Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

University Student Legal Services

EIN 56-1765006 · Raleigh, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair56 out of 100GovernanceStrong97 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

UNIVERSITY STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES (USLS) PROVIDES LEGAL EDUCATION, ADVICE, AND REPRESENTATION FOR CURRENTLY ENROLLED NC STATE STUDENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES THAT EQUIP STUDENTS TO MAKE INFORMED CHOICES AND RESOLVE THEIR LEGAL PROBLEMS WITH AS LITTLE DISRUPTION AS POSSIBLE TO THEIR WELL-BEING AND ACADEMIC GOALS. USLS IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT CORPORATION INITIALLY CREATED BY STUDENT GOVERNMENT AND FUNDED BY STUDENT FEES, WHICH PROVIDES AFFORDABILITY OF LEGAL SERVICES FOR THE STUDENTS.

Income
$556,685
Spending
$552,940
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 100%
Employees
4
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$142,656, director, attorney

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 41% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 14% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 7 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

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

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

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 (1)
  1. $519,569 spent. STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES BEGAN AT NC STATE IN 1986 AND BECAME AN INCORPORATED NON-PROFIT (501C3) IN 1992. THE OFFICE BEGAN WITH TWO FULLTIME ATTORNEYS. A THIRD ATTORNEY WAS ADDED IN 1992 AND THEN A FOURTH IN 2014, WITH A FOCUS ON IMMIGRATION MATTERS. ADDITIONAL STAFF SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY FINANCIAL AID WORK STUDY AND OTHER STUDENT EMPLOYEES. TO AVOID CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, THE ATTORNEYS ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY THE UNIVERSITY. STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES MAINTAINS THEIR OWN ACCOUNT, AUDITED ANNUALLY BY AN OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING FIRM, AND IS REIMBURSED MONTHLY BY THE UNIVERSITY FROM STUDENT LEGAL SERVICE FEES PAID BY THE STUDENTS. TOTAL CASES WERE 2,933 IN THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 6/30/25.SERVICES PROVIDED ARE: ADVICE ON LEGAL MATTERS, CORRESPONDENCE AND PHONE CALLS ON STUDENTS' BEHALF, SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS, DRAFTING OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS, LEGAL DOCUMENT REVIEW, COURT REPRESENTATION IN CIVIL MATTERS OF $10,000 OR LESS, CRIMINAL EXPUNGEMENTS, RESOURCE REFERRALS, EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, WORKSHOPS, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, SEMINARS, AND ADVISEMENT AND REPRESENTATION ON LEGAL MATTERS FOR REGISTERED STUDENT GROUPS/STUDENT GOVERNMENT/STUDENT MEDIA/UNION ACTIVITIES BOARD. THE TOP CASE TYPES HANDLED ARE: LANDLORD/TENANT; IMMIGRATION; CRIMINAL; TRAFFIC; AND DOMESTIC/ESTATE. STUDENT LEGAL SERVICES IS UNABLE TO PROVIDE REPRESENTATION FOR THE FOLLOWING: DISPUTES BETWEEN TWO NC STATE STUDENTS, DISPUTES WITH NC STATE UNIVERSITY, DISPUTES AGAINST THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, DISPUTES WHICH WOULD VIOLATE THE ATTORNEY'S DUTIES UNDER THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AS SET OUT BY THE NORTH CAROLINA BAR, DISPUTES OUTSIDE THE LEGAL PARAMETERS OF THE PREPAID LEGAL PLAN, AND DISPUTES THAT REQUIRE APPEARANCES OUTSIDE OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COUNTIES OF WAKE/DURHAM/HARNETT/JOHNSTON/FRANKLIN/CHATHAM.CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ENCOMPASSES THE FOLLOWING: ALCOHOL COALITION/HARM REDUCTION, SART, WAKE COUNTY DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TASK FORCE, NATIONAL LEGAL AID AND DEFENDER ASSOCIATION, ACADEMIC COURSES, ON-SITE WEEKLY VET SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS, ORIENTATIONS, HOUSING FAIR, OPEN HOUSES, PANELS, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, AND ADVISEMENT OF STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1993.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 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.