and support for housing justice organizations, the FHCD Project works to ensure equitable access to crucial resources and meaningful housing choices for Black communities.
- $710,104 spent. Public Policy:The Public Policy Project advocates for the effective advancement of civil rights law at the state and federal level working with other organizations, executive branch officials, and legislators. The Project's work focuses on racial justice issues addressed by the organization's other units, including voting rights, educational opportunities, criminal justice, digital justice, and economic justice.
- $648,764 spent. Digital Justice Initiative:The Digital Justice Initiative works at the intersection of racial justice, technology, and privacy. Predatory commercial data practices, discriminatory algorithms, invasions of privacy, disinformation, government surveillance, and online hate disproportionately target and harm Black Americans and other people of color. The project works to ensure that everyone should be entitled to the equal enjoyment of the internet's economic, cultural, and civic opportunities without fear of discrimination.
- $538,332 spent. Criminal Justice Project:The Criminal Justice Project challenges structural racism within the criminal justice system and aims to ensure that Black people and other people of color enjoy safety from violence by the state and by white supremacists. Areas of focus include promoting police accountability and combatting the criminalization of poverty and holding white supremacists accountable through a sub-unit known as the James Byrd, Jr. Center to Stop Hate.
- $144,316 spent. Pro Bono & Legal Partnerships
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 November 1963.
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.
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.