Brooklyn Legal Services

What Brooklyn Legal Services does

Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A, operating since 1968 and rebranded to Build Up Justice NYC on July 1, 2025, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization (EIN 13-2605599) headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. The firm provides free civil legal aid to underserved New Yorkers across seven practice areas: renters, homeowners, small businesses, nonprofits and community organizations, taxpayers, survivors of domestic violence, and wills and estates. Delivery is hyperlocal and in-person through four neighborhood offices in Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, and Bushwick (Brooklyn) and Jamaica (Queens), supported by community partnerships and direct outreach to vulnerable populations.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: there is no fee-for-service pricing, no paid marketing funnel, and no traditional sales motion. Instead, clients are reached through neighborhood presence, referrals from community organizations, and a visible public-policy posture (including formal testimony to the NYC Rent Guidelines Board on rent stabilization). In 2025, the organization reported serving 9,589 individuals with legal support services across NYC. The underlying technology stack is minimal to none; the organization is structured as a single integrated legal services practice staffed by 11-50 employees, not as a technology platform.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions and grants (donations, foundation grants, and likely city/state legal aid funding) plus event-based fundraising such as the "2026 Together for Justice Benefit." Management disclosed includes a CFO (David Ruan) and a Director (Alham Usman); broader leadership, board composition, and audited financials are not disclosed in the available source material. There are no subsidiaries, no parent company, and no commercial ownership structure.

Name

Brooklyn Legal Services

Legal name

Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A

Website

https://bka.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Build Up Justice NYC (formerly Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal aid organization that provides free civil legal services across housing, small business, domestic violence, tax, and estate practice areas to underserved New Yorkers through four Brooklyn and Queens neighborhood offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Nonprofit legal services
• Tenant legal assistance
• Community legal support
• Housing law advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN: 13-2605599), the organization operates primarily through charitable donations and grant funding. No fee-for-service revenue model is indicated.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Brooklyn Legal Services, operating as Build Up Justice NYC, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization that delivers free legal representation and advocacy to underserved New Yorkers. Services span housing/tenant rights, homeownership support, small business legal assistance, nonprofit organizational counsel, taxpayer issues, domestic violence survivor advocacy, and wills/estates planning. Services are provided at no cost to eligible clients through four neighborhood offices in Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick) and Queens (Jamaica).

Product overview

Build Up Justice NYC (formerly Brooklyn Legal Services Corporation A) is a nonprofit legal services organization offering direct legal assistance to New Yorkers across multiple service categories. The organization operates as a unified legal aid practice providing services to distinct client populations: renters, homeowners, small businesses, nonprofits, taxpayers, domestic violence survivors, and individuals needing wills and estates assistance. The services are delivered through four physical locations in Brooklyn and Queens (Williamsburg, Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, and Jamaica) and are provided at no cost to eligible clients. The organization is structured as a single integrated legal services practice rather than a platform with separate modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Renters Legal Services Free legal representation and advocacy for NYC renters, including eviction prevention, tenant advocacy, rent stabilization support, and assistance with landlord disputes and unsafe living conditions.
• Homeowners Legal Services Free legal assistance for NYC homeowners on mortgage issues, property disputes, homeownership support, and housing maintenance matters.
• Small Businesses Legal Services Free legal assistance for NYC small business owners, including contract review, business formation, storefront preservation, and commercial dispute support, delivered through the Community Economic Development team.
• Nonprofits & Community Organizations Legal Services Free legal support for nonprofit organizations and community groups, including incorporation, organizational compliance, nonprofit governance, and operational legal matters.
• Taxpayers Legal Services Free legal assistance for NYC taxpayers facing IRS disputes, property tax issues, and other tax-related legal matters.
• Survivors of Domestic Violence Legal Services Free specialized legal services for survivors of domestic violence, including protective orders, housing stability support, and related legal advocacy.
• Wills & Estates Legal Services Free legal services for estate planning, will creation, probate, and inheritance-related matters for eligible NYC residents.

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Legal Aid Society: The largest NYC civil legal services provider, offering free legal representation across housing, family, immigration, and public benefits. Direct peer in mission, funding model (grants/donations), and free-service delivery to low-income New Yorkers.
• New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): NYC-based nonprofit providing free civil legal services to vulnerable populations across housing, family, immigration, and consumer law. Closely comparable in operating model, client base, and multi-practice structure.
• Legal Services NYC: Citywide legal services network operating multiple neighborhood offices similar to BUJNYC's model. Directly comparable as a multi-borough free legal aid provider funded primarily through grants.
• Urban Justice Center: NYC nonprofit providing free legal services and advocacy across multiple issue areas including housing, homelessness, and economic justice. Comparable advocacy-plus-direct-service hybrid model.
• CAMBA Legal Services: Brooklyn-based nonprofit social services organization with legal services programming for low-income New Yorkers. Comparable geographic focus and integrated social-services-plus-legal model.
• Queens Legal Services: Queens-based legal aid office of Legal Services NYC, serving the same Jamaica-area population BUJNYC reaches. Directly overlapping geography and tenant-rights practice area.
• Mobilization for Justice: NYC nonprofit legal services organization focused on housing, elder law, disability rights, and consumer protection. Comparable in mission, free-service model, and advocacy orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Bronx Legal Services: Sister legal aid program under Legal Services NYC serving the Bronx. Comparable in practice mix (housing, family, public benefits) and nonprofit funding model, with broader institutional backing.
• Good Shepherd Services: Larger NYC nonprofit providing youth, family, and community-based services with embedded legal advocacy components. Comparable community-rooted, multi-site Brooklyn/Queens footprint.

Emerging players

• Center for Justice Innovation: NYC nonprofit piloting programs at the intersection of legal services, community, and criminal justice reform. Comparable audience of underserved New Yorkers with a programmatic and research orientation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bkalegal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BuildUpJusticeNYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/BrooklynLSCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/build-up-justice-nyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/bujnyc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brooklyn Legal Services