Thomas Jefferson School of Law
76% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego, California, registered in 1996, with $9,727,830 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 76% of spending to programs.
701 B Street, San Diego, CA, 92101 EIN 33-0696561 Since 1996
Revenue (FY2024)
$9.7M
▲ 22.2% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$8.3M
Net assets
$13.5M
Employees
120
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
B+Program efficiency40% of the rating76% to programs · $0 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Thomas Jefferson School of Law: 76% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating19 mo reserves · +14% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Thomas Jefferson School of Law: 19 mo reserves · +14% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Thomas Jefferson School of Law: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Thomas Jefferson School of Law: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
Our mission is to provide an outstanding legal education for a nationally based, diverse student body. we offer students the opportunity to be exposed to many views, life experiences and cultures.
Contact & location
- Address
- 701 B Street, San Diego, CA, 92101
- City
- San Diego
- State
- California
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Support Foundations & Fundraising
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $44.8M (FY2013) to $9.7M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $7.2MNet assets $13.5M
Operating margin
14.3%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$20.7M
Total liabilities
$7.2M
Net assets
$13.5M
Salaries & benefits
$3.1M
37% of expenses
Board members
11
10 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,727,830▲22.2% | $8,334,517▲1.4% | $13,489,116▲13.0% | $20,725,673▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $7,962,114▼9.6% | $8,220,672▼4.7% | $11,934,406▼0.9% | $19,386,319 | 990 |
| 2022 | $8,811,178▼16.5% | $8,626,270▼11.2% | $12,039,859▲2.4% | $19,387,943 | 990 |
| 2021 | $10,556,620▼3.5% | $9,717,915▲2.7% | $11,760,448▲6.6% | $19,392,645▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2020 | $10,934,799▼9.2% | $9,466,428▼25.4% | $11,033,099▲16.6% | $18,601,519▲4.5% | 990 |
| 2019 | $12,045,016▼36.7% | $12,690,234▼24.5% | $9,463,261▼6.2% | $17,802,285▼2.1% | 990 |
| 2018 | $19,018,631▼77.8% | $16,817,899▼43.2% | $10,093,121▲28.2% | $18,187,663▲32.8% | 990 |
| 2017 | $85,793,194▲173% | $29,612,793▼2.7% | $7,874,334▲116% | $13,700,057▼32.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $31,387,997▼9.1% | $30,442,357▼5.3% | -$48,326,893▲2.0% | $20,239,761▼9.6% | 990 |
| 2015 | $34,527,818▼9.7% | $32,144,263▼12.9% | -$49,294,041▲4.6% | $22,397,096▲38.8% | 990 |
| 2014 | $38,248,848▼14.7% | $36,914,323▼68.3% | -$51,677,596▲1.0% | $16,132,917▼80.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $44,842,738 | $116,431,266▲137% | -$52,190,157▼369% | $81,470,023▼47.8% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $49,165,042▼3.7% | $19,398,371▲4.8% | $156,070,026▼0.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $51,034,447▲19.0% | $18,508,728▲4.5% | $157,513,312▼2.8% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $42,884,477▲32.0% | $17,712,110▲22.2% | $162,118,911▲0.7% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $32,498,092 | $14,488,931 | $160,974,037 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Steven Semeraro — $138,882 (1.67% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Semeraro | Professor of Law & Associate Dean For Academic Affairs | 40 | $138,882 |
| Linda Keller | President (start 06/30/2025) & Dean | 40 | $127,717 |
| Nancy Vu | Vice President/cfo/treasurer | 40 | $126,521 |
| Ally Templin | Professor of Law | 40 | $102,769 |
| Kenneth Vandevelde | President (1/1/24 - 6/30/24) | 40 | $97,946 |
| Dawn J Dekle | Dean & President (07/01/2024-05/31/2025) | 40 | $73,077 |
| Karin Sherr | General Counsel & Vice President | 40 | $55,307 |
| Randy M Grossman Esq | Chairman | 1 | $16,800 |
| Brandon White | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Bryant Garth | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Chad Engbrecht Esq | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Deane Logan Esq | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Hon Renee Stackhouse | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kendall Levan Esq | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Lindsay Petitte | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Randy K Jones Esq | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Richard Sheridan Esq | Trustee (thru 5/25) | 1 | — |
| Sammy Rihan Esq | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Victor Vilaplana Esq | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2015)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Kirby Noonan Lance & Hoge LLP | Legal | $121,644 |
| Foley & Lardner LLP | Legal | $104,194 |
Grants received · $10K total
1 grant to Thomas Jefferson School of Law totaling $10K, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2014 | $10,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Thomas Jefferson School of Law a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 33-0696561, based in San Diego, California. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Thomas Jefferson School of Law's EIN?
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 33-0696561.
- How much revenue does Thomas Jefferson School of Law report?
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law reported $9,727,830 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Thomas Jefferson School of Law's spending goes to programs?
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law spends about 76% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Thomas Jefferson School of Law have?
- CharityIndex grades Thomas Jefferson School of Law A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Thomas Jefferson School of Law's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Thomas Jefferson School of Law's latest Form 990 is $138,882, paid to Steven Semeraro (Professor of Law & Associate Dean For Academic Affairs).
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Data for Thomas Jefferson School of Law (EIN 33-0696561) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.