Center for Appellate Litigation
Center for Appellate Litigation reported $13.4 million in revenue and $13.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.43 went to program services, $18.57 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 97.5% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $321,111 (PRESIDENT/ DIRECTOR). 43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 66% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $13MFor context, the median across 274 covered crime & legal-related charities: $87.85 programs, $11.30 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 18.6% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 1.8% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 97.5% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $321,111 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.41% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 43 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.9 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 6 of 8 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHighest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/ DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $254,715 | $0 | $66,396 | $321,111 |
| VP, SECRETARY Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $231,436 | $0 | $61,684 | $293,120 |
| TREASURER & MANAGING ATTORNEY Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $203,225 | $0 | $37,481 | $240,706 |
| SENIOR APPELLATE COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $188,179 | $0 | $33,641 | $221,820 |
| SENIOR SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $156,705 | $0 | $53,828 | $210,533 |
| LEAD APPELLATE COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $169,077 | $0 | $32,744 | $201,821 |
| SENIOR SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $154,947 | $0 | $46,677 | $201,624 |
| DIR OF TRIAL COURT LITIGATION Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $158,913 | $0 | $41,076 | $199,989 |
43 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Center for Appellate Litigation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $834K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b8 · 6 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 595
- Volunteers Part I, line 625
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Center for Appellate Litigation totaling $42,152 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Center for Appellate Litigation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Center for Appellate Litigation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Center for Appellate Litigation spent in FY2025, $81.43 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- South Carolina Legal ServicesGreenville, SC · revenue $13M · programs 90.4% · 2025
- Community Legal Aid SocietyWilmington, DE · revenue $13M · programs 78.3% · 2025
- Legal Aid at WorkSan Francisco, CA · revenue $13M · programs 65.5% · 2024
- Legal Aid of Western MissouriKansas City, MO · revenue $13M · programs 83.1% · 2024
- Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual AssaultKansas City, MO · revenue $13M · programs 68.3% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Center for Appellate Litigation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Center for Appellate Litigation reported that 81.4% of its $13.3 million in expenses went to program services, 18.6% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Center for Appellate Litigation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Center for Appellate Litigation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $321,111, for the role of PRESIDENT/ DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Center for Appellate Litigation get its money?
Of $13.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 1.8% came from contributions and grants and 97.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Center for Appellate Litigation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 11-3360488 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202600999349301815 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202520509349301282 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202400729349300730 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202340379349300304 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202210079349302271 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202023469349300617 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 11-3360488: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.