LANC-Charlotte Office
1431 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204-2506
MAP
704-971-2621;
1-800-738-3868 (toll-free; for clients only)
FAX: 704-971-0180
About us...
The staff of Legal Aid of North Carolina - Charlotte Office provides legal assistance
in civil matters (non-criminal matters) to eligible, low-income clients
who have problems with their basic needs and live in the area surrounding
Mecklenburg County .
Pro bono Options
[Contact our
PAI Coordinator
for the LANC-Charlotte Office.]
Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) actively recruits, trains, mentors, and co-counsels with
volunteer (pro bono) attorneys to help them handle the many complex
and changing legal issues unique to the practice of civil poverty law.
Our
PAI ("Private Attorney Involvement") Program helps to ensure access
to justice for low-income families and further leverages the dollars
that are invested in LANC. Typically, pro bono attorneys are needed
either for their special expertise and/or to help us with our large
case load.
To volunteer pro bono service in the counties served by
the LANC-Charlotte
Office, contact our
PAI ("Private Attorney Involvement") coordinator.
History
In July 2002, Legal Aid of North Carolina opened its
Charlotte office
as the result of a consolidation of the four, federally funded (LSC-funded),
legal services programs in North Carolina, including part of the staff
of the
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (LSSP)*.
Free legal services for low-income persons has existed in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg
area since 1967:
- 1966 - Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) began issuance of
federal grants for civil legal assistance to poor as a part of the
US Government's "War on Poverty."
1967 - The Mecklenburg County Bar and Charlotte Area Fund established
the "Mecklenburg County Legal Aid Society" with OEO and local matching
funds.
September 1, 1967 - "Legal Aid Society" began operation with three
attorneys and two secretaries.
1967-75 - "Legal Aid Society" grew with increased OEO funding.
1975 - OEO Legal Services Program (and funding) was transferred
to the new
Legal Services Corporation (LSC).
1979 - "Legal Aid Society" changed its name to
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (LSSP).
1996 - Congress imposed stronger restrictions on LSC-funded organizations,
prohibiting certain types of advocacy.
1999 - Legal services programs in North Carolina created the
Legal Services Planning Council
("Planning Council") to coordinate a comprehensive, integrated,
statewide system legal services to poor, guided by a vision of a
full range of services to a full range of clients.
February 2001 - The Planning Council adopted a plan to restructure
the legal services/legal aid system in North Carolina, including
the formation of "Legal Aid of North Carolina."
July 1, 2002 -
Legal Aid of North Carolina (and
its Charlotte office) began full operation as the statewide, LSC-funded,
legal aid program in North Carolina, operating in all 100 counties
through 24 geographically based
offices.
* Note:
Legal Services of Southern Piedmont (LSSP)
(Charlotte) continues to provide legal services for low-income persons,
but as a non-LSC ("unrestricted") program that focuses on legal services
that Legal Aid of North Carolina is not permitted to provide.
_______________________________
Our thanks to
Devon Self-Storage
for its support of
Legal Aid of NC-Charlotte Office!
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website
are for information and educational purposes only and do not
constitute legal advice.
Also please note that Legal Aid of North Carolina does not
provide legal assistance by E-mail. Contact your Legal Aid of
North Carolina office or a private attorney if you need to speak
to an attorney regarding your particular situation.
See our
complete disclaimer.
Mission Statement
Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide, nonprofit law firm that
provides free legal services in civil matters to low-income people in
order to ensure equal access to justice and to remove legal barriers
to economic opportunity.