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Legal Impact for Chickens

EIN 87-1596873 · Sacramento, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Legal Impact For Chickens' (LIC's) mission is to protect the welfare of farmed animals (livestock and poultry) through the use of the legal system. We primarily strive to achieve this goal through civil litigation.

Income
$1.9 million
Spending
$511,134
Spent on programs
63%
Reserves
47.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 98%
Employees
5
Volunteers
36
Highest pay
$90,486, president and 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

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 47.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 73% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 305% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    63% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 74% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 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 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)
  1. $324,211 spent. LEGAL IMPACT FOR CHICKENS (LIC) SENT ITS SUIT AGAINST KFC-SUPPLIER CASE FARMS TO THE NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS. LIC IS SUING CASE FARMS FOR THE POULTRY COMPANY'S PATTERN OF GROSS MISMANAGEMENT AND CRUELTY TOWARD CHICKS AND CHICKENS. ON JANUARY 30, 2024, LIC FILED A NOTICE OF APPEAL TO THE NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS. ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2024, LIC FILED OUR OPENING APPELLATE BRIEF. SINCE THEN, FARMING GROUPS, VETERINARIANS, AND A NORTH CAROLINA ANIMAL RESCUE SERVED AS AMICI ON LIC'S SIDE, WEIGHING IN TO STAND UP FOR BIRDS. LIC FILED OUR APPELLATE REPLY BRIEF ON NOVEMBER 21, 2024. ON JULY 30, 2024, LIC SENT A CEASE-AND-DESIST LETTER TO DC BUTCHER SHOP HARVEY'S MARKET ON BEHALF OF LIC'S CLIENT, ANIMAL OUTLOOK (AO) FOR LABELING FOIE GRAS AS HUMANE. HARVEY'S MARKET STATED THAT IT HAD NO PLANS TO CHANGE ANYTHING. SO, ON OCTOBER 15, 2024, LIC FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST HARVEY'S MARKET IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE AO V. HARVEY'S MARKET COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT THIS TYPE OF MISLEADING ADVERTISING VIOLATES DC LAW. THE LAWSUIT HAD AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT, AS HARVEY'S MARKET REPORTED IN ITS ANSWER TO LIC'S COMPLAINT THAT IT HAD DISCONTINUED THE SALE OF FOIE GRAS ONCE NOTICE OF THE LAWSUIT WAS RECEIVED. ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2024, LIC FILED AN ANIMAL-CRUELTY SUIT AGAINST ALEXANDRE FAMILY FARM FOR POURING SALT INTO COWS' EYES, DRAGGING DISABLED ANIMALS ACROSS CONCRETE, STARVING CATTLE, AND MORE. LIC FILED ITS COMPLAINT IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT, SEEKING AN INJUNCTION TO PROTECT ALEXANDRE'S CATTLE. LIC COMMISSIONED AN UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION OF FOSTER FARMS, CALIFORNIA'S LARGEST POULTRY PRODUCER. THE ORGANIZATION WE HIRED, AO, RELEASED THE INVESTIGATION ON OCTOBER 7, 2024. THE INVESTIGATOR CAUGHT FOSTER FARMS DRIVING FORKLIFTS OVER CHICKENS, THROWING THEM, AND KICKING THEM. CRUELTY IS A CRIME, SO AO HAS PRESENTED THE VIDEO AND LEGAL ANALYSIS TO THE FRESNO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. ON OCTOBER 11, 2024, THE FRESNO BEE REPORTED THAT LOCAL DETECTIVES LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION, WHICH HAS REMAINED AN ONGOING CASE. FOSTER FARMS ALSO REPORTEDLY RELEASED A STATEMENT THAT, AS A RESULT OF THE LIC-SPONSORED INVESTIGATION, FOSTER FARMS HAS IMPLEMENTED NEW ANIMAL-WELFARE PROCEDURES, INCLUDING INCREASED ANIMAL WELFARE AUDITS. IN DECEMBER 2024, LEGAL IMPACT FOR CHICKENS SENT AN OFFICIAL BOOKS-AND-RECORDS REQUEST TO TYSON'S BOARD ON BEHALF OF A SHAREHOLDER. OUR TYSON SHAREHOLDER CLIENT IS DEMANDING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT TYSON'S TREATMENT OF CHICKENS AND OF WORKERS. LIC THEN COMMUNICATED WITH ATTORNEYS FOR TYSON'S BOARD REGARDING THE DOCUMENTS TO WHICH OUR CLIENT IS ENTITLED. LIC SPOKE AT BERKELEY LAW, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY LAW, OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY LAW, BROOKLYN LAW, LEWIS AND CLARK LAW, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA LAW, EFFECTIVE ALTRUISM GLOBAL, AND MORE.

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

  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 December 2024.

    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 March 2022.

    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.