Cy pres is the legal doctrine that allows funds remaining after the distribution of a class action settlement to be given to a charitable organization (or more than one) whose mission dovetails with the original purpose of the case. Cy pres awards are an important source of funding for nonprofits and legal services, nurturing the growth of legal nonprofits serving marginalized communities.
Under the cy pres doctrine, courts can distribute these residual funds to appropriate charitable causes. While every case is different, individual counsel may nominate nonprofit organizations whose missions reflect the concerns of the case to receive unclaimed funds. In the event that cy pres funds are deemed appropriate for the National Women’s Law Center, our staff is available to assist in drafting the affidavit or letter to the court, making the case for the National Women’s Law Center to be designated a recipient.
If you have any questions about whether the National Women’s Law Center might be an appropriate cy pres recipient in a particular case, please contact Jenn Bixler, Director of External Affairs, at [email protected].