The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo logo

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo

Public charity · Grantmaker Buffalo, NY EIN: 16-0743069 Website

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo, inc., a not-for-profit organization, provides legal representation to financially needy men, women and children in western New York. Through its skilled staff, the legal aid bureau seeks equal justice for everyone it serves.

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo at a glance

Total assets
$9,695,270
-6.9% vs 2023
Revenue (2024)
$20,751,603
+31.3% vs 2023
Net investment income (2024)
$1,040
-91.9% vs 2023
Expenses (2024)
$20,673,494
+31.5% vs 2023
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.

Who The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

2 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 2 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

States

Cities

Buffalo

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K1 grant2020 0 grants2021 1 grant2022 0 grants2023 0 grants2024

From 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2020) to $25K (2022). In 2022 it made 1 grant totaling $25K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Center for Elder Law and Justice Buffalo, NYsubcontract legal services for the elderly$24,819
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2024$9,695,270$20,751,603$20,673,494——$1,040
2023$10,416,796$15,801,518$15,717,145——$12,872
2022$6,641,971$13,369,883$13,206,934$24,8191$665
2021$4,799,134$12,894,352$12,668,424——$620
2020$4,839,855$13,219,706$12,911,980$24,8191$836

About The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo

Based on IRS filings

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo is a public charity focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Buffalo, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $9.7M in total assets. Net investment income was $1K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo is led by Lisa M. Patterson Esq., President on every filing since 2020; 9 of 30 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Lisa M. Patterson Esq.

    President

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Deal

    Legal Director

    Managing Attorney → Legal Director, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $118K (2022) → $150K (2024)

  • David C. Schopp Esq.

    Board Member

    Assistant Secretary Board Member CEO → Assistant Secretary, Board Member & CEO, 2023

    Assistant Secretary, Board Member & CEO → Board Member, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $173K (2020) → $251K (2024)

  • Nadine Patterson

    Deputy Executive Director

    Chief Attorney-Civil → Deputy Executive Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $118K (2020) → $195K (2024)

  • Lucian Wiza

    C.f.o.

    Chief Financial Officer → Chief Finacial Officer, 2023

    Chief Finacial Officer → C.f.o., 2024

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $92K (2021) → $100K (2024)

  • Michael Aina

    Board Member

    Board Memeber → Board Member, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    37.5 hrs/week

    $32K (2022) → $58K (2024)

  • Russell Fox

    Managing Attorney

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $127K (2022) → $172K (2024)

  • Erin Tresmond

    Chief Attorney

    Managing Attorney → Chief Attorney, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $131K (2023) → $187K (2024)

  • Sarah Ryan

    Chief Attorney

    Managing Attorney → Chief Attorney, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $134K (2023) → $166K (2024)

  • Roland Hayes Esq.

    Board Member

    New on the 2024 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $139K (2024)

  • Craig R. Bucki Esq.

    First Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John T. Kolaga Esq.

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark E. Blue

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meghan A. Corcoran Esq.

    Board Member

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2023

    Treasurer → Board Member, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patrick Fitzsimmons Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rocco Lucente II Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bradley A. Hoppe Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jamila A. Lee Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryon Fleming Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Hare Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Timothy P. Murphy Esq.

    Second Vice President

    Board Member → Second Vice President, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bryan Donohue

    Treasurer

    Board Member → Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jesutowo Kola Adeniji Esq.

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Diina

    Board Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charles J. Englert Esq.

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Erin Whitcomb Esq.

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Farina Barth Esq.

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jill Robins

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kathleen Kugler Esq.

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sherene Bennett

    Board Member Started

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (24)
  • Former: Charles C. Martorana Esq. (2020–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: James J. Rooney Esq. (2020–2023) — Second Vice President
  • Former: Patrick J. Brown Esq. (2020–2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Dominique Tauffer Esq. (2023) — Board Member
  • Former: Kate Meier-Davis (2023) — Board Member
  • Former: ALLISON STRAVINO Esq. (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Chauntel Scottervin (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: George Eng (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Howard G. Foster (2020–2022) — Second Vice President
  • Former: Joseph Passifiume (2020–2022) — Treasurer
  • Former: Leonard R. Lenihan (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: MICHAEL J HECKER Esq. (2020–2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Judith Gerber (2021–2022) — Chief Attorney
  • Former: Adam Amirault (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Katherine Meier-Davis (2022) — Board Member
  • Former: Sophie Feal (2022) — Managing Attorney
  • Former: Carrie Phillips (2020–2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Kevin Stadelmaier (2020–2021) — Chief Attorney-Cdu
  • Former: Michele M. Finn (2020–2021) — Assistant Treasurer Chief Administrator
  • Former: Michelle Moncher (2021) — Board Member
  • Former: Irving A Barrett Jr. (2020) — Board Member
  • Former: Judy Gerber (2020) — Chief Attorney-Afc
  • Former: Paul Curtin (2020) — Deputy Executive Director
  • Former: Susan Ministero (2020) — Chief Attorney-Appeals

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

David C Schopp ESQ — Board Member (Labb CEO): $251KDavid C Schopp ESQBoard Member (Labb CEO)$251KNadine Patterson — Deputy Executive Director: $195KNadine PattersonDeputy Executive Director$195KErin Tresmond — Chief Attorney: $187KErin TresmondChief Attorney$187KRussell Fox — Managing Attorney: $172KRussell FoxManaging Attorney$172KSarah Ryan — Chief Attorney: $166KSarah RyanChief Attorney$166KMichael Deal — Legal Director: $150KMichael DealLegal Director$150KRoland Hayes ESQ — Board Member (Labb): $139KRoland Hayes ESQBoard Member (Labb)$139KLucian Wiza — C.F.O. (To July 2024): $100KLucian WizaC.F.O. (To July 2024)$100KMichael Aina — Board Member (Labb): $58KMichael AinaBoard Member (Labb)$58K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $251K, to David C Schopp ESQ (Board Member (Labb CEO)). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo

How large is The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo?

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo reported $9.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $20.8M.

What is The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo?

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo is a public charity focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Buffalo, NY. It holds $9.7M in total assets as of 2024.

Where does The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo operate?

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo has awarded grants in New York.

What is The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo's EIN?

The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-0743069. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(3)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 16, 2023)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo's focus areas in our free grants database

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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