“Cornerstone Counsel” Serving Non-Profit Organizations

Hosted by the NCBA Construction Law Section

• Across North Carolina, nonprofits serve critical needs for individuals and communities of limited means, often relying on facilities that require renovation, expansion, or new construction. Many of these organizations might lack access to construction-specific legal expertise at the staff or board level, leaving them vulnerable to avoidable risk when undertaking projects essential to advancing their missions. While many nonprofits can obtain general legal assistance, few have meaningful access to counsel experienced in construction contracting, risk allocation, and dispute resolution, leaving them exposed to avoidable cost overruns, delays, and disputes that can jeopardize scarce charitable resources. By providing pro bono construction law counseling and dispute-resolution support at critical project stages, Cornerstone Counsel aims to promote fair contracting, informed decision-making, and orderly resolution of conflicts. In doing so, the project furthers access to justice by helping nonprofits protect their missions, steward public and donor funds responsibly, and complete facilities that serve vulnerable populations across North Carolina.
• The project coordinates with law firms across North Carolina, with each firm encouraged to designate one or more attorneys to serve as volunteers for the project. This approach is intended to engage a meaningful initial cadre of construction law practitioners, while allowing the program to launch in a manageable, sustainable way.
• The project serves nonprofit organizations throughout North Carolina, without geographic limitation. The project seeks to match nonprofit clients with volunteer construction lawyers from across the state, allowing matters to be staffed based on experience and availability rather than physical location. This statewide approach is designed to maximize volunteer participation and ensure access to construction-law expertise for nonprofits in both urban and rural communities.

If you or your firm would like to get involved with the NCBA Construction Law Section’s Cornerstone Counsel project, please email [email protected].