Pro Bono Newsletter: July 2026

Dear volunteers:

As many of you know, the state budget bill signed on July 7th includes provisions that divert IOLTA funds from civil legal services and preclude Legal Aid of North Carolina from receiving funds previously frozen.

We sincerely appreciate the support we've received from the legal community, especially from our dedicated pro bono volunteers.

While disappointed in what this loss of funds means for clients we could have served, we are in a place of stability following 2025 cuts and office closures that will allow us to continue to serve communities across North Carolina.

If you are also disappointed, we have a few suggestions:

Consider making a regular pro bono commitment. Whether that's taking one advice case per month or two extended service cases per year, the more regular the commitment, the more impactful it will be to our clients.
Invite a friend to take a case or do it together. Who in your network might be willing to share their talents with us?
Ask your community to support us. Whether it's your firm, organization, faith community, school, or family, will you ask your community to consider contributing financially to support our work?

Thank you for standing with us as we navigate this time and work to create access to justice for all North Carolinians. If you're interested in signing up for additional opportunities or expanding the pro bono work that you are already doing, please email probono@legalaidnc.org.

With gratitude,

Allison Constance

Director of Pro Bono Programs

Special thanks to everyone who attended our in person events over the past few weeks, including our:

📍Three Charlotte Triage Courthouse Clinics on June 18th, June 24th, and June 26th;

📍Raleigh Pro Bono Collaborative Expunction Session at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on June 23rd;

📍Child Custody Complaint Drafting Clinic with Charlotte Triage on June 23rd;

📍Wills Clinic with community partner Southeast Raleigh Promise on June 26th with Smith Anderson;

📍Raleigh Pro Bono Collaborative Expunction Session, also with Smith Anderson on July 6th.

Supervising Attorney and Raleigh Community Engagement Manager Marquita Pittman at Nelson Mullins; Smith Anderson volunteers at our expunction session with Marquita and Ida Baker, our Eastern North Carolina Community Engagement Manager

Congratulations to the 2026 NCBA Pro Bono Award Recipients!

We're delighted to share that our regular partners, including the NCBA Bankruptcy Section, Lesley Albritton, Moore & Van Allen, Brooks Peterson, PLLC, and other advocates received NCBA Pro Bono Awards at the North Carolina Bar Association's annual meeting on June 26th.

The Bankruptcy Section received the "Filling the Justice Gap" Award in connection with the creation of the Bankruptcy Pro Bono Network, a referral system for Legal Aid of North Carolina clients who seek counsel on their options for filing for bankruptcy. The attorneys in the network provide a wide scope of services, from brief advice to full representation.

Additionally, Lesley Albritton, the Chief Operations Officer of Legal Aid of North Carolina, received the Greenblatt Outstanding Legal Services Attorney Award, which honors an attorney employed full time by a legal services program in North Carolina who has made an exemplary contribution to the provision of legal assistance to help meet the needs of the poverty population in North Carolina. Previously, Lesley led the Disaster Relief Project at Legal Aid of North Carolina and currently serves on the board of the North Carolina Housing Coalition.

Moore & Van Allen, the recipient of the Larger Law Firm Pro Bono Award, continues to be a shining example for firms with a significant presence in North Carolina, donating 6,259 hours to pro bono work and 3,027 hours to public service efforts in 2025 alone.

And Brooks Peterson, PLLC was honored for incorporating public service as part of its practice, day in and day out. The firm served disaster-affected North Carolinians in the wake of Tropical Storm Helene and has continuously served Legal Aid of North Carolina's clients through will and advance directive drafting.

Please join us in congratulating all the awardees on this well-deserved recognition!

Volunteer type: Attorney or paralegal

Where: 💻Remote friendly

Opportunity (ongoing): Assistance with heirs property matters throughout the state, including title searches, deed preparation and real property work, heir/genealogy research, probate or estate administration support, and advising on clearing title and related issues.

Volunteer type: Attorney

Where: 💻Remote friendly

Opportunity: Brief advice/counsel opportunity for a client impacted by Tropical Storm Chantal.

Our client is looking for assistance reviewing her homeowners insurance policy and HOA bylaws.

Volunteer Type: Attorney

Where: 📍Mecklenburg County

Opportunity: We're looking for an attorney to assist a housing client collect on a judgment against their landlord. The judgment has already been entered in the client's favor.

Support: Support/mentorship from Legal Aid of NC, malpractice coverage

Volunteer Type: Attorney

Where: 📍Statewide; Winston-Salem, Raleigh

Opportunity: We're looking for attorney volunteers to represent DV survivors in protective order hearings.

Support: Support/mentorship from Legal Aid of NC, malpractice coverage

Charlotte Triage is a task force comprised of law firm, corporation, and nonprofit pro bono leaders dedicated to serving the Charlotte community in its areas of highest need. Learn more

The Charlotte Triage calendar has been packed with exciting events this summer for our firm partners, in-house teams, interns, and summer associates:

On June 23rd, Charlotte Triage Domestic Violence Champions Ashlee Burgess Poplin/Adams & Reese and Glenn Huether/Wells Fargo hosted our second child custody complaint drafting event of the year. We're grateful to the thirteen volunteers who assisted with drafting child custody complaints and whose work will help our survivor clients get one step closer to safety and stability for their families.

Our volunteers:

On June 18th, 24th, and 26th volunteers at our Charlotte Triage Courthouse Clinics assisted and represented over 20 clients, many of whom would not have had guidance or resources in the face of eviction proceedings without the help of our volunteers. We were especially lucky to have a group of veteran volunteers available (Graham Claybrook, Mark Kinghorn, and Todd Stillerman) to mentor the next generation of courthouse clinic advocates!

Our volunteers:

🗓️ JULY 25 - Wills Clinic for Veterans hosted by Anderson, Johnson, Lawrence & Butler LLP, Fayetteville

🗓️ JULY 28 - Charlotte Triage Courthouse Clinic

👉 Sign up

🗓️ JULY 30 - Charlotte Triage Courthouse Clinic

👉 Sign up

🗓️ JULY 31 - High Point Law Virtual Wills Clinic*

*Closed opportunities for event/law school partner

Looking for a brief service event this summer for your firm, law school, or in house team?

We have availability on our Lawyer on the Line Housing Conditions calendar!

Contact Allison Constance at allisonc@legalaidnc.org.

The Noble Law Firm

Wake County

In addition to their employment law practice representing employees facing unlawful or unjust treatment at work, the Noble Law Firm has been a steady partner for Legal Aid of North Carolina, including most recently, when they hosted an employee rights "Listen & Learn" presentation and discussion on June 25th.

The virtual session, which covered workplace rights geared toward our client population, provided valuable insights and guidance on protections in the workplace and included a Q&A for attendees. We're grateful to partners like The Noble Law Firm who continuously support our work and clients in times of need. We're also thrilled to be exploring potential new pro bono opportunities with the firm in partnership with our Medical Legal Partnership team. Learn more about The Noble Law Firm and their invaluable work here.

Join Our Justice Legacy Circle - Make Justice Part of Your Legacy

Did you know you can include Legal Aid of North Carolina in your estate plans?

Planned gifts - including bequests, charitable trusts, and gifts of life insurance - create a legacy of justice that will continue to protect North Carolinians for generations to come.

By making a planned gift of any size, you become part of the Justice Legacy Circle, a community of supporters whose foresight ensures that Legal Aid's mission endures long into the future.

Together we can make justice not just a value we hold, but a legacy we leave.

Learn more or make your gift today:

Donate Today

Topics: Child custody & simple divorce

Opportunity: Present on a topic and answer general questions (no specific legal advice is given during the presentations). Volunteers receive training and all presentations are moderated.

When: Child custody presentations are held the second Tuesday of the month; simple divorce presentations are held the third Thursday of the month. All presentations run from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m.

Click below to sign up!

Child Custody

Simple Divorce