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Equal Justice Works

EIN 52-1469738 · Washington, DC

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair59 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LAWYERS TO TRANSFORM THEIR PASSION FOR EQUAL JUSTICE INTO A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE.

Income
$23.4 million
Spending
$24.0 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 89%
Employees
51
Volunteers
26
Highest pay
$424,978, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 59 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 23% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    27 of 27 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, 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 (2)
  1. $16.0 million spent. LEGAL FELLOWSHIPS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST:EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS SUPPORTED 181 DESIGN YOUR OWN FELLOWS SERVING IN TWO-YEAR FELLOWSHIPS AT 82 HOST ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS 47 CITIES IN 22 STATES. THROUGH THE DYO FELLOWSHIP, FELLOWS DESIGN AND LEAD INNOVATIVE LEGAL SERVICE PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS UNMET LEGAL NEEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES WHILE LAUNCHING LONG-TERM CAREERS IN PUBLIC INTEREST LAW. DYO FELLOWS PROVIDE DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES, POLICY AND ADVOCACY, AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN AREAS SUCH AS VETERANS' BENEFITS, CIVIL RIGHTS, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND VOTING RIGHTS. IN ADDITION TO THE DYO PROGRAM, EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS SUPPORTED 70 FELLOWS THROUGH SIX UNIQUE ISSUE FOCUSED FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON CIVIL LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES INCLUDING CRIME VICTIMS, DISASTER SURVIVORS, INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AFFECTED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDER, AND THOSE FACING HOUSING AND FINANCIAL INSTABILITY. THESE FELLOWS WORKED AT 56 LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THESE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMS AIM TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHILE ALSO CREATING BROADER IMPACT THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING. AS ONE EXAMPLE, THE CRIME VICTIMS ADVOCACY PROGRAM PLACED 20 FELLOWS TO SERVE SURVIVORS OF CRIME. THE FELLOWS COLLECTIVELY SERVED OVER 2,300 INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES AND EDUCATED MORE THAN 2,000 COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF LEGAL ACCESS.
  2. $1.3 million spent. LAW SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY:EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS ALSO OFFERS PROGRAMS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LAW STUDENTS AND LAWYERS DEDICATING ALL OR PART OF THEIR CAREERS TO PUBLIC SERVICE BY ENGAGING AND COLLABORATING WITH LAW SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, AND ATTORNEYS. EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS MAINTAINS A ROBUST LAW SCHOOL MEMBERSHIP, WHICH INCLUDES OVER 90% OF ABA-ACCREDITED LAW SCHOOLS, AND HELPS ENSURE THOSE MEMBERS KNOW OF AND PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS, INCLUDING FELLOWSHIPS DESCRIBED ABOVE AS WELL AS THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMMING FOR LAW STUDENTS. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES SHORT-TERM SUMMER STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS PROGRAMS. THE RURAL SUMMER LEGAL CORPS (RSLC) PROGRAM IS A JOINT PARTNERSHIP OF THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (LSC) AND EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS. THE RSLC PROGRAM CONNECTS PUBLIC INTEREST LAW STUDENTS WITH CIVIL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS PRESSING LEGAL ISSUES FACING RURAL COMMUNITIES. IN THE SUMMER OF 2025, 50 STUDENT FELLOWS PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM FROM 36 LAW SCHOOLS. DURING THEIR SUMMER, RSLC STUDENT FELLOWS COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 15,000 HOURS TO HELP RURAL COMMUNITIES, WITH 5,560 HOURS SPENT ON DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES. THESE STUDENT FELLOWS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN 218 OUTREACH EVENTS, CREATED OR EXPANDED MORE THAN 153 COLLABORATIONS WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND PROVIDED LEGAL INFORMATION TO MORE THAN 2,339 INDIVIDUALS. THE DISASTER RESILIENCE PROGRAM HOSTED 5 STUDENTS ALONGSIDE POST-GRADUATE FELLOWS THIS SUMMER, AND THOSE STUDENTS HELPED WITH LEGAL RESEARCH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH, AND ADVOCACY TO FURTHER THE GOALS OF THOSE FELLOWSHIP PROJECTS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending August 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending August 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1986.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. 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.