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Non-profit

JustCause

Website:

www.justcauseny.org/
Location:

Rochester, NY
Tax ID:

22-2462905
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2021):

Revenue: $2,000,775
Expenses: $1,647,516
Assets: $2,108,125
Type:

Indiginet Civil Legal Assistance Organization
Founded:

1981
Executive Director:

Tina M. Foster

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JustCause is a nonprofit that provides legal assistance on civil matters for low-income residents of Monroe County, New York. JustCause recruits attorneys to provide pro bono assistance on matters such as tenant and eviction disputes, state and federal court filings and procedures, immigration filings, custody and visitation rights in family court, unemployment benefits, veterans benefits, wills, property transfers, and bankruptcy. As of 2021, JustCause was expanding into “racial justice” programs. 1

History

JustCause began in 1981 in Rochester, New York and was formerly known as the Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County (VLSP). 2 VLSP changed its name to JustCause in 2021. 3

VLSP began with a $20,000 demonstration grant to the Monroe County Bar Association from the Legal Services Corporation to increase private-attorney participation in civil legal services for low-income clients. 4 The grant was matched by the Monroe County Bar Association and local attorneys. 5 By the end of 1981, VLSP consisted of 75 volunteer attorneys and has currently grown to include over 1,600 volunteers and a staff of over 20 people representing approximately 2,000 clients. 6

Programs

JustCause offers legal services in a variety of legal matters and most requiring assistance must fall withing the 125 percent or 200 percent federal poverty guidelines. 7 JustCause operates a free monthly debt management advice clinic where an attorney will give general advice regarding debt and phone calls from credit agencies, garnishment of wages, and bankruptcy filings. 8

Through the Tenant Town Court Program, JustCause assists low-income and unrepresented tenants in defending eviction proceedings for non-payment or holdovers in the Irondequoit Town Court. 9  Assistance is limited to eviction proceedings on the day of court only. 10

In conjunction with the State University of New York-Buffalo Law School and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, JustCause participates in a federal program that gives limited legal advice to individuals representing themselves in federal and state courts. 11 Volunteer attorneys will not appear in court on a client’s behalf but will provide assistance with court procedures and how the law applies to facts provided; advice on preparing pleadings, motions or other documents; and referrals to other services that may be available. 12

In immigration matters, JustCause provides free legal assistance to eligible low-income people with naturalization (citizenship), permanent residence applications, adjustment of status, fiancée applications, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Violence Against Women Act petitions, T and U Visas for survivors of human trafficking or crime, special immigrant juvenile status, and temporary protected status. 13 In 2023, JustCause held clinics for asylum seekers and recruited more attorneys for assistance due to an influx of new immigrants arriving in Rochester. 14

JustCause runs a nonprofit pro bono project that provides free legal assistance to community groups to organize and operate as a nonprofit. 15 Services provided include incorporating, drafting organizational documents and by-laws, and obtaining tax exempt status and other tax advantages. 16 JustCause runs the HELP-U Project that provides free legal assistance to residents of the Rochester Housing Authority including creating wills, health care proxies, powers of attorney, and written funeral and burial wishes. 17 JustCause assists in staffing the 7th Judicial District Court Help Center to assist unrepresented individuals in the court system regarding procedures and court information. 18

JustCause, in collaboration with the Empire Justice Center, the Legal Aid Society of Rochester, and Legal Assistance of Western New York, runs the Campaign for Justice, a project to provide legal services regardless of financial means. 19 The Campaign for Justice helps those with serious illnesses to obtain a will, assists military veterans in receiving benefits, guides domestic violence victims in obtaining orders of protection, provides representation for families within adoption and family court matters, assists people dealing with illegal collections and fraud, and provides representation for those going through foreclosure and eviction. 20

JustCause operates a family law clinic held twice a month that provides an opportunity for clients seeking custody advice or having visitation issues to meet with a pro bono attorney. 21 Subject to availability, JustCause attempts to help eligible individuals that have been denied unemployment assistance benefits and applied for a hearing with legal assistance. 22 Other areas where JustCause provides legal assistance include Habitat for Humanity purchases, deed transfers (between relatives or as gifts), expungement of a record with Child Protective Services, income tax controversies, land and/or contract disputes, name changes (including transgender name changes), property title issues, uncontested estate administration, and tort defenses for defendants. 23

As of 2021, JustCause was seeking to expand into programs involving civil rights and racial justice. 24

Financials

In 2021, JustCause had net assets of $1,181,521. 25 According to the organization’s tax returns, in 2021 JustCause recorded $2,275,287 in revenue and incurred $2,620,932 in expenses. 26 In 2020, JustCause raised $2,772,195 in revenue and $2,570,286 in expenses. 27

JustCause receives funding from Legal Assistance of Western New York, the New York Bar Foundation, Greater Rochester Health Foundation, Interest on Lawyer Account Fund, United Way of Greater Rochester, the State of New York, and other private foundations, law firms, and attorneys. 28

JustCause has created special funds that are administered by the Community Foundation of Rochester. 29 The funds include: the Gary Amendola Endowment Fund created in 1999 to support hiring law student interns to work at Just Cause, the Hanna S. Cohn Fund for the Future to create an emergency fund for JustCause, the Sydney R. Rubin Memorial Fund to provide endowed support to the Campaign for Justice, and the Michael S. Schnittman Endowment Fund to assist in the areas of debtors’ rights and foreclosures for JustCause. 30

Leadership

Tina Monishipour Foster is a civil rights attorney who has been executive director of JustCause since November 2017. 31 Previously, in 2006, Foster founded and was executive director of the International Justice Network, an organization that provided legal representation to prisoners held at Bagram Air Force Base during the war in Afghanistan; at the U.S. terrorist detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and at other U.S. detention facilities around the world. 32 From 2004 through 2006, Foster was an attorney with the left-of-center legal advocacy group Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and co-founder of CCR’s Guantanamo Global Justice Initiative. 33

References

  1. WHAM. “Volunteer Legal Services Project Begins New Chapter as ‘JustCause.’” JustCause. April 29, 2021. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://13wham.com/news/local/volunteer-legal-services-project-begins-new-chapter-as-justcause.
  2. “History.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/history/.
  3. WHAM. “Volunteer Legal Services Project Begins New Chapter as ‘JustCause.’” JustCause. April 29, 2021. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://13wham.com/news/local/volunteer-legal-services-project-begins-new-chapter-as-justcause.
  4. “History.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/history/.
  5. “History.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/history/.
  6. “History.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/history/; “Staff.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/staff/; JustCause, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2019.
  7. “Eligibility.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/eligibility/.
  8. “Debt Management Advice Clinic.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/debt-management-advice-clinic/.
  9. “Evictions.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/evictions/.
  10. “Evictions.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/evictions/
  11. “Federal Pro Se Assistance Programs.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/federal-pro-se-assistance-program/.
  12. “Federal Pro Se Assistance Programs.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/federal-pro-se-assistance-program/.
  13. “Immigration.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/immigration/.
  14. Joseph, Stephanie. “Rochester Nonprofit Provides Legal Services to Asylum Seekers.” WHAM-TV. October 22, 2023. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://13wham.com/news/local/rochester-non-profit-provides-legal-services-to-asylum-seekers.
  15. “Not for Profit Pro Bono Program.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/not-for-profit-pro-bono-program/.
  16. “Not for Profit Pro Bono Program.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/not-for-profit-pro-bono-program/.
  17. “HELP-U Project.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/help-u-project/.
  18. “The Help Center.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/the-help-center/.
  19. “Campaign for Justice.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/c4j/.
  20. “Campaign for Justice.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/c4j/.
  21. “Family Law Clinic.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/family-law-clinic/.
  22.  “Unemployment.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/unemployment/.
  23. “Cases We Handle.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/cases-we-handle/.
  24. WHAM. “Volunteer Legal Services Project Begins New Chapter as ‘JustCause.’” JustCause. April 29, 2021. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://13wham.com/news/local/volunteer-legal-services-project-begins-new-chapter-as-justcause.
  25. JustCause, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2021.
  26. JustCause, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2021.
  27. JustCause, Return of a Nonprofit Corporation (Form 990), 2020.
  28. “Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County Independent Auditors Report.” EFPR Group, CPA’s. February 4, 2021. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://vlsprochester.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/FY20-Audited-Financial-Statements.pdf; “JustCause Funders.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/funders/.
  29. “Special Funds.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/give-to-special-funds/.
  30. “Special Funds.” JustCause. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://justcauseny.org/give-to-special-funds/.
  31. “Tina Foster.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-foster-2647304/.
  32. “Tina Foster.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-foster-2647304/; “International Justice Network.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-justice-network/about/; “IJN Bagram Release.” International Justice Network. Archived from the Original January 7, 2008. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20090106024257/http://www.ijnetwork.org/content/view/56/1/.
  33. “Tina Foster.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 4, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-foster-2647304/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: March - February
  • Tax Exemption Received: August 1, 1983

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2021 Mar Form 990 $2,000,775 $1,647,516 $2,108,125 $802,180 N $1,996,188 $0 $4,562 $105,380 PDF
    2020 Mar Form 990 $1,317,909 $1,232,030 $1,177,939 $359,322 N $1,256,895 $0 $4,636 $106,363 PDF
    2019 Mar Form 990 $1,226,036 $1,276,059 $1,054,364 $244,863 N $1,200,562 $2,900 $4,199 $113,388 PDF
    2018 Mar Form 990 $1,320,090 $1,308,313 $1,160,071 $280,234 N $1,236,898 $30,435 $4,021 $172,294
    2017 Mar Form 990 $1,234,426 $1,247,024 $1,015,265 $168,102 N $1,184,725 $27,980 $3,941 $149,053 PDF
    2016 Mar Form 990 $1,093,797 $1,046,757 $972,869 $134,509 N $1,039,816 $19,010 $3,979 $123,734 PDF
    2015 Mar Form 990 $890,582 $913,602 $930,481 $109,878 N $867,083 $12,995 $3,984 $119,885 PDF
    2014 Mar Form 990 $835,970 $848,621 $943,534 $115,510 N $811,008 $7,150 $1,230 $138,162 PDF
    2013 Mar Form 990 $824,882 $780,103 $915,654 $112,960 N $800,534 $15,665 $411 $120,099 PDF
    2012 Mar Form 990 $749,615 $678,502 $991,815 $257,585 N $732,882 $14,025 $775 $100,955 PDF
    2011 Mar Form 990 $686,949 $660,134 $805,214 $145,187 N $668,173 $16,105 $271 $102,133 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    JustCause

    1 West Main Street
    Rochester, NY 14614-1418