Partners for Women and Justice

What Partners for Women and Justice does

Partners for Women and Justice (legally DBA "Partners") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public interest law firm founded in 2002 by Jane M. Hanson and Grace Lozito, headquartered in Livingston, New Jersey. The organization provides free legal services — including court representation, "Know Your Rights" advice consultations, and pro bono attorney coordination — to low-income victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with cases pending in the New Jersey Family Court. Its geographic service area is intentionally restricted to five counties (Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union), and its case portfolio spans Final Restraining Orders, Final Protective Orders (including VASPA matters), modifications, custody, safe visitation, child support, and relocation, with bilingual (English/Spanish) intake and LGBTQ+ and immigrant-specific programming.

The firm's product surface is fully human-delivered; no technology platform or software product is offered. Core programs include staff attorney representation, a structured Pro Bono Attorney Program with CLE-accredited training, bilingual video tutorials hosted on Teams/Zoom, and Safety Planning educational resources. The business model is a nonprofit funding stack comprising: (1) restricted and unrestricted grants from NJ state agencies (IOLTA, NJ DCF Division on Women, NJ AG Office of Victim Witness Advocacy) and private foundations (Healthcare Foundation of NJ, Provident Bank Foundation, Montclair Foundation, Investors Foundation, NJ Pandemic Relief Fund); (2) individual donations via online, mail, stock, planned giving, and payroll channels; and (3) fundraising events, principally an annual Spring Benefit featuring tiered sponsorships. All client-facing legal services are provided at zero cost to qualifying low-income survivors.

Partners pursues a parallel advocacy agenda, submitting amicus briefs in cases such as CR v. MT (2021) — where the NJ Supreme Court adopted its position on affirmative consent under SASPA — and supporting statutory reforms like the Matsikoudis Bill. The organization is led by Executive Director Leslie K. Brown, with a senior team including Director of Legal Programs Michele C. Lefkowitz, Esq., Director of Pro Bono Programs Lisa Nichole Roskos, Esq., Director of Administration and Finance Patricia B. Connor, and Operations Manager Amanda Laski, governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Michael A. Kaplan, Esq. of Lowenstein Sandler LLP. Since founding, Partners reports serving over 4,000 victims; recent reporting shows 259 clients, 344 children served, and 349 matters resolved.

Name

Partners for Women and Justice

Legal name

Partners for Women and Justice

Website

https://partnersnj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Partners for Women and Justice is a New Jersey nonprofit public interest law firm founded in 2002 that provides free legal representation and advice to low-income domestic violence and sexual assault survivors with cases in five NJ county Family Courts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Victim Services & Witness Assistance (Justice System) (BPAIAFAJ)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Domestic violence advocacy
• Sexual assault representation
• Pro bono legal programs
• Nonprofit law firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Partners accepts donations through online portals, mail, stock donations, matching gifts, legacy gifts, payroll deductions, and Donor Advised Funds. Registered to solicit in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
2. Grant Funding: Partners receives grant funding from foundations and government entities including IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey, New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Division on Women, New Jersey Attorney General's Office of Victim Witness Advocacy, The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, The Provident Bank Foundation, Montclair Foundation, Investors Foundation, and New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund.
3. Event Sponsorships: Spring Benefit events feature sponsorship tiers (Amethyst, Platinum, Gold, Silver) and ticket sales. The 2026 Spring Benefit will be held at Glen Ridge Country Club.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Partners for Women and Justice is a nonprofit public interest law firm that provides free legal services to low-income victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with cases pending in New Jersey Family Court. Core offerings include full legal representation, "Know Your Rights" consultations, and a structured Pro Bono Attorney Program delivering counsel for Final Restraining Orders, Final Protective Orders, modifications, custody, safe visitation, child support, and relocation cases across five New Jersey counties.

Product overview

Partners (formerly Partners for Women and Justice) is a nonprofit public interest law firm offering free legal services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims in New Jersey. The core offering consists of legal representation and 'Know Your Rights' consultations provided through staff attorneys and a Pro Bono Attorney Program. The organization operates across five New Jersey counties (Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union) and complements its legal services with educational video tutorials and safety planning resources. No technology product or software platform is offered—the organization provides direct legal aid services rather than a software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Victims represented by an attorney are 10 times more likely to obtain protective orders than unrepresented victims
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Seton Hall Law School Center for Social JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner that co-authored the COVID-19 and Domestic Violence report with Partners and McCarter & English, LLP.
• McCarter & English, LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm providing pro bono support and legal assistance on COVID report. Represents Partners in amicus briefs including CR v. MT case before NJ Supreme Court alongside NJ Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• WomensLaw.org: National nonprofit providing legal information and resources to survivors of DV and sexual assault. Comparable as a survivor-focused legal information provider, though primarily self-help rather than direct representation.
• The Network/La Red: Boston-based nonprofit providing shelter, advocacy, and legal resources specifically for LGBTQ+ survivors of domestic violence. Comparable as a niche survivor legal advocacy organization serving marginalized DV populations.
• New Jersey Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NJCADV): Statewide coalition of DV service providers in New Jersey that partners with Partners on amicus briefs and statewide policy. Comparable mission on NJ domestic violence advocacy with overlapping funder ecosystem and policy influence.
• Casa de Esperanza: National nonprofit focused on DV advocacy and resources for Latine communities. Comparable as a culturally specialized DV advocacy organization with bilingual services, similar to Partners' Spanish-language survivor work.

Direct peers

• Sanctuary for Families: New York-based nonprofit providing legal representation and social services to domestic violence and human trafficking survivors. Closely comparable service model: free legal advocacy in family/civil court, multilingual staff, and trauma-informed approach for DV/SA survivors.
• Legal Aid Society of New York: Large nonprofit legal services organization providing free civil legal aid to low-income clients in New York. Comparable as a mission-driven, grant-funded legal aid organization serving vulnerable populations through staff attorneys and pro bono partnerships.
• Safe Horizon: Large NYC-based nonprofit serving survivors of DV, sexual assault, and human trafficking with legal advocacy, counseling, and court-based services. Comparable as a comprehensive survivor-services nonprofit offering in-court representation and policy advocacy.
• DV LEAP (Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Advocacy Project): National nonprofit focused on legal empowerment and systemic advocacy for domestic violence survivors, including amicus work in state and federal courts. Comparable through its emphasis on legal representation combined with appellate and legislative advocacy.
• New Jersey Legal Services: Statewide nonprofit legal aid provider in New Jersey serving low-income residents with civil legal issues. Directly comparable as a NJ-based legal aid organization with similar funding model (IOLTA, government grants) and overlapping client base.

Regional players

• Center for Safety and Change: Rockland County, NY-based nonprofit providing DV/SA services including legal advocacy, counseling, and court accompaniment in the lower Hudson Valley region. Comparable as a regional survivor-services nonprofit with court representation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PartnersforWomenandJustice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/partnersforwomenandjustice
• Instagraminstagram.com/partnersforwomenandjustice

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Partners for Women and Justice