In the wake of the legislature’s freeze on IOLTA funding and its significant impact on rural legal services across North Carolina, Wayne County leaders have stepped forward to ensure local residents continue to have access to justice. Widely recognized as a legal desert, Wayne County faces significant barriers to affordable civil legal help. Through the leadership, generosity, and partnership of Wayne County, Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) will be able to maintain a physical presence in Goldsboro.

The new office, located at 218 Walnut Street, opened Feb. 1 and is next to the Wayne County Courthouse, a location that underscores the community’s commitment to keeping legal help accessible and visible for residents who need it most.

The space, owned by Wayne County, is available to LANC for a nominal rent of $1 for one year. This arrangement ensures that LANC can continue serving clients in Wayne County despite statewide funding disruptions, while maintaining broader regional service through its Wilson office, which also serves Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, Wayne, Greene, Lenoir, Halifax, Northampton, and Hertford counties.

The reopening follows the closure of the previous Goldsboro office, one of nine LANC offices directly affected by the IOLTA funding freeze resulting from Senate Bill 429. IOLTA, or Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts, historically provides roughly 15 percent of LANC’s funding. The legislative freeze halted IOLTA grant distributions through June 30, 2026, creating a multimillion-dollar shortfall that forced layoffs of approximately 45 staff positions and the closure of nine offices statewide, particularly in rural communities. LANC estimates the freeze will result in about 8,000 fewer people receiving services statewide annually.

In Goldsboro, however, local leaders made clear that access to legal services is deeply valued. Rather than allow the community to lose its physical office presence, county officials worked collaboratively with LANC to bridge the gap and preserve local service.

Key partners who made this possible include Julie Whitfield, Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court; the Wayne County Commissioners; and the Wayne County Attorney’s office. Ann Sims, longtime Goldsboro paralegal, played a critical role in building and maintaining relationships with county officials, helping make this new space a reality.

“Wayne County’s support demonstrates the power of community partnership to ensure access to justice even in the face of significant funding challenges,” said Ayanda Meachem, managing attorney for the Goldsboro office. “We are deeply grateful to Clerk of Court Julie Whitfield, the Wayne County Commissioners, and county staff who made this possible. Having a local office means we can meet clients where they live and help them with urgent legal needs that affect their safety, families, and livelihoods.”

Julie Whitfield, Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court, added, “As Clerk of Superior Court, I see firsthand the difference Legal Aid makes in our community. Ms. Ann has faithfully served with Legal Aid for several years and is often the first face people see when they walk through the door. Her servant’s heart makes her perfectly suited for this role, and we are grateful that Legal Aid is available to help answer legal questions our community members may have.”

LANC provides free civil legal services to people who cannot afford an attorney, including survivors of domestic violence, veterans seeking benefits, and residents recovering from disasters. Last year, LANC handled nearly 20,000 cases, assisting more than 47,000 household members, including over 21,000 children.

The reopening of the Goldsboro office reflects the strength of local partnership and ensures that Wayne County residents continue to have reliable, accessible, community-based legal support.

On certain mornings in the Mecklenburg County Courthouse, long before the first case is called, a handful of Legal Aid attorneys and volunteers gather in a small conference room outside the eviction courtrooms. They set out clipboards, laptops, and intake sheets and prepare for the rush of people who will soon walk through the doors carrying fear, stress, and the very real possibility of losing their homes.

This is Legal Aid of North Carolina’s courthouse eviction clinic, a twice-monthly effort designed to support tenants at a critical moment in the legal process. For many people, it is the first time anyone has stood beside them as they navigate a system that moves quickly and can be difficult to understand without guidance.

“Without legal help, people can get rolled over,” said Justin Tucker, Charlotte Housing Project Manager, who leads the clinic. He explained that eviction court is a high-volume environment where cases move efficiently, often faster than tenants can absorb information about their rights or options.

On clinic mornings, that pace is met with preparation and purpose. The team reviews the day’s dockets, pairs volunteers with attorneys, and coordinates across the courtrooms. Magistrates often take a moment at the start of the calendar call to announce that Legal Aid is available to speak with anyone who would like assistance. Some tenants look relieved, some hesitate, and some head straight into the hallway to talk.

When they do, they find calm voices, open chairs, and people ready to listen.

At a clinic in November, Justin met a pregnant woman in her seventh or eighth month. She was in the process of moving out of her home but had not been properly served with the eviction paperwork. From Justin’s perspective, she was doing everything she could under difficult circumstances, yet still faced a judgment that could affect her housing prospects for years.

Justin identified a service of process issue that might otherwise have gone unnoticed. He continued the case, and by the time it was refiled and properly served, she had already relocated to Florida. Because Legal Aid was able to intervene, the case was dismissed. She avoided the judgment entirely and did not have to return to court. Her move was challenging, but it was home to home instead of home to homelessness.

Situations like hers are not uncommon. Even an eviction filing alone can make it harder for a tenant to secure housing in the future. Justin describes the writ of possession as particularly consequential. “Once a writ appears on someone’s record, it becomes very hard for people to find housing,” he said.

That is why the clinic matters. It gives tenants someone who can review their case, explain what is happening, and provide guidance in real time. It brings clarity and dignity to a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming.

Justin wishes more people understood just how quickly eviction cases move and how lasting the impact of a filing can be. He noted that many cases could be resolved without court involvement if tenants had access to timely information and support. He also shared something he believes is often misunderstood. “Tenants do not want to live for free. They know they have bills. They know they have responsibilities.” Life can change suddenly and without warning.

The scale of the need is significant. Todd Stillerman, a volunteer attorney who works in-house at Wells Fargo, pointed to the broader housing pressures facing Mecklenburg County. “Eviction filings here have surged dramatically, up 37 percent in the last fiscal year, putting nearly 13,000 additional households at risk of losing their homes. In 2024 alone, more than 46,000 eviction cases were filed in Mecklenburg County, and nearly 30,000 were granted. By 2025, filings rose even further to more than 52,000, the highest level on record.”

Those figures reflect a wider strain. Nearly half of all renter households in Mecklenburg County, about 94,000 families, are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. For years, that percentage has hovered between 45 and 48 percent, leaving many residents vulnerable to housing instability.

Behind the numbers are families making difficult choices, Todd said, whether to pay rent or buy food, keep childcare, or cover medical bills. “The consequences are profound. Eviction can set off a chain reaction, including job loss, homelessness, and school disruption for children.” For kids, the effects are especially serious, increasing the likelihood of homelessness, chronic absenteeism, and reduced graduation rates.

A typical clinic day is fast-paced and focused. Volunteers conduct brief interviews, confirm eligibility, identify legal issues, and provide advice on the spot. When appropriate, they represent tenants in court or outline next steps. Todd said, “People without a lawyer almost always face challenges. Representation changes everything. It feels like the judge listens more carefully, hearings last longer, and the law gets applied more fairly.”

He recalled representing a young woman in east Charlotte who lived in an apartment with serious habitability issues and fell behind on rent after her car broke down. Through the clinic and subsequent work with Legal Aid, she preserved her credit and avoided losing her home. “That case reminded me why this work matters. The stakes are enormous, and even one lawyer stepping in can change the trajectory of someone’s life.”

Even a few hours of volunteering can have a meaningful impact. “Legal Aid staff and volunteer leaders provide training and support so everyone can contribute,” Todd said. “There is a place for everyone.”

For Todd, Justin, and the attorneys who show up month after month, the clinics are about more than cases. They are about stability, dignity, and helping families stay housed. “I spend just a few hours a month volunteering at the eviction clinics, but the Legal Aid housing team is always working. A few hours of your time can mean the difference between a family losing their home and finding stability,” Todd said.

For the tenants who climb the courthouse steps each month, those moments of support can change everything, one conversation, one advocate, and one intervention at a time.

Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) announced today the public launch of JusticeHub, a new online intake and client portal designed to make it easier for people across North Carolina to apply for civil legal help and access reliable legal information. 

JusticeHub is a single, centralized entry point for Legal Aid of North Carolina’s services. It replaces an outdated intake process that often resulted in long hold times and confusion for applicants. The new system is mobile-friendly, available 24/7, and built with accessibility at its core to support users with low literacy, disabilities, limited English proficiency, or limited access to technology. 

JusticeHub was developed over the past year through Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Innovation Lab, in close collaboration with A2J Tech PBC, a legal technology public benefit corporation focused on expanding access to justice. Together, the teams combined legal expertise, human-centered design, and modern technology to reimagine how people connect with civil legal help. 

“Getting legal help should not be another source of stress when someone is already facing a crisis,” said Scheree Gilchrist, Chief Innovation Officer at Legal Aid of North Carolina. “JusticeHub reflects what our communities and partners told us they needed: a clearer, faster, and more human way to connect with legal help. Working alongside A2J Tech allowed us to translate those needs into a system that removes barriers for applicants and helps our staff serve more people effectively.” 

Through JusticeHub, individuals can apply for Legal Aid services online without waiting on hold, quickly see whether they may qualify for help, upload documents directly through the system, check the status of an existing application, and access legal information, self-help guides, and referrals. Applicants can also receive support from LIA, Legal Aid of North Carolina’s AI-powered legal information assistant, which helps users navigate the intake process and find answers to common legal questions. 

Behind the scenes, JusticeHub integrates directly with LegalServer, Legal Aid of North Carolina’s case management system, streamlining workflows for intake staff and reducing administrative burden so attorneys and advocates can focus more time on clients. The platform is also designed to support community partners—such as libraries, nonprofits, and service providers—who assist individuals seeking legal help. 

“JusticeHub represents what’s possible when legal aid organizations and technologists work as true partners,” said Mauricio Duarte, Chief Operating Officer at A2J Tech and lead project manager for JusticeHub. “Our goal was to build a system that feels simple and intuitive for people asking for help, while still handling the complexity of legal aid intake. Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Innovation Lab brought deep insight into client needs, and together we created a tool that meaningfully improves access to justice.” 

JusticeHub was developed in direct response to feedback from clients, staff, and community partners who shared frustrations with long wait times, limited intake hours, and an overly complex process. Legal Aid of North Carolina consistently heard the need for a more accessible, centralized entry point, better tools for partners assisting applicants, improved staff workflows, and stronger support for language access, literacy, and digital inclusion. 

Several Legal Aid offices—including Central Carolina, Greensboro, Greenville, and Raleigh—served as beta testing partners, providing real-world feedback that directly shaped the final system. 

The launch of JusticeHub comes at a critical moment for Legal Aid of North Carolina. Each year, the organization receives roughly 300,000 calls to its helpline, far exceeding available resources. At the same time, Legal Aid of North Carolina is navigating a statewide freeze on IOLTA funding, a key source of support for civil legal aid. Despite these challenges, the organization continues to innovate to ensure people can reach help when they need it. 

JusticeHub is part of Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Modernizing Access Initiative, a multi-year effort supported in part by funding from the State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation, the Legal Services Corporation, and NC IOLTA, focused on creating more client-centered, efficient, and accessible pathways to legal help. 

JusticeHub is now live at legalaidnc.org/justicehub and can be accessed using a phone, tablet, or computer. 

For more information about Legal Aid of North Carolina and its services, visit legalaidnc.org. 

### 

Legal Aid of North Carolina announced this month that its Boone office will close because of a statewide freeze on grants from the North Carolina Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. The halt, now in its sixth month, has created a multimillion-dollar gap in funding that supports civil legal services for low-income residents across the state.

Legal Aid of North Carolina made a significant investment in Boone last year, relocating to new office space in the Rivers Walk Community to expand access to civil legal services in the High Country. The Boone office served residents in Wilkes, Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga, Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey counties and was the only nonprofit civil legal services provider in the area. In addition to ongoing work in family law, domestic violence protection, and health- and consumer-related cases, staff played a critical role in disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene, helping hundreds of residents navigate FEMA appeals, insurance claims, and other urgent legal matters.

“The Boone office has been a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable families in the High Country,” said Jonathan Perry, Western Regional Manager and former managing attorney of the Boone office. “Closing this office is not just the loss of a building; it is the loss of immediate, local access to justice for people facing life’s most difficult challenges. This community has endured extraordinary hardship, and our clients’ resilience has always inspired us. While this transition is incredibly difficult, our commitment to serving this region remains unwavering, even as the way we deliver that service must change.”

Legal Aid of North Carolina is the only nonprofit civil law firm serving all 100 counties in the state. In prior years, the organization relied on funding from multiple sources, including grants from NC IOLTA, which does not use taxpayer or state funds. IOLTA collects interest earned on lawyers’ client trust accounts—funds held for clients while legal work is performed—and distributes that interest as grants to civil legal aid organizations. Since its inception, NC IOLTA has distributed more than $134 million to support access to justice across North Carolina. In 2025, before the freeze took effect, Legal Aid received approximately half of the IOLTA funds awarded statewide, representing about 15% of its annual budget.

The freeze was enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly in this summer’s Public Safety Act, temporarily prohibiting the IOLTA Board from issuing grants. Members of the General Assembly cited concerns that some IOLTA funds could be used to support political or advocacy activities. However, Legal Aid of North Carolina is strictly prohibited from engaging in lobbying or political activity and focuses solely on providing civil legal services to low-income residents.

With funding paused, Legal Aid is implementing a statewide restructuring that includes closing nine offices, reducing staff, and scaling back programs that communities rely on, including disaster recovery, domestic violence protection, family law, and health- and consumer-related legal assistance.

“This freeze will prevent us from serving an estimated 8,000 people next year,” said Ashley Campbell, CEO of Legal Aid of North Carolina. “While the closure of offices like Boone is devastating, the greatest impact falls on the thousands of North Carolinians who will not be able to access the civil legal help they need during a crisis. Every year, we receive calls from more than 300,000 people seeking assistance, and there simply are not enough resources to meet that demand.”

Although the Boone office has closed, Legal Aid will continue to serve residents of Watauga, Avery, Ashe, Alleghany, and surrounding counties through statewide teams, pro bono partnerships, remote services, and its modernized intake and online legal information systems.

“Our mission has not changed,” Campbell said. “We will continue to provide high-quality legal services that support housing stability, personal safety, family stability, economic security, and health. We will adapt, we will innovate, and we will continue to serve the people of North Carolina.”

###

Many of you have seen news stories about the statewide legislative freeze on the North Carolina IOLTA Board, which has paused the Board’s ability to make grants to civil legal aid organizations in North Carolina. This freeze created a significant and almost immediate loss of revenue for Legal Aid of North Carolina. I know this has created real uncertainty about the future of our work, and we want to speak to that openly and with care.

Over the last several weeks, our staff, board, and partners have worked to understand what this unprecedented situation means for our clients, our programs, and our long-term mission. As we have evaluated the impact of this sudden loss of funding, it has become clear that we cannot move forward without making difficult organizational changes. People are understandably wondering whether we will be able to maintain our services, support our teams, and continue protecting the stability of families across North Carolina. These questions are real, and they deserve honest answers.

Legal Aid of North Carolina is one of the most consequential nonprofit law firms in the United States in terms of the number of people served. We have reached that level of impact because of the extraordinary staff, lawyers, and pro bono volunteers who have devoted themselves to this work for decades. Their dedication has ensured that people in both rural and urban communities across North Carolina have access to safety, stability, and justice when they need it most. Because we value this work and the people who make it possible, we must make thoughtful and responsible decisions about how we adapt to this crisis.

Why These Changes Are Necessary

The unprecedented statewide freeze on IOLTA grants has created a major and unexpected loss of revenue. This is our second-largest funding source and has historically supported some of our most essential work. Because of the size and immediacy of this loss, we must take steps to realign our budget and ensure that we remain strong and sustainable in the years ahead.

To respond responsibly to this sudden funding gap, we are restructuring our operations, consolidating parts of our footprint, and reducing our workforce so that Legal Aid of North Carolina can continue to serve the public effectively and responsibly. These decisions are incredibly painful. They affect colleagues we deeply value, admire, and respect.

Our Commitment to Our Team

The people of Legal Aid of North Carolina are central to our mission and to the impact we have across this state. Their dedication has supported families facing natural disasters, family violence, financial strain, health crises, and other threats to their stability. As we move through this transition, we are committed to responsible stewardship and honoring the service of the colleagues who have built this organization. We will continue working to create a stable and purposeful future for the staff who remain and for the communities we serve.

Our Commitment to North Carolina

Even in this difficult moment, our mission remains unchanged. Legal Aid of North Carolina will continue to provide high-quality legal services in housing, safety, family stability, economic security, health, and consumer rights. The people of North Carolina can continue to rely on us for protection during some of the hardest moments in their lives.

The Path Forward

We will emerge from this period leaner, but we will also emerge more resilient and prepared for the future of civil legal services. The innovation work we began several years ago with the creation of The Innovation Lab, including our modernized client intake system, new technology tools, and expanded digital access to legal information, is now helping us adapt to this crisis. These tools will reduce bottlenecks, increase efficiency, and allow us to reach more people with fewer resources.

Looking Ahead

We did not choose this moment, but Legal Aid of North Carolina will endure. We will adapt. We will continue to stand with the people of this state, today and every day ahead.

Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) is proud to announce the launch of LIA 2.0, the next generation of its groundbreaking Legal Information Assistant. First introduced in 2024, LIA has already transformed how North Carolinians access reliable legal information. With this major upgrade, LIA 2.0 expands capability, speed, and accessibility, setting a new standard for how civil legal aid organizations use technology to close the justice gap.

Developed by LANC’s Innovation Lab in collaboration with LawDroid, LIA 2.0 builds on the success of the original LIA by introducing a modernized architecture designed for faster, more dependable performance, enhanced data protections, and smarter analytics that help LANC measure real-time impact and client needs.

For the first time, LIA 2.0 also includes an intelligent voice agent that allows people to speak naturally with LIA. This feature significantly expands accessibility for users with limited literacy, limited English proficiency, disabilities, or those who simply prefer speaking over typing.

“LIA 2.0 represents the next chapter in our work to deliver high-quality legal information to every North Carolinian who needs it,” said Scheree Gilchrist, Chief Innovation Officer at LANC. “The justice gap remains profound in our state and across the country. Innovations like LIA help us meet people where they are—quickly, safely, and in multiple languages. This launch is the first of many innovations the Innovation Lab will debut in the coming months, including a redesigned AI-powered Get Help page and JusticeHub, our new client portal and intake system.”

The original LIA launched in 2024 to provide reliable legal information, multilingual explanations of legal processes, and referrals to resources on LANC’s website. Designed to support people facing civil legal issues such as domestic violence, child custody, eviction, housing discrimination, and consumer scams, LIA uses advanced natural language processing to interpret and answer general legal questions with accuracy and clarity.

“LIA has already made our website more user-friendly and our educational resources more accessible,” said Helen Headrick, Chief Communications Officer at LANC. “In its first year, it supported more than 50,000 conversations with people seeking legal information. With LIA 2.0, we are expanding that accessibility even further, especially with the new voice assistant. This is about removing barriers and helping people get trustworthy legal information fast.”

For LawDroid, LIA 2.0 is also a major milestone.

“LIA 2.0 marks a major leap forward for LANC and LawDroid,” said Tom Martin, CEO of LawDroid. “We have introduced a modernized architecture for speed and reliability, stronger protections for sensitive data, intuitive dashboards that make impact measurement effortless, and for the first time, an intelligent voice agent that makes interacting with LIA as natural as a conversation.”

LIA 2.0 supports LANC’s mission to close the civil justice gap, where 92 percent of substantial civil legal needs for low-income Americans go unmet. By expanding access to clear, accurate information and offering self-service tools for simple legal issues, LIA 2.0 helps individuals navigate legal challenges with greater confidence and ease.

LIA 2.0 is available now at legalaidnc.org.

Please note: LIA provides general legal information and does not offer legal advice. Individuals should consult with an attorney for guidance on specific legal matters.