Organization Info

Mission

PLSE provides free legal advice and representation to low-income Philadelphia residents whose criminal records are holding them back from achieving their social and career potentials. PLSE seeks a more equitable social environment for those with criminal records through individual representation, strategic litigation, community education, research and advocacy. PLSE does this by seeking expungements in criminal court and pardons from the Governor; educating elected, business, and community leaders; empowering and organizing under-resourced communities; and leading legislative, administrative and systemic reform.

Origins

PLSE was founded in 2010 by three Philadelphia-based civil rights lawyers – Ryan Allen Hancock, Michael Hollander, and Michael Lee – who wanted to create an alternative model that brought legal services directly into the communities most affected by criminal history record information and other social justice inequities. At the time, Ryan was Assistant Chief Counsel with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Mike Hollander was a Skadden Fellow with Community Legal Services (CLS), and Mike Lee was a criminal defense attorney not long out of Drexel University’s Law School.

The idea for PLSE was summarized in a grant proposal submitted by the Philadelphia Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild in November 2009 and signed by Ryan:

“Criminal records present a significant obstacle to employment for thousands of Philadelphians. Because of structural and cultural inequities, a criminal history disadvantages people of color and the poor. We hope to reduce the effect of these records through efforts on four fronts:

 

1. Educational seminars including “know your rights” training and information on how to clean up a criminal record.

2. CLEs to train attorneys in Philadelphia to perform pardons and expungements.

3. Direct service work to prepare and file expungement petitions for Philadelphians.

4. Political advocacy work to reduce the impact of criminal records through an expansion of the expungement statutes. 

We aim to complete these goals through the support of the legal community and those affected by criminal records.”

Documents

History of PLSE
First Funding Request, to the Phoebus Fund, Bread and Roses (November 2009)
Articles of Incorporation (August 2011)
IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter (April 2012)
PA Certificate of Registration (Current)
IRS Form 990s for Fiscal Years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Independent Auditor’s Financial Reports on Fiscal Years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

PLSE Privacy Policy

Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, hereafter known as “PLSE” (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or interact with our services, including our mobile messaging program.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Contact Information: Name, email address, and physical address.
Mobile Information: Phone number and opt-in consent data.
Transaction Data: Information related to donations or service inquiries.
2. SMS Terms & Consent (TCR Compliance)

If you choose to provide your mobile phone number to Uplift Solutions, you are opting in to receive SMS text messages from us.

Consent: By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from Uplift Solutions. Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Mobile information will not be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
Usage: We use SMS for 1-to-1 communication regarding your service inquiries and updates on our programs, food security initiatives, and community services.
Opt-Out: You can cancel the SMS service at any time. Just text “STOP” to our short code or long-code number. After you send the SMS message “STOP” to us, we will send you an SMS message to confirm that you have been unsubscribed.
Help: If you are experiencing issues with the messaging program, you can reply with the keyword “HELP” for more assistance.
Frequency: Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply.
3. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or lease our customer lists to third parties. We may share data with trusted partners to help perform statistical analysis, send you email or postal mail, or provide customer support.

Important: As noted in Section 2, no mobile information or SMS opt-in consent data will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.

4. Data Security

We secure your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure using industry-standard encryption and security protocols.

5. Contact Information

Uplift Solutions welcomes your questions or comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. Email: info@plsephilly.org

Address:  2221 W Venango St. Philadelphia, PA 19140
Phone: 1-833-875-4389
Email: info@plsephilly.org