Attend CLE (Continuing Legal Education)

We routinely sponsor free or low-cost continuing legal education sessions for attorneys who want to learn more about poverty law or become a pro bono volunteer.

Upcoming Opportunities

Title: The Ethics of Zealous Advocacy
Date: April 22, 2026 Time: 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Approved for 1hr of Ethics CLE Credit
Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/439131104545355098Cost: $65
Description: This CLE will provide an overview of Rules 1.2 – 1.4 and Rules 3.3 and 3.4 of the NC Professional Rules of Conduct. Specifically, this program will review the applicability of these rules to litigation practices (during trial and pre-trial procedure). The panelists will use hypotheticals to illustrate potential “gray areas,” and real world examples to discuss the relationship between zealous advocacy and ethical litigation practices.
Presenters:
Moderator: Mark Holt

Panelists:
Mark E. Anderson – McGuire Woods
Richard S. Glaser, Jr. – Parker Poe
Maureen Demarest Murray – Fox Rothschild
John Wester – Robinson Bradshaw 

All with the American College of Trial Lawyers
Title: North Carolina Child Custody 101
Date: May 13, 2026 Time: 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Approved for 1.5hrs of General CLE Credit
Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/954316074165978710Cost: $65
Description: This CLE will be an in-depth overview of child custody law in North Carolina. The session will cover the statutes involved in child custody matter at both the initial and modification stages. The session will also discuss ancillary issues that arise in child custody disputes. 
Presenter: Manisha P. Patel

Manisha is a family law attorney representing clients in various stages of their domestic law matters. A Virginia native, Manisha graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) with Bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and History. Manisha earned her Juris Doctor from Elon University School of Law. Her practice focuses solely on North Carolina family law and more specifically alternative dispute resolution, which includes collaborative family law and mediation. Manisha is also a North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission Certified Family Financial Mediator.

She is the forthcoming author of End Your Marriage Peacefully: Your Guide to Successful Collaborative Divorce in North Carolina, a book designed to guide families through the divorce process with dignity and collaboration.

Over the course of her career, Manisha has been recognized for her leadership in the legal profession within the North Carolina Association of Women Attorneys, serving as a two-term President in 2019 and 2020, a past chair of the NCBA Women in the Profession Committee, and a former board member of Legal Aid of North Carolina. She is also a two-time NC Lawyers Weekly Leader in the Law.

Manisha currently serves as the Chair of the Small Firm & Technology Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and is a Past President of the Greensboro Bar Association and the 24th Judicial District. In 2024, she was elected to a second term by the members of the 24th Judicial District to serve as one of the district’s Councilors for the North Carolina State Bar Council, the 67-person governing body overseeing the legal profession in North Carolina. In addition, Manisha serves as the National Conference of Women’s Bar Associations liaison to the American Bar Association Commission on Women in the Profession.

On-Demand CLE Opportunities

Please note: CLE credit may not be posted immediately after completing a session, but all credits will be reflected by 02/28/2026. If you experience any issues, please contact legaltrainings@legalaidnc.org

Public Benefits 101 -2hrs

CLE Credit: approved for 2hrs of General CLE Credit

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6630223789256428381

Presenter: Brian P. Hogan, a board-certified specialist in Social Security Disability Law and the Public Benefits Practice Group Manager at Legal Aid of North Carolina. 

Program Description: This CLE will provide a practical overview of key Federal and State public benefits programs in North Carolina, including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Food and Nutrition Services (FNS/SNAP), Medicaid, Medicare, and other important programs such as WIC, TANF, and LIEAP. The session is designed for advocates to strengthen their understanding of how these programs work and common eligibility issues. The session will also include an update on recent developments and changes in policy and procedure.

AI in Legal Services: Ethics Applications, and the Future

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr Technology and 1hr Ethics CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/9081207834499494746

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE addresses the intersection of artificial intelligence and legal ethics with a practical focus tailored to civil legal aid practitioners. As AI capabilities rapidly evolve from traditional systems to generative models, legal professionals face new opportunities and responsibilities. This session explores the latest guidance on ethical lawyering in a tech-driven landscape, spotlighting data privacy, professional responsibility, and the nuances of attorney-client privilege in the age of automation.

Avoiding the Unauthorized Practice of Law

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr Ethics CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5144274510159212894

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE addresses the importance and ethical obligations regarding not engaging in the unauthorized practice of law. The session will cover three main topics; (1) what could happen when non-attorneys engage in the unauthorized practice of law, (2) what is the unauthorized practice of law, and (3) tips for avoiding the unauthorized practice of law.

Evidentiary Objections and Appellate Preservation

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5465570499206174297

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE covers ways to ensure that appellate courts see the errors that occurred at trial.

Debt Collection Claims and Damages

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8842263067325891935

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE focuses on claims arising from reports of erroneous charges to credit reporting agencies in both housing and consumer cases and the requirements of a debt collection lawsuit.

The How and Why of Mediation

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8409402931681238358

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE covers how advocates can present a persuasive case and negotiate to a favorable settlement.

Fighting Imposter Syndrome Within Ourselves and Our Teams

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr Professional Wellbeing CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1198938717984683093

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: Imposter syndrome affects an overwhelming number of legal professionals, creating barriers to reaching one’s full career potential and providing the best possible client service. Together, we’ll explore what imposter syndrome is, why it matters, and what we can do about it—both as individuals and leaders.

Tips for Taking and Defending Depositions

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/839643606794768473

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE covers the basics of topics related to strategy, procedure, and ethics of conducting depositions during the discovery phase of a lawsuit. The program will highlight the purpose of a deposition, who to depose, organization, and how to take a deposition. The program will also touch on preparing a witness for a deposition, what happens after you’ve taken a deposition, and defending depositions.

Disaster Preparedness and the Law: Spotting Legal Issues Before and After a Disaster

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4333493536657873755

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE prepares attorneys to spot legal issues commonly affecting people both before and after disasters, including homeownership and insurance issues; landlord/tenant issues; FEMA; and contractor fraud.

Conflicts of Interest

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr Ethics CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4139314285634465367

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE is a great primer for the beginner or a refresher for the seasoned. Conflicts of interest are so important for an entire law firm. Everyone deals with them on a daily basis. This CLE discusses the ethical rules and present real-life hypotheticals where the participants give the answers and are able to apply ethical rules to practical situations.

An Introduction to Reasonable Accommodations and Enforcement Under the Fair Housing Act

CLE Credit: approved for 1.5hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5778725705066994262

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE prepares attorneys to spot legal issues commonly affecting people both before and after disasters, including homeownership and insurance issues; landlord/tenant issues; FEMA; and contractor fraud.

An Introduction to Reasonable Accommodations and Enforcement Under the Fair Housing Act

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr General CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1105253730228516187

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: This CLE explains how unemployment insurance (“UI”) can support domestic violence survivors when a survivor must leave their job or when they lose their employment because of domestic violence. Participants will learn how claimants qualify for benefits and how they remain eligible. It will specifically address how domestic violence can show up at a survivor’s work, and how it can impact a survivor’s eligibility for UI. This CLE also uses example cases for participants to have an opportunity to practice analyzing different fact patterns.

Calm in the Midst of Chaos – Resilience Training

CLE Credit: approved for 1hr Professional Wellbeing CLE credit 

Registration Link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6307684256515802207

Cost: $65.00

Program Description: Practicing law is stressful, often chaotic. This presentation will describe resilience as a learned skill, not an innate quality. There are dozens of resilience tools, backed by scientific research, that we can practice and use to return to ourselves and to a calmer state of mind and body. The resilience tools to be spotlighted in this presentation are those the speaker has actively used in life and law practice.