This article originally appeared in the November 2020 issue of North Carolina Lawyer Magazine. Read the complete article written by Russell Rawlings and view all NC Lawyer issues at ncbar.org/nc-lawyer. Serving the public, as the mission statement of the North Carolina Bar Association proclaims, has never been more important than now. To that end, the North Carolina Bar Foundation assembled…
The 2019-20 bar year represented a key milestone for the North Carolina Bar Foundation, as it reached the 60th anniversary of its founding. This anniversary has given us an opportunity to reflect on the Foundation’s journey as a way of framing the bright future that lies ahead. The events of the past year have also demonstrated how quickly the ground…
The Platt D. Walker Planned Giving Society recognizes those individuals who have made a planned gift to support the North Carolina Bar Foundation. Established in 1996, the Society honors the name of Platt D. Walker, who was elected the first president of the North Carolina Bar Association in 1899. Class of 2020 LeAnn Nease and Charles Gordon Brown – Chapel…
The North Carolina Bar Foundation and the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center have launched the COVID-19 Frontline Health Planning Project to assist healthcare workers and other essential employees who are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pro bono attorneys will provide clients and their families with crucial legal protections by interviewing clients and preparing statutory advance directives remotely. Two types of…
As we all process the ongoing events related to the Covid-19 pandemic, one source of comfort is knowing that helpers, like first responders, healthcare workers, and so many others, are doing the impactful work they’ve always done – saving lives. Lately, their work seems particularly meaningful and dangerous, but they have been heroes since long before this pandemic. Another one…
The North Carolina Bar Foundation was proud to partner with the North Carolina Lawyers Assistance Program (LAP) and BarCARES to offer a free, two-part webinar series to support members of our profession during these difficult times. On April 8, 2020, nearly 1,900 judges, lawyers, paralegals and law students participated in the program “Calm in the Storm: Tools to Keep Your…
Perspective. That is what Michael Martinez, Bankruptcy and Corporate Attorney at Grier Wright Martinez, P.A., gleans from his pro bono work. He shares, “It really helps the effectiveness of my tact and approach dealing with my corporate clients when I’m simultaneously working with a pro bono client trying to save a house or put food on the table.” Although he…
The North Carolina Bar Foundation Lawyers for Literacy program volunteers help elementary school students improve their reading skills and expand their understanding of U.S. history and civics. Although in-school reading opportunities have been canceled in light of COVID-19, elementary students and their families can stream online educational stories video-recorded by Lawyers for Literacy volunteers. A dozen stories already have been…
The web-based NC Free Legal Answers pro bono program, offered by the North Carolina Bar Foundation, is an essential legal services tool during this time when the ability of clients and attorneys to meet together in person is limited by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this remote-access program, low-income residents from every part of the state can ask legal questions to…
In these difficult times, it helps to know there is a free online resource available to answer legal questions, including those related to COVID-19. The program is called NC Free Legal Answers and it has been serving income-eligible North Carolinians since 2018. Established in partnership between the North Carolina Bar Foundation and the American Bar Association, NC Free Legal Answers…