They aren’t called man’s best friend for nothing. Much more than mere companions, dogs have long been integral partners in some of humankind’s most important activities, from raising livestock to enforcing the law. For people with disabilities, service dogs can be a literal lifeline, helping them live and work in ways they otherwise couldn’t.

Unfortunately, the role of service dogs isn’t always understood, and their presence isn’t always appreciated. In 2013, attorneys in our Wilmington office came to the defense of a disabled military veteran whose landlord threatened to evict him for having a service dog. Thankfully, our advocates could rely on a powerful law to make their case for our client: the federal Fair Housing Act, which was passed in 1968 as part of the Civil Rights Act.

In part, the law defines unlawful discrimination as the refusal of a landlord to make “reasonable accommodations in rules”—in this case, a ban on pets—for people with disabilities. With this clear-cut language on their side, our attorneys were able to convince the landlord that allowing our client to stay in his home, with his service dog, was a reasonable accommodation he was required to make under federal law. 

Thursday, October 27^th, 2022

2:00pm – 6:00pm EDT

4 hours of General CLE credit (***pending approval by the North Carolina State Bar)

Cost: $65

Program Overview:

This CLE will focus on the intersection of custody in Chapter 50 and 50B cases. Many would expect that survivors of intimate partner and family violence who bring the abuse up in a custody matter would often be awarded primary custody. However, studies have shown that protective parents experience unexpected outcomes at a significant rate. The first session of the CLE will explore the studies on the topic and the possible reasons for the disparate outcomes for survivors of intimate partner and family violence. The second session will look at drafting 50B orders to help in later Chapter 50 custody cases. It will point out differences in both orders and how to prepare a case to help a client in a later Chapter 50 custody case. The program will end with a panel of North Carolina judges and their discussion of domestic violence law.

Presenters:

Sarah Caraffa is a staff attorney at the Raleigh Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina. She has been on the Domestic Violence Team in the Raleigh office for over five years, litigating Chapter 50B protective orders as well as other related Chapter 50 actions, mainly custody. Prior to working in North Carolina, Sarah practiced immigration law, working specifically with refugees and asylees. She graduated from Saint Louis University with a JD and MSW.

Elysia Prendergast-Jones is a supervising attorney for the Raleigh Office of Legal Aid of North Carolina. She works primarily in the fields of family law and domestic violence. She enjoys empowering clients and working with the population that LANC serves. She serves on the WCBA and NCAJ CLE committee. She is on the board of Triangle Area Parenting Support and a member of her daughter’s PTSA. Elysia has spoken at many CLE’s in the areas of family law and domestic violence. 

Elysia’s legal experience extends from family law to A/N/D court to criminal and civil court as well as the NC Court of Appeals, where some of the cases have recently been published. She has always had a passion for helping people as she has taken a position as a staff attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina working with clients in domestic violence situations. 

She was a previous supervising attorney for NCCU’s School of Law’s Lawyer on the Line program, in connection with Legal Aid and provided guidance to students as they navigate the law to help their clients. Former Chairperson of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Solo, Small Firm, and General Practice Division, she has served as Chair for the council of the Young Lawyers’ Division, the Law-related Education Committee, the Juvenile Justice Section, and others. Additionally, Elysia participated in Camp Confidence, a joint task-force between the Cary Police Department and the NCBA to work with at-risk youth during summers. 

Elysia has a degree from NCCU’s School of Law, as well as a Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts from Webster University in counseling psychology. She has a B.A. from Coker College in psychology and English. Elysia has been a teacher for Wake County and a counselor working with children.  

Devin Trego is a supervising attorney in the Fayetteville office of Legal Aid of North Carolina, where she has worked for the past five years. Prior to moving south, Devin worked as a staff attorney for the Barbara J. Hart Justice Center, the legal project of the Women’s Resource Center, in her hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Temple Law School in Philadelphia. 

The Honorable Margaret Eagles, Wake County District Court Judge 

The Honorable Valene McMasters, Forsyth County District Court Judge

The Honorable Craig James, Johnston County District Court Judge 

This is a continuing legal education session for attorneys who want to learn more about poverty law or become a pro bono volunteer.

Starts: 9/8/2022 12:00 PM

Ends: 9/8/2022 1:00 PM

Session type: Webinar

General credits: 1

TOTAL CREDITS: 1

Credit status: Pending Approval

Cost: $65.00, FREE for LANC employees and volunteers.

Program Overview:

This CLE will define heir property and describe how heir property is created, why it presents problems for maintaining and proving home ownership, and how it impedes disaster recovery.  It will also explore legal solutions to remove common barriers faced by clients who own heir property. This training will be beneficial for all legal services attorneys, volunteer attorneys involved in Legal Aid’s pro bono program, and attorneys in private practice who handle matters involving real property ownership.

Presenters: