Most Trusted

Open Hands Legal Services

New York, NY

Legal Services Leadership Training Support Services Advocacy

About Open Hands Legal Services

Open Hands Legal Services' mission is to uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed in New York. We bring free legal services directly to community members at host non-profit organizations throughout the city. We break down the legal barriers to their success, enabling them to flourish and embody the full persons they are intended to be.

What “Most Trusted” Means

Most Trusted is our highest designation, reflecting the full convergence of Christian stewardship, public transparency, and independently confirmed operational excellence. This ministry has been verified against all fifteen criteria of The Most Trusted Standard — every standard in our framework, across all four pillars of faith foundation, financial integrity, governance, and transparency.

Beyond meeting our baseline standards and demonstrating comprehensive public accountability, this ministry has been independently evaluated against rigorous nonprofit performance benchmarks and confirmed to operate at the highest standard in its sector.

What We've Verified

This ministry has been verified against 15 of 15 criteria in The Most Trusted Standard.

Faith Foundation

Christian Statement of Faith Affirms a clear, public statement of faith aligned with historic orthodox Christian doctrine. Verified
Biblical Mission and Stewardship Operates with a mission explicitly grounded in Christian principles and biblical stewardship of resources entrusted to it. Verified
Christian Accountability Maintains accountability to recognized standards of Christian financial integrity and ministry stewardship. Verified

Financial Integrity

Independent Financial Review Undergoes annual independent financial audit, review, or compilation appropriate to organizational size and complexity. Verified
Reasonable Compensation Practices Discloses executive compensation and demonstrates compensation practices appropriate to the organization's size, scope, and sector. Verified
Donor Intent Honored Honors donor intent on designated and restricted gifts, ensuring contributions are used as donors directed. Verified

Governance and Leadership

Independent Governing Board Operates under an independent governing board with a majority of members who are not staff, related to staff, or otherwise compromised in independence. Verified
Documented Conflict-of-Interest Policies Maintains and follows documented conflict-of-interest policies to protect the organization and those it serves. Verified
No Outstanding Concerns Shows no unresolved regulatory, legal, or accountability concerns that would compromise donor trust. Verified

Transparency and Effectiveness

Truthful Communications Communicates truthfully and accurately in fundraising appeals, public communications, and donor reporting. Verified
Active Program Activity Consistent with Mission Demonstrates active program activity consistent with the organization's stated mission and purpose. Verified
Comprehensive Public Financial Disclosure Makes complete financial records and Form 990 (or applicable equivalent) accessible to the public through recognized third-party platforms. Verified
Public Governance and Program Reporting Publicly discloses board composition, key leadership, and detailed program information so donors can see how the organization is run and what it does. Verified
Full Suite of Governance Policies Maintains and discloses a complete framework of governance policies, including whistleblower and document-retention policies in addition to conflict-of-interest protections. Verified
Independent Performance Evaluation Has undergone independent evaluation of financial efficiency, program spending, and operational performance against rigorous sector benchmarks, with results confirming performance at the highest standard. Verified

Open Hands Legal Services meets all 15 of our standards — our highest designation.