Brooklyn Defender Services
TO PROVIDE LEGAL REPRESENTATION, ADVOCACY AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE.
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Make your donationAbout Brooklyn Defender Services
Fighting for you, your family & our community.
Verified certifications
Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.
Mission
To provide legal representation, advocacy and other related services to low-income people.
Focus areas & reach
· What they work on and whereHow it stacks up against peers
· vs. 5 similar social services in United StatesConcerns
· None foundWhere every $1 goes
· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)GiveRadar Analysis
Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations
From what GiveRadar has verified so far, Brooklyn Defender Services has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.
- By reported annual revenue, it is larger than 96% of the 8,121 social services charities in the United States with financial records on GiveRadar. See the filings
- It has more complete contact information than nearly all comparable organizations, with a verified website, email, phone and address on record. See national comparisons
- Its integrity score of 80 places it in the top 5% of the 15,199 social services charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its governance. View this cohort
- government registration
- financial records (5 filed years)
- disclosed leadership
- a website
- a contact email
- a donation page
- an owner-submitted profile claim
Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.
Common questions
· Auto-generated from filings + methodologyBrooklyn Defender Services is a registered social services nonprofit based in Brooklyn, NY, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 1996 and has been operating for 30 years. Its EIN is 113305406. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 80/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $89M in annual revenue. 54 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.
Brooklyn Defender Services's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 113305406. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.
Brooklyn Defender Services has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 80 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 88% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for social services charities in United States is 90/100.
Brooklyn Defender Services is located in Brooklyn, NY, United States. The organization was established in 1996 and has been active for 30 years. Its registered address is 177 Livingston Street, United States.
Based on official tax filings, Brooklyn Defender Services has $89M in annual revenue. It allocates 88% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 74% for social services charities in United States. Its revenue is significantly above the peer average of $2M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.
Brooklyn Defender Services is classified as a Social Services organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a major organization. It has $89M in annual revenue. The organization has 54 disclosed officers and directors.
No red flags have been detected for Brooklyn Defender Services. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.
According to GiveRadar's records, Brooklyn Defender Services holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 88% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 74%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.
Among social services charities registered in United States: It allocates 88% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 74%. Its annual revenue of $89M is well above the peer average of $2M.
Yes, donations to Brooklyn Defender Services are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Brooklyn Defender Services is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 113305406, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Filing history
5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.
See 5 years of revenue, expense breakdowns, and balance sheet.
Sign up to viewTaxes
Tax-deductibility for donors
Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.
BROOKLYN DEFENDER SERVICES is registered in United States. Donations from the Netherlands to charities outside the EU/EEA are generally not tax-deductible for Dutch donors unless the charity is listed on the Dutch ANBI register with foreign-recognized status.
Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.
Staff & volunteers
From filings and published profiles
Leadership
From FY2024 filing
Officers & trustees (15)
Source: Public filings
15 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.
Latest news
From global news sources
10 articles found
From news sources and the organization. Shown for transparency; news never affects the integrity score.
Public defender labor contracts expire as potential strike looms - Queens Daily Eagle
Brooklyn Defenders Union Rallies Before Contract Expiration - New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO
Newmark Represents Brooklyn Defender Services in 212,000-SF Headquarters Lease at Tishman Speyer's The Wheeler - PR Newswire
Downtown Brooklyn Tower Secures 31-Year Lease - Patch
Brooklyn Defender Services Consolidates Operations into Tishman Speyer Development - Connect CRE
Founder and longtime head of Brooklyn Defender Services to step down - Queens Daily Eagle
Brooklyn Defender Services to consolidate at new headquarters - The Business Journals
Brooklyn Defender Services Signs 212K-SF Lease at Tishman Speyer’s 422 Fulton Street - Commercial Observer
Brooklyn Defender Services to Establish Headquarters in 212,000 SF at Tishman Speyer’s The Wheeler - citybiz
Labor tensions escalate at Brooklyn Defender Services amid stalled contract talks - Queens Daily Eagle
Activity timeline
Filings and press mentions, merged
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Sign up to write a reviewCause areas in United States
How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.
Most common causes in United States
Causes charities work on most.
Sources and verification
- Registration and legal identity
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
- Financial filings
- IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
- Officers and trustees
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 54 disclosed in the public registry.
- News and media coverage
- GDELT Project + Google News
- Supplementary verification
- Charity Navigator
Data freshness
What we know and don't know
Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.
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Financial data · FY2024 on record
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Named leadership · 54 officers on file
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Executive pay · Disclosed
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Government registration · Registered with an official registry
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Mission statement · Published
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Official website · On record
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Headquarters address · On file
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Direct contact · Email or phone published
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Tax-deductibility · Verified
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Founding date · 1996
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Programs & activitiesNo named programs listed by the charity
Methodology
GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.
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Quick facts about Brooklyn Defender Services
- What is Brooklyn Defender Services?
- Brooklyn Defender Services is a social services publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in Brooklyn, United States. Fighting for you, your family & our community.
- When was Brooklyn Defender Services founded?
- Brooklyn Defender Services was founded in 1996.
- Who leads Brooklyn Defender Services?
- Lisa Schreibersdorf serves as EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
- Where is Brooklyn Defender Services located?
- Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, United States.
- What is Brooklyn Defender Services's annual budget?
- Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $10M-$100M. 88% of expenses go to program services.
- Is Brooklyn Defender Services trustworthy?
- Brooklyn Defender Services has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 80 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
- What is Brooklyn Defender Services's registration number?
- IRS EIN: 113305406.
- What is Brooklyn Defender Services's website?
- https://bds.org