Category: Media release

MURPHY— Jim Holloway has retired from Legal Aid of North Carolina after serving continuously in legal aid work in the state for more than 40 years, most recently as senior managing attorney in Legal Aid NC’s Murphy and Hayesville offices.

Holloway is well known in the community at large in Western North Carolina. Last month, the Clay County Progress published a story about his retirement on its front page, with quotes of praise from everyone from the Clay County Manager to a former client, social workers, and an educator.

Why did he stay in legal aid work for his whole career, when some young attorneys submit to a time of public service and then are attracted elsewhere?

Holloway said it goes back to core values and how you choose to spend your time. “It sounds sappy, but I learned a lot in Sunday school, and I believed it,” Holloway said.

Holloway said that when he graduated from law school in 1975, he “wasn’t of a mind to start a traditional law practice.” Instead, he kicked off his career by serving a year as a VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) attorney in the Anchorage office of Alaska Legal Services. For Holloway, Alaska also held the lure of adventure. He developed a love of cross-country skiing there.

After his VISTA year he continued working for Alaska Legal Services, serving the native population in the Bristol Bay area, which consisted of small villages and towns reachable mainly by small plane.

In 1978, Holloway returned to his native North Carolina and joined Eastern Cherokee Legal Services as a staff attorney. That organization later became Western North Carolina Legal Services (WNCLS), the predecessor of the Sylva office of Legal Aid of North Carolina. Holloway achieved promotion to co-executive director of WNCLS.

Larry Nestler, currently a part-time senior managing attorney for Legal Aid NC, worked together with Holloway every day “for a long time,” according to Nestler.

As Nestler tells it, Holloway became an expert in complex cases, including jurisdiction relating to tribal affairs, truth in lending, and many kinds of consumer cases. Nestler remarked that Holloway was extremely thorough on behalf of every client, whether the case was complex or not, and whether the monetary amount in controversy was large or small.

“Jim would not have been able to practice that way if he were in private practice, where greater resources go to the potentially larger pay-offs,” Nestler said.

In the courtroom, Holloway was very calm and collected “even when opposing counsel was acting like a rear-end,” according to Nestler. Nestler said he would get irritated and would urge Holloway not to let the asininity go. But Holloway would always handle it calmly. He also had a reputation among his co-workers for helping clients deemed difficult by most others on staff.

In 2002, Holloway secured funding to open a Legal Aid NC office in Hayesville. From that office he served Legal Aid’s mission in Clay, Cherokee, and Graham counties for almost 20 years.

Holloway continually developed his expertise in consumer law and became a resource on the subject for Legal Aid attorneys across the state. According to Nestler, Holloway spent long nights doing research and built long pleadings that left nothing to chance. “He would wear the other side out,” Nestler said. “They would settle, and Jim’s client would get almost everything demanded.”

In 2017, the North Carolina Bar Association awarded Holloway the Deborah Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award. Judge Donna Forga of the 30^th Judicial District wrote one of the recommendation letters in support of the award. Forga recalled that Holloway had mentored her. She said that she, now as a judge, enjoyed the opportunity to see Holloway accompany young attorneys into her courtroom, offering tips and directions “while modeling patience and professionalism in dealing with difficult opposing counsel.”

Nestler doesn’t foresee Holloway actually “retiring” in the sense of not working. “People will still call him for help, and so he will,” said Nestler.

Holloway confessed he doesn’t know right now what his retirement will look like. “It’s pretty darned nice not to have any responsibilities other than Medicare, insurance, and so on,” he said. He said that for the time being, he plans to get in touch with old friends and spend more time with his grandchildren.

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About

Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity. Learn more at legalaidnc.org. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Need legal help? Call 1-866-219-5262 (toll-free) or apply online at legalaidnc.org/apply.

Our Smoky Mountain Offices, located in Sylva and Murphy, serve Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Territory. Follow us on Facebook.

Media Contact

Bryan Alexander, Legal Aid of North Carolina, 404-273-3104, bryana@legalaidnc.org

Category: Media release

After 20 years of service as the founding President and Executive Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina, George R. Hausen, Jr., recently announced that he will retire in the summer of 2022.

“Leaving Legal Aid is truly bittersweet for me,” Hausen said. “My 20 years here have been the most meaningful of my career. The passion, dedication and tirelessness of my colleagues – not to mention the resiliency and courage of our clients – inspires me daily. I will miss being surrounded by the best of what humanity has to offer. I also know that now is the time for new leadership. Legal Aid is better positioned than ever before to make a real, meaningful difference in the lives of North Carolinians in need. The organization deserves a new leader with a vision for what it can become over the next 20 years. I am excited for that future and hope that all of our supporters are too.”

Under Hausen’s visionary leadership:

Legal Aid grew from a $13 million organization with 220 staff into the powerhouse it is today. With its current staff of 475 and its operating budget of $38 million, Legal Aid is one of the largest human-service nonprofits in North Carolina, the fourth largest law firm in the state, and one of the largest civil legal aid organizations in the country.
Legal Aid launched innovative projects aimed at providing holistic services to its clients, including the NC Navigator Consortium, which helps enroll North Carolinians in affordable health insurance on HealthCare.gov; the NC Medicaid Ombudsman, which serves as the advocate for beneficiaries in North Carolina Medicaid’s new Managed Care system; and the Disaster Relief Project, which helps vulnerable households prepare for, respond to and recover from ruinous natural disasters.
Legal Aid served 800,000 households since its launch in 2002. By employing innovative strategies, like establishing the Central Intake Unit to standardize client intake across the state, launching a statewide client helpline and online intake application, and maximizing the use of the latest technology to deliver free legal-education and self-help materials to the client community, Hausen ensured that Legal Aid advocates could deliver the most impactful service to those who need it most.

“It’s hard to imagine Legal Aid of North Carolina without George,” said Gonzalo E. Frias, Chair of Legal Aid’s Board of Directors. “Heading into our 20^th anniversary year, the organization is the strongest it has ever been – and that is due in large part to George’s steady, tireless and innovative leadership. Under his direction, the organization has evolved from merely a law firm into the full-scope human-services juggernaut for the poor that it is today. He leaves his successor with giant shoulders to stand on.”

In preparation for Hausen’s retirement, Legal Aid’s Board of Directors has engaged Armstrong McGuire & Associates to lead an Executive Transition Management process. A transition and search committee has been formed and is led by longtime Legal Aid board member Reid C. “Cal” Adams, Jr., Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson in Winston-Salem; and Vice Chair of Legal Aid’s board of directors, Ashley Campbell, director of Campbell Law’s Community Law Clinic and Of Counsel at Ragsdale Liggett PLLC in Raleigh.

About Legal Aid of North Carolina

Category: Media release

← Back to Housing

RALEIGH – Global law firm Baker McKenzie, in partnership with Legal Aid of North Carolina and Bank of America, is pleased to announce the publication of the North Carolina Homeless Youth Handbook, an online resource designed to empower young people to understand their legal rights and take action to build safe, stable futures with North Carolina-specific information.

Nearly 500 unaccompanied youth were identified as living on their own and without consistent access to shelter in North Carolina in 2020. In North Carolina schools, nearly 35,000 students are estimated to be experiencing some form of homelessness, and their struggles have been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Handbook is an online resource written in plain-language and in a youth-friendly question-and-answer format to ensure young people can use it themselves. The resource will be shared with schools, libraries, public agencies, social advocates, and others throughout North Carolina.

“Homeless children are among the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Hope Williams, an attorney with Legal Aid of North Carolina. “It is critical that those who have the ability to help these children do everything they can to educate them about their rights and connect them to resources that can help stabilize their lives. The Homeless Youth Handbook is a powerful tool for homeless children and their advocates, and we at Legal Aid are proud to have contributed to its development.”

About 75 volunteers donated more than 1,000 hours of pro bono effort to research, write, and edit the handbook, which covers topics including education, domestic and dating violence, healthcare, and more. Organizations that supported the effort include Bank of America, ACLU of North Carolina, Disability Rights North Carolina, North Carolina Office of the Juvenile Defender, Wake County Public Defender’s Office, Equality North Carolina, and the North Carolina Guardian ad Litem Program.

Baker McKenzie has partnered with other organizations to produce 11 handbooks in 10 states and Washington D.C. Learn more here.

“Housing is the most basic structural need for everyday life, and the lack of a stable home fuels many social and economic challenges that our communities face. We welcome the opportunity to work with our organizational partners to release The Homeless Youth Handbook. This project demonstrates how collaboration among in-house counsel, non-profits and law firms can exponentially increase assistance to those in need, particularly the most vulnerable among us during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Colin Murray, North America Chief Executive Officer at Baker McKenzie.

“Through partnerships like this, we provide youth in the US, and their advocates, with clear guidance on young people’s legal rights,” added Jaclyn Pampel, Baker McKenzie Pro Bono Partner and one of the leads of this effort. “Thank you to the talented teams at Legal Aid of North Carolina and Bank of America, and to all of our supporting partners, for their collaboration on this important project.”

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About Baker McKenzie

Baker McKenzie helps clients overcome the challenges of competing in the global economy. We solve complex legal problems across borders and practice areas. Our unique culture, developed over 70 years, enables our 13,000 people to understand local markets and navigate multiple jurisdictions, working together as trusted colleagues and friends to instill confidence in our clients. (www.bakermckenzie.com)

About Legal Aid of North Carolina

Category: Media release

WILSON—The nation’s largest philanthropic organization dedicated solely to health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, announced on October 26 that Rocky Mount is one of 10 U.S. communities to receive its 2020-2021 Culture of Health Prize, which “honors and elevates communities at the forefront of advancing health, opportunity, and equity for all.”

The Transforming Rocky Mount partnership, which addresses social determinants of health in the city, “received extensive attention” from the foundation’s selection team during the review process, said Susan Perry Cole, President and CEO of the Rocky Mount-based North Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations. Perry Cole’s group, along with the Opportunities Industrialization Center of Rocky Mount, the Southeast Rocky Mount Community Organization and our Wilson office, make up the partnership.

Transforming Rocky Mount works in low-income African American communities to support residents’ efforts to address non-medical issues – particularly housing and poverty – that contribute to the high prevalence of chronic disease and depression in these communities.

“Transforming Rocky Mount is dedicated to improving health by tackling the types of problems that may not be apparent to doctors, such as substandard housing, poverty and the racial segregation that exacerbates both,” Ayanda Meachem, head of our Wilson office, said.

“By working together to attack poor health from all angles, we can make a real difference in the lives of the citizens of Rocky Mount. We are honored that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has recognized our work,” Meachem said.

Transforming Rocky Mount is funded in part by the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation and the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust.

Links

Category: Media release

← Back to Housing

RALEIGH — Tenants in North Carolina who are facing eviction or struggling with other housing issues have a new, easier way to get free legal help.

As of yesterday, North Carolinians in all 100 counties can call 1-877-201-6426 (toll-free) to connect directly to our newly expanded team of housing lawyers, paralegals and outreach workers. The Housing Helpline is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

“Tenants facing eviction or struggling with other housing problems no longer have to call our general Helpline, which has been overwhelmed with callers since the start of the pandemic,” said Scheree M. Gilchrist, managing attorney of our Central Intake Unit, which runs the helplines.

“Our new Housing Helpline allows tenants to bypass the general queue, avoid long hold times and quickly reach our housing specialists,” Gilchrist said. “We are in the middle of an eviction crisis and evictions move fast in North Carolina. We don’t want families being put out on the street because they couldn’t reach us in time.”

While we are launching the Housing Helpline largely in response to the COVID-related eviction crisis, the helpline is available to tenants with any housing issue, including problems with repairs and maintenance, housing vouchers, public housing, mobile homes, rental assistance programs and other issues.

The Housing Helpline is part of our new 88-county eviction diversion program, which boosts services to residents of traditionally underserved, largely rural counties in our state. The new program serves the same 88 counties covered by the North Carolina Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program, which provides rent and utility assistance to struggling tenants.

While we have always handled eviction cases in these 88 counties, new funding from the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency has allowed us to increase our services in these areas. With the new funding, we have hired more lawyers, paralegals and outreach workers to provide more holistic services to tenants. In addition to the core legal services we have always provided—legal advice and representation—the new program allows us to dedicate more resources to negotiating with landlords and helping tenants resolve any barriers to receiving rental assistance from HOPE and other programs.

A partnership with the HOPE Program is an integral part of our new eviction diversion effort. We will receive referrals directly from HOPE, educate tenants and landlords about how the program works, negotiate with landlords who do not want to accept HOPE funds, and represent tenants in court when the landlord chooses to pursue an eviction rather than accept the HOPE funds or after accepting rental assistance.

“We are excited about this partnership with HOPE,” Peter Gilbert, the head of the new eviction diversion program, said. “Legal assistance and rental assistance are both often necessary to keeping people in their homes. By working together, Legal Aid NC and HOPE can make sure that all the necessary elements come together to prevent eviction and keep families off the street.”

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About

Media contact

Sean Driscoll, Director of Public Relations, 919-856-2132, seand@legalaidnc.org

Category: Media release

← Back to We are launching our "Stop the Cycle" campaign against abuse, assault and exploitation

RALEIGH—Legal Aid of North Carolina has launched the StopTheCycleNC campaign to raise awareness of the key role legal representation plays in ending the cycle of abuse for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, as well as seniors who have experienced financial exploitation. StopTheCycleNC.org educates users about what constitutes abuse, assault and exploitation, and the legal resources and support available to help victims break free from their abusers. From StopTheCycleNC.org, victims can call Legal Aid NC for help or connect to Legal Aid NC’s online application to start the intake process. Digital and radio advertising will start later this month and run through the holidays, when reports of abuse are known to increase. For more information, visit StopTheCycleNC.org.

Abuse, assault and exploitation can take many different forms, victimizing someone of any race, age, gender, sexuality, religion, education level or economic status. Victims are often repeatedly abused by an intimate partner, exploited by someone they trust or trapped in inhumane or illegal conditions at jobs they need for income. Escaping an abusive situation can become complicated between family members, for example, when the abuser is an intimate partner and children are involved, or when someone who holds power of attorney is using their position to defraud an elderly relative. Victims are even more reluctant to take action when they do not understand their rights, have little support and lack financial resources.

Rooted in more than 40 years of experience, Legal Aid NC has provided legal assistance to any victim of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, regardless of income or immigration status. Through its Senior Law Project, Legal Aid NC helps senior citizens who have been financially exploited. Legal Aid NC also helps clients with unemployment and government benefits, access to housing and family law services for child custody issues.

“When victims are finally ready to stop the cycle of victimization, Legal Aid NC is a partner in empowerment,” said TeAndra Miller, project manager of Legal Aid NC’s Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Project. “Our process may start with helping them obtain a protective order or legal document to protect their assets and children, but we go far beyond with services that can help them achieve stability and a path to independence.”

As an independent organization, Legal Aid NC is not affiliated with the government, district attorney offices or social services. They can help any North Carolina resident regardless of where they live, even if there is no Legal Aid NC office near them. Legal Aid NC’s ability to help victims is not impacted by the pandemic, or whether or not courts are open.

Legal Aid NC’s Stop the Cycle campaign and the services it promotes are funded in part by the Governor’s Crime Commission, the chief advisory body on crime and justice issues to North Carolina’s Governor and Secretary of Public Safety.

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Media contact: Sean Driscoll, Director of Public Relations, 919-856-2132, seand@legalaidnc.org

Category: Media release

← Back to Disaster Relief

A toll-free legal aid hotline is now available for survivors of Tropical Storm Fred in North Carolina. Disaster Legal Services, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership between the North Carolina Bar Association and Foundation, Legal Aid of North Carolina, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Low-income survivors with disaster-related legal questions may call the disaster legal assistance hotline at 1-866-219-5262 ext. 2657. Callers should identify that they are seeking storm-related legal assistance, ask for Disaster Legal Services assistance, and identify the county in which they are located. Survivors who qualify for assistance will be matched with North Carolina lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal help.

Examples of legal assistance available include:

• Assistance with securing FEMA and other benefits available to disaster survivors

• Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims

• Help with home repair contracts and contractors

• Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster

• Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures

• Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems

• Counseling on landlord/tenant problems

The hotline is available weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with North Carolina lawyers who have volunteered to provide free, limited legal help. Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where fees are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases will be referred to the North Carolina Lawyer Referral Service at 800-662-7660.

Major Disaster Declaration

A total of three North Carolina counties have been approved to receive federal assistance in the wake of Tropical Storm Fred. The counties are Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania (additional counties may be added later).

People who sustained property damage as a result of Tropical Storm Fred are urged to register with FEMA, as they may be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance. People can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via smartphone or Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 (TTY) from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Tropical Storm Fred survivors are also encouraged to call the FEMA hotline to report their damage. Other resources may be found on www.legalaidnc.org/disaster.

Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are available for eligible applicants. SBA helps businesses of all sizes (including landlords), private nonprofit organizations, homeowners, and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or damaged personal property. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries.

For more information, individuals may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.

For more information on North Carolina’s recovery, visit the disaster Web page at https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4617, Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website at http://www.ncdps.gov/.

Beware of Fraud

Both FEMA and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office are warning North Carolina residentsof the risk of fraud and common scams in the wake of the severe weather. Common post-disaster fraud practices include phony housing inspectors, fraudulent building contractors, bogus pleas for disaster donations, and fake offers of state or federal aid. North Carolinians are urged to ask questions, and to require identification when someone claims to represent a government agency.

Survivors should also keep in mind that state and federal workers never ask for or accept money, and always carry identification badges with a photograph. There is no fee required to apply for or to receive disaster assistance from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), or the state. Additionally, no state or federal government disaster assistance agency will call to ask for your financial account information. Unless you place a call to the agency yourself, you should not provide personal information over the phone as it can lead to identity theft.

Those who suspect fraud can call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 (toll free). Complaints may also be made to the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Hotline at 877-566-7226.

Background

When the U.S. President declares a major disaster, FEMA, in cooperation with the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division, helps to establish a toll-free number for disaster survivors to request legal assistance. Funding for the toll-free line comes from FEMA under the authority of Section 415 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency assistance Act (Public Law 100-707). The American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division in turn partners with state bar associations and other legal organizations to recruit volunteer lawyers in affected areas to handle survivors’ cases. In North Carolina, the North Carolina Bar Association Young Lawyers Division partners with Legal Aid of North Carolina to offer a disaster legal services hotline that provides legal information and referrals for civil legal issues. Survivors should be aware that there are some limitations on disaster legal services. For example, assistance is not available for cases that will produce a fee (i.e., those cases where attorneys are paid part of the settlement by the court). Such cases are referred to the NC Lawyer Referral Service at 800-662-7660.

Partner Organizations

The following organizations have joined forces to establish a toll-free phone line for North Carolina Tropical Storm Fred survivors to request free legal assistance, and to provide volunteer attorneys to handle cases arising from hurricane related damage.

North Carolina Bar Association and Foundation – The North Carolina Bar Association is a voluntary organization of lawyers, paralegals and law students dedicated to serving the public and the legal profession. The North Carolina Bar Foundation provides support to the Disaster Legal Services pro bono project and North Carolina Bar Association volunteers. The NCBA Young Lawyers Division, often referred to as the service arm of the NCBA, is involved in a multitude of worthwhile projects and public service endeavors, including Disaster Legal Services.

Legal Aid of North Carolina – Legal aid of North Carolina is a statewide, non-profit law firm that provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in order to ensure access to justice and to remove legal barriers to economic opportunity.

American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division – The ABA YLD, the largest national organization of young lawyers, provides leadership in serving the public and the profession, and promotes excellence and fulfillment in the practice of law. Its parent organization, the ABA, is the national voice of the legal profession and one of the largest voluntary professional membership groups in the world.

Federal Emergency Management Agency – FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. Through an agreement with the American Bar Association, FEMA underwrites the cost of operating toll-free legal assistance lines for survivors in areas designated as federal disaster sites.

National Disaster Legal Aid Resource Center – The National Disaster Legal Aid Resource Center, or DisasterLegalAid.org (DLA), is a national online resource with self-help tools and free legal information for individuals and communities impacted by natural disasters. It is a collaborative effort of Lone Star Legal Aid, Pro Bono Net, the American Bar Association, the Legal Services Corporation, and the National Legal Aid & Defender Association.

Media contacts:

Bryan Alexander, Legal Aid of North Carolina, Development & Public Relations Associate, 404-273-3104, bryana@legalaidnc.org
Kim Bart Mullikin, North Carolina Bar Association, Foundation Senior Director, 919-677-0561, DLS@ncbar.org
Brandon McPherson, American Bar Association, ABA YLD District 9 Rep., 919-896-3397, brandonlmcpherson@gmail.com

Category: Media release

Ward Black Law, a law firm in Greensboro, hosted the 10th annual Super Lawyers event August 24 to honor NC’s top 50 women Super Lawyers (see list below) and to raise funds for Legal Aid of North Carolina.

This year’s event, held virtually for the first time, featured remarks from keynote speaker Rep. Sarah Stevens, House Speaker Pro Tempore in the General Assembly; Janet Ward Black, owner of Ward Black Law; George Hausen, Executive Director of Legal Aid of North Carolina; and Adrienne Kennedy, a member of Legal Aid’s Board of Directors.

In her remarks, Rep. Stevens discussed the importance of education, the need for civility in the legal profession, the benefits of mediation and negotiation, her experience balancing work and family life, and more.

“I feel very humbled,” she concluded, referring to her selection as a Super Lawyer. “I don’t feel like a ‘super lawyer.’ I’m just a lawyer who cares about my people.”

Janet Ward Black, whose firm is one of the largest woman-owned law offices in North Carolina, started the Super Lawyers event to celebrate outstanding women attorneys in our state and give them a chance to network – all while raising money for Legal Aid of North Carolina, an organization whose clients and lawyers are predominantly women.

“We hope that no one underestimates the power of hope and the fact that we, as lawyers, can deliver hope in really unique ways – and this is one of the ways we can do that,” Janet Ward Black said about the event. “Because perhaps these women can meet a woman lawyer that could be a role model in their career.”

Legal Aid will use the money raised from the event to expand access to safe and affordable housing, protect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, fight for equal access to quality education and affordable health care, and provide economic stability for those who need it most.

“Seventy percent of our clients are women heads of household,” George Hausen, Legal Aid’s executive director, said “and 40% of those women earn less than $10,000 a year to support their family,” he noted, highlighting the grave economic circumstances confronting our clients.

“I am a mother of three and I have a special-needs child,” said Adrienne Kennedy, a member of our Board of Directors. To ensure that Legal Aid never loses sight of our clients’ needs, a certain number of our board members are financially eligible for our services.

“I go to Legal Aid for everything,” continued Kennedy. “I thank God for Legal Aid and their humanitarian fight for justice.”

You don’t have to be a Super Lawyer or a Legal Aid lawyer to work for justice. By donating to Legal Aid of North Carolina, you become a partner in our mission to fulfill the promise of “justice for all” for all North Carolinians. Learn more at legalaidnc.org/donate.

Event Recording

About Super Lawyers

Each year, Super Lawyers recognizes the top women lawyers in North Carolina via a patented multiphase selection process involving peer nomination, independent research, and peer evaluation. The North Carolina lawyers who receive the highest point totals during this selection process are further recognized in North Carolina Super Lawyers Top Lists.

North Carolina’s top 50 women Super Lawyers

Elizabeth K. Arias · Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Catharine Biggs Arrowood · Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

Shelby D. Benton · Benton Family Law

Laurie B. Biggs · Stubbs & Perdue, P.A.

Heidi C. Bloom · Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP

Jean Gordon Carter · McGuireWoods LLP

Denise Smith Cline · Law Offices of Denise Smith Cline

Michelle D. Connell · Fox Rothschild LLP

Leto Copeley · White & Stradley, PLLC

Heather W. Culp · Essex Richards, P.A.

Janice L. Davies · Davies Law, PLLC

Tricia Morvan Derr · Lincoln Derr PLLC

Debra L. Foster · Debra L. Foster, PLLC

Nicole L. Gardner · Gardner Skelton PLLC

Susie Gibbons · Poyner Spruill LLP

Nancy L. Grace · Wake Family Law Group

Sara “Sally” W. Higgins · Higgins & Owens, PLLC

Jill S. Jackson · Jackson Family Law

Kimberly J. Korando · Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P.

Margaret B. Maloney · Maloney Law & Associates, PLLC

Valecia M. McDowell · Moore & Van Allen PLLC

Karin M. McGinnis · Moore & Van Allen PLLC

Gena G. Morris · James, McElroy & Diehl, P.A.

Christine L. Myatt · Nexsen Pruet, PLLC

Laura L. Noble · The Noble Law

Holly B. Norvell · Johnston, Allison & Hord, P.A.

C. Melissa Owen · Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC

Leslie C. Packer · Ellis & Winters LLP

Annemarie Pantazis · Wilder Pantazis Law Group

Patti W. Ramseur · Ramseur Maultsby LLP

Alice Carmichael Richey · Alexander Ricks PLLC

Heidi E. Royal · Heidi E. Royal Law, PLLC

Deborah Sandlin · Sandlin Family Law Group

Elizabeth Brooks Scherer · Fox Rothschild LLP

Elizabeth Davenport Scott · Williams Mullen

Patricia P. Shields · Hedrick Gardner Kincheloe & Garofalo, L.L.P.

Caroline Wannamaker Sink · Robinson Bradshaw

Robin J. Stinson · Bell, Davis & Pitt, P.A.

Kimberly H. Stogner · Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP

Jill Stricklin · Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP

Alice C. Stubbs · Tharrington Smith, LLP

Jennifer K. Van Zant · Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard LLP

Angelique R. Vincent-Hamacher · Robinson Bradshaw

Lorion Macrae Vitale · Vitale Family Law

Dixie T. Wells · Ellis & Winters LLP

Laura J. Wetsch · Winslow Wetsch, PLLC

Stacy K. Wood · Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

A. Cotten Wright · Grier Wright Martinez, P.A.

Category: Media release

← Back to Criminal Record Expunction

NEW HANOVER COUNTY—New Hanover County residents are eligible for a free expunction clinic.

To register:

Call Legal Aid of North Carolina’s toll-free helpline at 1-866-219-5262
The helpline is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Space is limited, act fast!

Legal Aid staff will screen callers to ensure they are eligible for the expunction clinic. Callers will be asked to attend an event on October 15, in the New Hanover County courthouse, where they will receive assistance in the expunction process.

Category: Media release

← Back to Healthcare Access

RALEIGH · August 30, 2021—The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has awarded the NC Navigator Consortium $4,951,640 per year for the next three years to enroll North Carolinians in affordable health insurance on HealthCare.gov, the federal Health Insurance Marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act.

This grant is the second largest in the country awarded by CMS for the 2021-2024 grant period.

The grant was announced last week by CMS, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Legal Aid of North Carolina, a statewide, nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to low-income North Carolinians, is the leader of the consortium and will administer the grant.

The grant will fund a corps of Navigators, who are trained to help consumers understand the details of plans available on the Health Insurance Marketplace at  www.healthcare.gov, determine which plan will best meet the needs of their family, apply for financial assistance, and complete the enrollment process.

“We are thrilled to be able to continue the work that we started back in 2014,” Mark Van Arnam, director of the NC Navigator Consortium, said.

“We are honored that we were chosen to receive the second largest award among all the grantees. This really fuels our Navigators as it reflects on the amazing work done by Legal Aid Navigators and our sub-grantees over the last eight years,” said Van Arnam. “We’ll be able to help more North Carolinians connect to coverage through application assistance and enrollment education. We’ll help more of our community understand health insurance by providing free health insurance literacy events and free appointments, year-round, to talk with a Navigator about any questions they may have.”

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About 

The NC Navigator Consortium is a group of nine health care, social service and legal aid organizations that helps North Carolina consumers enroll in affordable, comprehensive health insurance plans on HealthCare.gov, the Health Insurance Marketplace established by the Affordable Care Act. Members of the consortium are Access East, Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, Council on Aging of Buncombe County, Cumberland HealthNet, HealthNet Gaston, Kintegra Health, NC Field, Pisgah Legal Services, and Legal Aid of North Carolina, which leads the consortium. Learn more at ncnavigator.net and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity number NAVCA210405-01-00 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.