By Samantha Gordon, NCBA Pro Bono Committee Member Grabowski Law firm has an obvious passion for pro bono work. Austin Grabowski graduated Magna Cum Laude from University of North Carolina then attended Campbell Law School of Law, where he excelled in leadership roles and his pro bono interest took off. When Austin graduated, he held a prestigious position clerking for Superior…
When asked about her caseload as a mediator specializing in Workers’ Compensation and employment disputes, she replied, “It’s wild! I have a frenetic caseload!” Any mediator worth their salt can enjoy a great work/life balance, filling their calendar with as much work as they choose to accept. What distinguishes Kate from many of her colleagues is that she adds an…
By Kaitlyn Fudge The Appellate Pro Bono Program is available to pro bono lawyers in North Carolina, in collaboration with the North Carolina Court of Appeals, the North Carolina Bar Association Appellate Practice Section, and the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center. This program matches pro bono attorneys to pro se litigants in cases before the North Carolina Court of…
By Casey Burke and Lynna Moen There are many wonderful reasons why attorneys engage in pro bono work. A robust pro bono practice not only greatly benefits low-income clients and the legal services organizations that serve them, but it also benefits attorneys from the private bar who take on pro bono representation. Pro bono attorneys report high levels of satisfaction,…
The annual Law Day celebration, co-hosted by the North Carolina Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and the North Carolina Bar Foundation, took place Friday, May 5. Part of the day’s events included the final stage of the McIntyre Youth Leadership Challenge, which was held at the North Carolina Court of Appeals building in downtown Raleigh. Started by former Congressman Mike…
The NCBF Open Door Fellowship is a unique, competitive opportunity for first-year North Carolina law students from historically excluded or disadvantaged backgrounds. Open Door Fellows will participate in a paid summer program providing an opportunity to gain experience in a legal work setting. As the legal profession in North Carolina grows and its members become increasingly diverse, this flagship program…
By Scheree Gilchrist On March 30, a free informational session was held for college students to help answer the common questions among prospective students: is law school a good fit for me, and what can expect in the first year? Featuring an experienced panel of North Carolina Bar Association lawyers from diverse backgrounds and specialties within the legal field, the…
By Allison Standard Constance Candace Friel finds her passion for pro bono work in projects where she gets to work with clients one-on-one, especially at home in the Triad. Friel is a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, working as a healthcare and commercial litigator, and she is a member of the NCBA’s Health Law Section. Since beginning her…
On February 24, 2023, five Charlotte-area middle schools gathered at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse for a Middle School Mock Trial Competition. The NC Bar Foundation and the NCBF Civic Education and Community Engagement Committee play an integral role in facilitating these competitions by providing case materials and rules documents, helping coach teams or identify coaches, and participating as presiding judges…
By Kaitlyn Fudge “Our courts are designed to protect the stability of our law, and pro bono attorneys can play a role in that important tradition. Our courts work better when all parties have a say in the outcome, even those without sufficient means to participate. Protecting an individual’s position safeguards the law at the same time, and as an…