Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← All organizations

BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES

EIN 11-3305406 BROOKLYN, NY

Revenue 2024
$92,802,949
Expenses 2024
$89,398,081

Program services were 88.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
R20
Classification
1000
Street
177 LIVINGSTON STREET

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.

  • IN FY25, BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES (BDS) PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO 28,695 LOW-INCOME BROOKLYN AND QUEENS RESIDENTS WHO WERE ARRESTED, 1,610 PARENTS IN FAMILY COURT PROCEEDINGS, 513 CLIENTS IN DETAINED IMMIGRATION REMOVAL PROCEEDINGS, AND 2,543 CLIENTS FACING BARRIERS TO CIVIL JUSTICE. BDS EMPLOYS A LARGE STAFF OF HIGHLY DEDICATED AND TALENTED ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, INVESTIGATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF TO PROVIDE MULTIDISCIPLINARY CLIENT REPRESENTATION IN OUR CORE AREAS OF CRIMINAL, FAMILY AND IMMIGRATION DEFENSE TO PEOPLE FACING THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF IMPRISONMENT, LOSS OF THEIR CHILDREN OR DEPORTATION AS WELL AS RELATED HOUSING, BENEFITS, EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT AND OTHER CIVIL LEGAL MATTERS.

    Expenses $78,646,372 · Grants $25,923

As filed on the 2024 return.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • CINDI GIGLIO

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • GREGORY CERCHIONE

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • KEVIN SNOVER

    CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • LISA SCHREIBERSDORF

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $428,330
    From this org
    $390,198
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $38,132
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $389,198
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $19,670
    Nontaxable benefits
    $18,462
    Filer's total
    $428,330

  • ANDREA BONINA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JASON STARR

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JEFFREY RONA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • ROBERT J GUNTHER JR

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    0.5

  • JUAN ALMONTE

    MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $248,914
    From this org
    $217,310
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,604
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $216,310
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $10,866
    Nontaxable benefits
    $20,738
    Filer's total
    $248,914

  • Chauncey R Walker

    Managing Director of Criminal Defense

    Total calculated
    $251,545
    From this org
    $237,478
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $14,067
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $236,478
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $11,928
    Nontaxable benefits
    $2,139
    Filer's total
    $251,545

  • Kelli McTaggart

    General Counsel

    Total calculated
    $260,593
    From this org
    $238,667
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $21,926
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $237,667
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,051
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,875
    Filer's total
    $260,593

  • KWAME MILLAR

    CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $271,518
    From this org
    $242,778
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $28,740
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $241,778
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,299
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,441
    Filer's total
    $271,518

  • LAURA SAFT

    DEPUTY ED, MD CRIMINAL DEFENSE

    Total calculated
    $332,048
    From this org
    $300,578
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $31,470
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $299,578
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $15,029
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,441
    Filer's total
    $332,048

  • LAUREN A SHAPIRO

    MD OF FAMILY DEFENSE PRACTICE

    Total calculated
    $277,271
    From this org
    $254,606
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $22,665
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $253,606
    Bonus
    $1,000
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $12,790
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,875
    Filer's total
    $277,271

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $92,802,949
    Expenses
    $89,398,081
    Contributions
    $92,441,373
    Grants paid
    $25,923
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $89,249,810
    Expenses
    $83,753,003
    Contributions
    $89,252,808
    Grants paid
    $6,900
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $75,613,128
    Expenses
    $75,836,896
    Contributions
    $75,680,055
    Grants paid
    $10,789

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $68,489,120
    Expenses
    $72,826,159
    Assets (EOY)
    $22,389,854

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $68,129,871
    Expenses
    $72,598,877
    Assets (EOY)
    $21,679,240

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $60,744,108
    Expenses
    $64,540,378
    Assets (EOY)
    $27,647,041

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $61,487,118
    Expenses
    $60,860,321
    Assets (EOY)
    $15,157,863

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $49,123,086
    Expenses
    $48,542,555
    Assets (EOY)
    $12,744,079

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $42,110,112
    Expenses
    $42,055,526
    Assets (EOY)
    $11,025,624

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $34,263,296
    Expenses
    $34,362,102
    Assets (EOY)
    $8,848,627

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $33,054,298
    Expenses
    $33,045,724
    Assets (EOY)
    $6,459,156

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $30,466,090
    Expenses
    $29,949,380
    Assets (EOY)
    $6,581,968

  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $24,863,161
    Expenses
    $24,885,007
    Assets (EOY)
    $5,304,695

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 23 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.