25 Years of Free Advice
FROM: WILSONDAILY.COM
Tuesday, November 1, 2005
25 Years of Free Advice
By Eddie Fitzgerald,
Daily Times
Staff Writer
Legal Aid of North Carolina, which has helped
thousands of people in the Wilson area with nowhere else to turn, is
celebrating its 25th anniversary Friday.
|
John Keller, an attorney with the Wilson agency,
said the nonprofit strives to help low-income people who otherwise might
not get legal representation because they cannot afford it.
"It's really a vital service," Keller said. "Although the Constitution
does not guarantee a lawyer to everyone in every case, it is still a
bedrock in the American legal system to help to protect people's rights."
Without Legal Aid and the service of private attorneys who work occasionally
for the agency on a pro-bono basis, many people would not be able to
afford an attorney, Keller said.
Legal Aid helps clients with issues involving unemployment benefits,
medical coverage, disability and foreclosures.
"I think all those types of cases either bring income into the community
or preserve income already in the community," Keller said.
When a case involves criminal charges, someone who could not afford
an attorney would have to ask for a court-appointed lawyer, Keller said.
Legal Aid only handles civil cases.
"We deal with people who have legal problems that affect their basic
necessities, shelter, food and income," he said.
Legal Aid also helps clients with eviction problems, making sure they
have habitable dwellings; unfair lending practices, which could include
mobile homes and vehicle sales; qualifications for Medicaid based on
disabilities; wrongful job terminations for state employees; and unpaid
wage claims. It also provides legal service for senior citizens doing
wills and power of attorney, Keller said.
Legal Aid of North Carolina used to be Eastern Carolina Legal Services,
but in 2002 the national Legal Services organization encouraged consolidation
on state levels, Keller said.
Before 2002, there were 14 Legal Service nonprofit agencies in the state
providing service to all 100 counties. In 2002, they all merged into
Legal Aid of North Carolina, Keller said.
The Wilson office has satellite offices in Goldsboro and Rocky Mount
and is responsible for Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, Wayne, Lenoir and Greene
counties. Most of the staff — seven attorneys, four paralegals and four
support staff — work in the Wilson office, Keller said.
The services are free. Attorneys are paid through federal, state and
private foundation funds, Keller sad.
Forty to 50 interviews with clients are scheduled each week, and Legal
Aid handled about 2,200 cases last year. Statewide, Legal Aid of North
Carolina served about 30,000 clients. That doesn't include the education
programs on things such as wills and consumer rights done statewide,
Keller said.
Legal Aid of North Carolina will celebrate its 25th anniversary from
10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Friday at N.C. Wesleyan College's Dunn Center for
the Performing Arts in Rocky Mount.
Guest speaker will be Susan Perry Cole, a former Eastern Carolina Legal
Services director who is now with the N.C. Association of Community
Development Corporations.
eddie@wilsondaily.com | 265-7820
___________________________________
Funding Sources
50 PERCENT of funds come from the federal Legal Services Corporation.
12 TO 15 PERCENT is state money from court costs.
12 PERCENT is from Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (interest that
comes from retainers)
REMAINING FUNDS come from donations, foundations and private attorneys.
Source: Legal Aid of North Carolina
Disclaimer
The materials contained on this website are for information and educational
purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Please 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.