Staffing updates at the Pro Bono Resource Center

Leigh Wicclair, our senior staff attorney and Restorative Justice Project Director, has accepted a position as the Executive Director of NC LEAF. We are delighted for Leigh as she embarks on this new adventure, and we are happy that our work with her will still overlap through the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Beginning in September, Meghan Martie will be taking over as the Restorative Justice Project Director! Meghan is a skilled attorney and program manager who brings tech ingenuity, litigation prowess, and a deep devotion to her clients. Many of you already work closely with Meghan on driver’s license restoration and/or expunction pro bono projects, so you know that Meghan is more than qualified to step into this role.

Thank you for your continued support as we make this transition.

New Resource for Pro Bono Coordinators’ Network!

We are excited to share the new website page for the NC Pro Bono Coordinators’ Network: https://ncprobono.org/resources/pro-bono-coordinators-network.

Network members will soon be sent a Sharefile link at which they will need to register. This login will give members access to the resources shared at our meetings. Please look for an invitation from Joan Bartley at McGuireWoods to sign up.

Please join us for our first in-person Pro Bono Coordinators’ Network Meeting!

We are excited to invite you to our first in-person Pro Bono Coordinators’ Network Meeting on September 20 in Charlotte! We hope you can join us at the office of McGuireWoods at 12 pm for the meeting (lunch provided). Please register before September 18 at this link.

Know anyone who should join the Pro Bono Coordinators’ Network?

Individuals who serve as pro bono coordinators, who serve on their organization’s pro bono committee, who facilitate pro bono at their organization, or who desire to increase pro bono volunteerism among their legal professional staff are encouraged to join NCPBCN. If you would like to join, please email Sylvia Novinsky.

Prisoner Legal Services’ Upcoming Pro Bono Training!

The Juvenile Parole Project (JPP) is run by NC Prisoner Legal Services in partnership with UNC School of Law. The project serves incarcerated people who were convicted as juveniles and provides free advocacy in parole hearings. The JPP includes volunteer attorneys who supervise law students and provide pro bono representation before the NC Parole Commission.

The JPP is offering a CLE training to provide guidance and training to pro bono attorneys. The training will take place on August 8th via Zoom. Contact juvenileparoleproject@gmail.com with any questions and register for the training here.

Meet Legal Aid of NC’s new Pro Bono Director: Allison Constance

I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Director of Pro Bono Programs at Legal Aid of North Carolina. I’ve had a chance to meet many of you in my former role as Director of Pro Bono Initiatives at UNC School of Law, and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you as I work to expand the pro bono opportunities and volunteer engagement at Legal Aid of North Carolina. You may have previously worked with Erin Haygood who has led our Pro Bono team since 2021. Erin has stepped down in favor of a Supervising Attorney role in our Pittsboro office, allowing her to return to a focus on direct service casework, but she will continue to support the LANC Pro Bono team through the end of the year.

In the coming months, I expect to be sharing new opportunities and programs with you. As the LANC Pro Bono team works on building these opportunities, I also want to get to know you and your organizations’ goals for pro bono. If you’d like to set up a meeting, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at allisonc@legalaidnc.org.

What does Corporate Pro Bono Look Like Around the Country?

The Corporate Pro Bono project of Pro Bono Institute (PBI) has released its 2023 report on the 2022 Corporate Pro Bono Challenge data. Check it out here.

Job Announcement

The DC Courts is hiring its first Access to Justice Director, who will oversee the DC Courts’ access to justice initiatives and serve as an important liaison between the court and other access to justice stakeholders in the District. The position will close on August 2, and is listed as a JS-15 ($155,700-$183,500). To apply, search on USAJOBS for announcement number: EO-2023-0003 or click on the link: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/738151000