Thousands of North Carolinians in rural counties at risk of losing a fair shot at justice
RALEIGH, N.C. (Oct. 21, 2025) — Legal Aid of North Carolina, the state’s largest nonprofit law firm, announced today that it will close its Rocky Mount office following a statewide freeze on one of its key funding sources — the North Carolina Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program.
The Rocky Mount office has long served families across Edgecombe, Greene, Lenoir, Nash, Wayne and Wilson counties, providing critical legal help to veterans, seniors, survivors of domestic violence, and families recovering from disasters. The closure means thousands of North Carolinians in eastern North Carolina will lose access to legal protections that safeguard their homes, safety and livelihoods.
For more than 20 years, Legal Aid of North Carolina has made access to justice in rural areas a key priority. It is the only law firm that helps North Carolinians in all 100 counties.
“When Legal Aid defends families, protects seniors and gives veterans a fair chance, we’re living out the values that make North Carolina strong,” said Ashley Campbell, CEO of Legal Aid of North Carolina.
“In places like Rocky Mount, we have stood with people working hard to rebuild their lives after loss — survivors of domestic violence seeking safety, veterans navigating the benefits they earned through service, seniors protecting their independence, and families recovering from disasters like Hurricane Helene,” Campbell said. “When we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we promise liberty and justice for all. Our flag reminds us of that promise every day. This is what IOLTA funds are for — making those words real for every North Carolinian. We are deeply disappointed that we cannot use those funds to serve the people in Nash County who deserve fairness and protection under the law.”
Legal Aid of North Carolina will lose approximately $6.3 million in IOLTA funding due to the freeze.
Established nearly 50 years ago, IOLTA was created to promote justice through the private legal sector, allowing interest earned on lawyers’ client trust accounts to fund civil legal aid for people who need it most. The program reflects a simple, shared principle: fairness and opportunity should be available to all, regardless of income.
In recent months, IOLTA funding has become caught up in broader political debates, but Legal Aid of North Carolina does not engage in political activity and remains solely focused on providing legal help to neighbors, veterans, seniors and families across the state.
In fiscal year 2024–25, IOLTA funding made possible $5 million in disaster-related legal services and more than 3,000 protective orders for victims of domestic violence and their children. Without IOLTA funding, Legal Aid of North Carolina estimates that thousands of North Carolinians — including veterans, seniors, survivors of domestic violence and disaster victims — will go unserved. Rural areas will be hardest hit, with 48 of North Carolina’s 100 counties already considered “legal deserts.”
“We have had an office in Rocky Mount for many years,” said Ayanda Meachem, managing attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Wilson, Goldsboro and Rocky Mount offices. “This closure represents the loss of a physical presence in a rural community we’ve been proud to serve. We remain committed to supporting Rocky Mount residents through remote services and partnerships with other organizations.”
###
Want to help us close the funding gap caused by the IOLTA freeze? Click here to make a difference.